Huge, but Easy Step Towards a Nourishing Diet: Add Cod Liver Oil


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There are so many things we can do to improve our diets, but lets face it it takes a lot of extra effort to incorporate certain nourishing foods into our diet. Thankfully there are some changes that take basically no effort, but can be very beneficial to our bodies.

One such change is the addition of cod liver oil to our diets. Sally Fallon was recently asked "what are the five most nourishing foods?", not surprisingly first on her list was cod liver oil, citing it’s fat soluble vitamins. Eating butter and whole fat dairy can also help your cod liver oil work better as the fat-soluble vitamins in both work synergistically.

Over the past year there have been some developments (and some disagreements) over the recommended brands of cod liver oil. Cod liver oil that has been highly processed can have a vitamin A to vitamin D ratio that is not similar to one found in nature, or the cod liver itself. This is why the Weston A Price foundation has made a list of recommended brands (scroll down a bit), with fermented cod liver oil at the top. (see sources of fermented cod liver oil).

If you’re like me you may be wondering about fish oil vs. cod liver oil. They are not the same thing, from what I understand. Fish oil does not contain the vitamins A or D like cod liver oil does. We have all heard about the importance of vitamin D and vitamin A.

Whether you’ve adopted every practice from Nourishing Traditions or are still overwhelmed and looking to get started (that was me), adding cod liver oil to your diet can supply your body with fat soluble vitamins that you may not yet be getting from your diet.

What about you… do you take cod liver oil – why or why not?

This post is a contribution to Fight Back Friday.

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28 Comments

  1. We are all taking it here–me, the kids ( 5 year old, 1 year old…not sure about the 2 month old–when can he start?). Just have to get the hubby on board! We’ve noticed significant improvements in several areas–less problems with eczema, less postpartum depression for myself as well as overall improved general health. Great post!

  2. Okay, I get it – I need to stop putting this off and give the cod liver oil. I’m nervous but ready to keep moving forward.
    Thanks for the links – it’ll help me figure out which one to try 🙂

  3. Cod liver oil is a must for me and my two children. I think whether you’re a beginner or a lifelong devotee to nourishing foods, cod liver oil is always an important key to good health. It’s simply the most abundant source of natural vitamin A and D, and fermented cod liver oil makes these nutrients highly bioavailable.

    We each take 1/2 teapsoon every morning of fermented cod liver oil. I take a half dose (which is said to still be effective) to make it more affordable to give my kids a whole dose. After all, they’re the ones who are growing. 🙂

    We don’t take butter oil with it because that’s out of our price range, but we do inlcude plenty of butter and other natural fats in our diets.

  4. I’m a newbie. We’ve been doing bone broths and meats for about 6mths – the bone broths being easy as I grew up making them in my family, that’s just what you did! – and made a few fermented foods that we’ve nibbled at. We have yet to totally commit ourselves yet. Our meats are no longer supermarket cheap meat, but good quality butchered, though we don’t have a car at present so can’t get out to the organic/wild farm to get the fulled grazed stuff. But, …

    I got some Norwegian fish oil for kids that has an orange smell (though, oddly, tastes totally neutral). It’s only been days, tho. I haven’t take any yet (I’ve just started putting a TBSP of coconut fat into my morning oatmeal). I’ll get good quality cod liver oil when this bottle is done.

    How much should we be taking? Any tips for palatability?

    1. Leanne – In the link to the WAPF page there is a recommended dosage in IUs so you can check the bottle. I take 2-3 caps/day. Liquid is good in water chased with more water. My little guys take it off of a spoon and so does my hubby 🙂

  5. I was taking it sporadically, but stopped when Dr. Mercola recommended against it. I realized he might have financial motivations since he started selling krill oil at the exact same time, but I was still concerned.

    1. Katie – Yes, my husband and I have both been confused by the conflicting information. I do think he does a great service, but it is hard to know where his motivations come from at times.

  6. I have heard from several sources that some cod liver oil can be contaminated with heavy metals, can be supplemented with the wrong vitamins and that it can be rancid, and do more harm than good.

    I know where my cod liver oil comes from, I trust the source and I take it like my life depended on it. It’s one of the few things that are no-compromise in my diet, regardless of expense.

  7. I’ve just begun using Green Pastures’ CLO about a month ago. I got the cinnamon flavor and it’s not difficult to take at all. All I can taste is the cinnamon. Time will tell the benefit I will receive, but I am confident I am doing a much needed thing for my poor old deficient body. By the way, I got mine from GAPS’ site and it was a little less expensive. My computer would not allow me into the Superfoods list, so they may be listed in there, but I don’t know.

  8. I just started taking CLO a few months ago (Nordic Naturals Vitamin D). Absolutely no dry skin problems this winter – yay!

  9. I take two teaspoons of Blue Ice fermented high vitamin CLO, orange flavor, every day. I put it in about a cup of milk and stir-and-drink. I pretty much chug it. I take it when I first get home from work so I’m usually thirsty and hungry which helps with the chug.

    I just bought the cinnamon flavor and some high vitamin butter oil, which become quite solid in the fridge. The butter oil has to be eaten because it’s solid. I think it would be delicious on popcorn. That’s what its taste reminds me of, butter popcorn. I take a half of a teaspoon of the butter oil each day.

  10. I took fermented Green Pastures CLO for 9 months and then got a Vit. D test. It was 21. Not good – even according to the doctor. I have been taking a Vit D supplement made by Biotics Research (in sesame oil) and I haven’t retested yet, but I feel a lot better and haven’t gotten as sick. I was bitterly disappointed at the CLO results, but I was not taking butter oil (the WAP quote is something like, he didn’t see much with CLO alone, but remarkable results when combined with butter oil. I should have considered that more seriously…) I am taking both now, and a smaller dose of the BR vit D. I also developed some digestive problems and wonder if my system has been compromised for a long time and wasn’t absorbing the vit D. Who knows? Anyway, I recommend testing if you plan on depending on FCLO for your Vit D levels. That’s a lot of money to spend to find out its not working.

    1. Katie – Thank you for sharing this. It would be interesting to put you on CLO w/ butter oil and get you tested after a few months again. I have read that you must cleanse candida and heavy metals out before being able to absorb things fully. Thanks again for your story.

  11. I would like to start including CLO in our diet, but cannot afford the FCLO. It’s just too expensive for our family of 7. Is it even worth taking if it’s cheaper brands? Are there any cheaper brands that are better than others? Also, how do you get your Vit D tested. I live in AZ and I know I’m out in the sun a lot without sunscreen, more so during the winter than the summer actually. I’m hoping that exposure helps my Vit D levels.

    1. Lanise – That’s a fantastic question. In one of the links of recommendations from the Weston A Price foundation they said that Carlson’s brand is a good one. You want a much higher vitamin D percentage than vitamin A.

    1. Cara – That’s great and he is getting everything he needs if you are still nursing 🙂

  12. Great post!! CLO and high vitamin raw butter saved my life! Weston A Price found the best healing results occurred as they were taken together! I ATE 5 Tbsp of butter a day as well as swigging CLO first thing in the AM on an empty stomach. The proof is in the puddin! I like to say, “it works if you work it”!

  13. My child is actually more bright-eyed on fish oil than the cod-liver oil. However I will take a break from the fish oil from time to time and we’ll do the cod liver oil for a week or two. Fish oil supplements have made a huge difference in our life. I remember when my 92 year old grandmother would tell us about the cod liver oil her mother forced on her as a child. That’s probably why she’s 92 today and can still remember it!

  14. I have just recently discovered your blog and I am enjoying it so much!!! It is very informative and fun to read!

    This post fit in perfectly with a series I am doing on my blog and I linked to this post from my blog today.

    I have recently started taking cod liver oil in capsule form (from beeyoutiful.com). My question is — Are capsules as effective as the liquid form? (I’m hoping Yes!) 🙂

    thanks! I am already looking forward to your next post!

    blessings,
    Elizabeth

  15. Lanise: ask your doctor for the 25(OH)vitamin D test. It is pronounced twentyfive hydroxyvitamin D. Don’t get the one-twentyfive dihydroxyvitamin D test since that won’t give you a good assessment of your stored D levels.

    Shannon: Interesting that you mention candida and heavy metals. I have both problems (I think). I just got out my only mercury filling and have had a hard time clearing mercury from my system. And I am learning the symptoms of candida and am increasingly suspicious that I am dealing with an overgrowth. Thanks for the thoughts.

    1. Vanessa – I know what you mean. I started taking the capsules because of that. My chiropractor suggest two things: 1). Add it to water, chug it back, and chase it with water. 2). Put it in fresh-squeezed orange juice.

  16. You know, I took CLO faithfully throughout my last pregnancy, nursing, and the first part of this pregnancy, so for at least 2.5 years. It was a reputable brand, though not fermented, as that is just too pricey for us at this time. Anyway, after taking fairly large doses for all that time, my bone scan came back osteopenic (rheumatologist wanted to check this due to close pregnancies and the med I need to take during them for Hughes’), so my vitamin D levels were tested and only at a 24. This was despite raw milk, pastured meats, good fats, etc…, though certainly not a completely perfect diet. After finding this out, I began taking (on dr’s advice) 8000 IU vitamin D daily (Carlson brand) for a month, then 4000 daily for about 5 months after that. Imagine my surprise in finding out after a retest that levels have only increased by 4 points, to 28, after this dosing. I’ve now been upped back to 8ooo IU daily, with instructions to take more when the baby is born and I’m nursing.

    Anyway, sorry this is long, but I just saw the comment about the butter oil and am wondering if it would help my situation. Aside from that, I’m thinking there must be some sort of absorption problem and/or the baby is getting what he needs at my expense. I’ve worked on candida at length before but realize it could be a recurring issue. Am just overwhelmed at the moment thinking of drastic further dietary changes when I’m struggling through this last month of pregnancy as it is. Thanks for any reading suggestions or other ideas.

  17. All these concerns make me wonder if the vitamin D test is all that accurate. Perhaps it does measure stored vitamin D correctly, but must this be the only indicator of absorption? Maybe the vitamin D is being used so quickly by some that storage of it is low?

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