Cod liver oil is becoming more well known for its high amounts of vitamins A, D, and high levels of omega 3 fatty acids. These nutrients are important for optimal brain and connective tissue health, and alleviate inflammation in the body. Thanks to Dr. Oz and Dr. Andrew Weil, the benefits of CLO are public knowledge… but what about fermented cod liver oil?
Fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) is the superfood version of plain old CLO. Think of it as the Rolls Royce of cod liver oils. It has more concentrated nutrition and the extra bonus of being a “live food,” thanks to lacto-fermentation.
The way food is processed makes a significant difference in the quality of the end result, just like the difference between boiled green beans and steamed ones. Most CLO is heat processed to remove the maximum amount of oil from the cod livers, but sacrifices the nutritional quality of the oil for more of it. Heat also destroys enzymes and decreases the amount of the vitamin content. Because of that, you have to take more processed CLO to gain those great health benefits. Processing also throws off the vitamin balance of A & D because these vitamins degrade at different speeds in the heating process.
With fermented cod liver oil, this is not the case. Fermentation, the traditional way of making CLO for thousands of years, is used instead of heat (think sauerkraut). Chemical solvents, diatomaceous earth, and steam are not used at all in the manufacturing, which creates a better, more powerful product. FCLO has higher levels of A and D in the naturally occurring ratios that our bodies can assimilate easily, and the fermentation process increases the bioavailability of the nutrients, so you can use far less than standard CLO.
This traditional process does have a cost, however; FCLO does cost more than standard CLO and CLO pills, and the flavor may be unappetizing to some; flavored FCLO is available, like Green Pasture’s Blue Ice brand, in arctic mint, cinnamon, chocolate, and orange.
For those looking for that nutritional Rolls Royce, fermented cod liver oil may be your best bet. In the end, however, any cod liver oil is still better than none for boosting immunity and better health.
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