My Experience Taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil
Tara Carpenter, NC.
Nutrition Consultant helping people regain natural gut microbiome after yeast, bacteria, parasitic, and viral infections.
Originally published on October 7, 2017.
Fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) and Butter Oil Blends made by Green Pastures in Nebraska contains fat-soluble nutrients like Omega-3 (DHA/EPA), Vitamin A/D. These fragile nutrients are often lacking in most people, especially as we age or have digestive issues or have babiesbecause we use our precious stash without replenishing on a regular basis. I am amazed how quick the body can respond to the simple practice of a spoonful of fclo or butter blend to replenish fat-soluble nutrients. Easy!
Benefits of Fermented Cod Liver Oil & Butter Blends
- Eliminate Toxins
- Delay/Stop Tooth Decay
- Balance Blood Sugar
- Increase Fertility
- Improve Digestion
- Reduce Risk of Heart Attack
- Relieve Joint Stiffness
- Repair Wounds
- Anti-Inflammatory
- Relieve Autoimmune Diseases
- Great as an oil pull (think coconut oil yet with cod oil/butter blend)
- Healthy Babies with Strong Teeth/Jaw/Bones/Joints
- Prevent Brain Issues (i.e., dementia, ADD, autism)
- Calm Nervous System
- Balance Hormones
- Build Strong Bones (by promoting proper calcium absorption)
- Boost Unborn Baby/Kids fast-growing brain when mom takes during pregnancy or breastfeeding (or add to baby’s bottle).
Where I live in New England, winter is 6+ months of cold weather with limited amounts of sunshine strong enough to get deep into skin to boost vitamin levels, etc. so I take fermented cod oil and butter blends year-round. When traveling I pack fclo capsules and butter blend capsules.
Taking cod oil each day brings peace of mind knowing I am getting enough Omega-3/6 , antioxidants, etc. and my kids get a thumbs up from our dentist. Read my post here on keeping kids cavity free here.
Many teeth, digestive, heart, joint, bone issues can be connected to an Omega-3 and Vitamin A/D deficiency which is why I take Green Pastures products because they are rich in these fat-soluble vitamins. Dr. Weston A. Price (pioneer in researching the link between oral health and nutrition) argued fat-soluble vitamins have been deficient in practically every case of active tooth decay; the combination of cod liver oil and butter oil works synergistically and is more potent taken together than either one on its own (reference).
How cod oil is made, makes a difference ….
Modern day cod oil from a health food store is not always up to par so my recommendation is if the label is other than Green Pasture then take a close look at ingredients and how is made. Most cod oil is made with high heat, solvents, bleaching, and deodorizing which though extends shelf life is not healthy for the human body.
The above modern processes destroy delicate, fat-soluble vitamins found in cod oil; the very fats you are after for their well-known healing properties! This is why I buy my cod oil and butter blends from Green Pastures. Raw, live food, naturally fermented in a traditional manner.
Getting my geek on ….
Furthermore, the good fats harmed from these modern-day processes may be replaced with synthetic versions of Vitamin A, D, E which is a concern due to toxicity of fake vitamins that easily build-up in our body. A whole food source like FCLO can supply your body with natural vitamin A/D and other nutritional cofactors that work together synergistically 🤓
Green Pastures ™ makes fermented cod liver oil like your great grandmother may have; no heat is used to make this product so is a raw ‘living fatty food’ the human body understands and can metabolize/digest. This family-owned company tests each batch for heavy metals and toxic contaminants and works with sustainable fishermen. The oil comes in cinnamon, orange, chocolate flavors and in capsule, liquid, or balm form.
If you have tooth or bone decay, I highly recommend Butter Oil Blends for quick and effective results. I turned around my own teeth issues where I was getting a new cavity every 3 months which is when I was scheduled in to see the dentist (not every 6 months) because my teeth were that bad.
I am a Group Buyer to bring fermented cod liver oil and butter blends to Vermont at a reduced price. Email tara@happybellies.net for product/price list. I place orders in Spring, Autumn, Early/Mid-Winter with pick-up points Montpelier, Plainfield, Barre, Williston.
May all bellies be happy!
How My Family Takes Fermented Cod Liver Oil (FCLO)
Resources
Fallon, S. & Enig, M. Ph.D. Nourishing Traditions. Washington, DC, NewTrends Publishing, Inc., 2001.
Nagel, R. Cure Tooth Decay. Los Gatos, CA, Golden Child Publishing, 2011.
Pitchford, P. Healing with Whole Foods. Berkeley, California, North Atlantic Books, 2002.
Healthy Home Economist (2011). Fish Eggs Superior Vitamin D Source. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/fish-eggs-a-superior-vitamin-d-boost
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links for products I believe in and use on a regular basis. See more here. All content is general information only, primarily educational in nature, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of a primary health-care practitioner that you, the reader, may require for any cause whatsoever, now or in the future. Consult a primary practitioner regarding any health problem(s) you have and keep them informed to opinions, ideas, and advice on this site that you find useful. Please email tara@happybellies.net with questions or concerns.
4 replies on “My Experience Taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil”
Fermented cod liver oil is the traditional way to go. Basically, anytime a food is fermented, its nutrients increase 10-fold. To get geeky on you, the lacto-fermentation (method used to make FCLO) breaks down the vitamins (like A & D) into much smaller molecules that are easily absorbed in your digestive lining (mouth on through to intestines). So you get more for your buck and possibly need less of it cuz of its potency. It’s also a raw food so without the fermentation it wouldn’t be stable.
Another way of looking at this is to take milk and ferment it into kefir. The casein (milk protein) and lactose (milk sugar) will be broken down/pre-digested in the fermentation process. So, someone who is sensitive to dairy may tolerate fermented dairy.
Why is fermented better than plain cod liver oil? If you could find a cod liver oil that wasn’t processed with solvents, etc. would it be as good as the fermented variety or is there something that fermenting it gives you that plain doesn’t?
The main difference between flax oil and FCLO is that flax seeds don’t contain fat soluble vitamins. That’s your A, D, and K. No plant food does. Some plants have some vit. K in it but not vit. A and D. Which all work synergistic-ally in your body. Here’s a link that talks more about all this https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/why-flax-oil-is-not-a-good-substitute-for-cod-liver-oil/
It’s by one of my fave bloggers. She’s evidence-based. Which comes in handy with stuff like this.
I am vegetarian and so take flax seed oil, is this as healthy?