Monday, January 14, 2013

Why We Stopped Taking Fermented Cod Liver Oil

(I've moved! You can see this article on my new website here!)

August 2015 UPDATE: See the shocking test results for Fermented Cod Liver Oil here.

We used to take cod liver oil every day. We would never miss a day.  Now we haven't taken cod liver oil in over 6 months... Why?

My Family Started Taking Cod Liver Oil in 2006

picture from curetoothdecay.com
My husband and I started taking cod liver oil back in 2006 when we learned about the benefits of a nutrient-dense, traditional diet. At that time, the cod liver oil we took was called Blue Ice, and we chose that brand because it was one of the only cod liver oils produced in a traditional way. Most other cod liver oils on the market had their vitamins removed in processing and some even had synthetic vitamins added back in. We wanted our cod liver oil to be as natural as possible to get the most benefit from it.

The Blue Ice cod liver oil was very light in color; clear with a hint of yellow. It didn't have a very strong odor or flavor, but it did smell and taste like fish. We had amazing results when we started taking the cod liver oil, and noticed that it particularly benefited our immune systems. My husband and I took a daily dose of cod liver oil each morning before breakfast, and then made sure to eat plenty of grassfed butter with breakfast (since cod liver oil works synergistically with the Vitamin K found in grassfed butter). In 2007, we had our first child and as she started eating foods in addition to breastmilk, she also started having a daily dose of cod liver oil. She loved it and would ask for her cod liver oil every day.

A New Cod Liver Oil on the Market?

Fast forward a few years to 2009, when I was beginning my second pregnancy. I heard that the Blue Ice cod liver oil was no longer being produced, so we stockpiled about a dozen bottles. I started hearing about a new Blue Ice cod liver oil that would be even better because it was fermented. We regularly eat fermented foods, so fermented cod liver sounded fine. I ordered a bottle, thinking that I wanted to get the best nutrition for the baby growing inside me. When the new fermented cod liver oil arrived, I was surprised to see that it was very thick, very dark, and had a very foul odor. I went ahead and tried one dose; it was absolutely disgusting! It burned my throat, and it didn't help that I was already nauseous from pregnancy. After that one dose, even the smell of the fermented cod liver oil would turn my stomach. I was glad we had stockpiled lots of the non-fermented cod liver oil to last through my pregnancy.

Fast forward another year, and we ran out of our stockpile of the original Blue Ice cod liver oil. We now had two children, and by this time, I was hearing that the fermented cod liver oil was superior nutritionally, and that the initial strong taste and smell was no longer quite so bad. We went ahead and ordered some and made ourselves start taking it. My daughter hated the cod liver oil, but we finally found that she would take the combination butter oil/fermented cod liver oil in cinnamon flavor. She didn't like taking it, so I came up with all sorts of ways to get her to take her daily dose. My infant son, after one taste, refused to eat any food at all for a few days (so he just nursed more); I tried again every few months and he eventually started to take the orange flavored liquid fermented cod liver oil.

Digestive Problems from Taking Fermented CLO

Meanwhile, my husband often complained that the fermented cod liver oil made him nauseous. He had to try to find ways to take it to minimize the nauseousness. I found that it could also make me nauseous, especially if I took it on an empty stomach. Yet, through it all, we persisted in taking it. So many trusted people were saying it was good for us, and I wanted my family to have the best nutrition. And we still found that, particularly during flu season, the fermented cod liver oil really helped our immune systems. I even coordinated large group purchases of cod liver oil for others we knew who were taking cod liver oil.

Different Methods for Making Cod Liver Oil

picture from curetoothdecay.com
About 8 months ago, while collaborating with a man named Archie Welch on another project, I learned that he was doing research into cod liver oil, after having problems getting his son to take the fermented cod liver oil. And what Archie learned was that there were traditionally several different ways to make cod liver oil. One ancient method used no heat, chemicals, or pressure to extract the oil, resulting in an oil with almost no flavor or odor. Another method used by Nordic fishermen, the livers were steamed, resulting in a pale cod liver oil with a light smell. In another later method, the livers were fermented in a barrel, resulting in a dark brown, strong smelling oil. This dark brown cod liver oil was likely to contain bits of rancid and putrefying livers, which contributed to its strong odor and flavor. 

As cod liver oil became more popular for medicinal use in the 1800's, there were practitioners who used the pale oil and also those who used the dark brown oil. Great health benefits were observed form both types of oil, but some people did have digestive problems from the dark brown oil. (Archie has put together a great article detailing all of this history here.)

Once I read Archie's article, I really understood better why we had such problems with the fermented cod liver oil. Because of the way it is produced, it is likely to contain some bits of rotting livers, and this is why the oil could be so offensive to us. (To be fair, some bottles of fermented cod liver oil were not as bad as other bottles. But some were downright horrendous.) But with no other good alternatives on the market, what were we to do?

The Last Straw

Upon taking a dose of particularly dark cod liver oil last summer, I had severe stomach cramping and diarrhea. Afterwards, I couldn't bring myself to take another dose. Over about a month, we all stopped taking the fermented cod liver oil. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop; wouldn't we start getting sick more often now?

Over the same time period, every member of my family has started undergoing constitutional homeopathic treatment. Constitutional treatment is a long process, sometimes taking a year or more, but rather than focusing on a single illness, constitutional treatment focuses on every aspect of a person's personality and health. This means that, over time, constitutional treatment actually helps the body cure itself of the tendency to even get sick in the first place. I have also been using my new knowledge of homeopathy at the first signs of any illness in my family (this is acute homeopathy treatment, as opposed to constitutional which I am not trained in yet). So, even though we haven't been taking our cod liver oil, this has been the best year for our family in terms of contracting illnesses. Each of us has had one cold in the last four months. The previous winter, we all had multiple stomach flus and colds. (I will be talking more about our healing through homeopathy in future posts.)

So as of now, no one in our family has taken cod liver oil in over 6 months. And thanks to homeopathy, we haven't been sick either!

Will we ever take cod liver oil again? 

We don't plan to take fermented cod liver oil again. However, I would like to have some light-colored cod liver oil on hand just in case (since it has worked so wonderfully for us in the past in helping us quickly get over illnesses). There hasn't been a traditionally prepared light cod liver oil on the market in the United States since production of the original Blue Ice cod liver oil was stopped years ago. But, after doing all of his research into cod liver oil, Archie Welch was able to find small company in Norway who was using the ancient extraction method with no heat, chemicals, or pressure to make ratfish liver oil.  As a result of Archie's prompting, this small company is now using the same method to make raw cod liver oil. Archie is finishing up the process of making that cod liver oil available here in the United States and he will be selling that light cod liver oil at corganic.com. We will definitely be buying some of the raw cod liver oil, and will be happy to once again have the lightly flavored, lightly colored oil to take just as we did years ago.

Does this information make you think twice about taking fermented cod liver oil?  Have you or your family had any bad reactions to it?

This post is part of Traditional Tuesdays, Pennywise Platter and Fat Tuesday

Affiliate Disclosure: As of May 2015, my family likes the extra virgin cod liver oil so much that I have signed up as an affiliate for EVCLO. The link to EVCLO above is an affiliate link.

282 comments:

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Anonymous said...

*Sorry, ISN'T important (according to this article at least): http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/omega-3-fats/

Anonymous said...

I started taking fermented skate liver oil 3 weeks ago and just found blood in my stool as well. I can only attribute it to that.

Unknown said...

Getting NAET treatments has does wonders for my health. I was very allergic to the stuff in the Fermented cod liver oil and the X factor butter dairy. After a few sessions of NAET(www.naet.com) my allergies from the FCLO were gone. :) I now eat tons of Raw dariy and do perfectly fine and actually feel really good when I comsume raw dariy. I even do good on pasterized Dariy.

I would get a whole list of bad sysmtoms when I ate the FCLO now I do very well on it!

It goes something like this: When you allegic to foods(FYI:allergies aren't just watery eyes or runny noses) then the food wether it's healhy or none healthy will not be absorbed and utlilized because your body rejects it.

So now everytime I eat something healthy for me It actually makes me feel better where as before I would only make me feel worse and I thought it was a healing crisis,but no!

Unknown said...

Getting NAET treatments has does wonders for my health. I was very allergic to the stuff in the Fermented cod liver oil and the X factor butter dairy. After a few sessions of NAET(www.naet.com) my allergies from the FCLO were gone. :) I now eat tons of Raw dariy and do perfectly fine and actually feel really good when I comsume raw dariy. I even do good on pasterized Dariy.

I would get a whole list of bad sysmtoms when I ate the FCLO now I do very well on it!

It goes something like this: When you allegic to foods(FYI:allergies aren't just watery eyes or runny noses) then the food wether it's healhy or none healthy will not be absorbed and utlilized because your body rejects it.

So now everytime I eat something healthy for me It actually makes me feel better where as before I would only make me feel worse and I thought it was a healing crisis,but no!

Anonymous said...

I think what is getting lost here is that Cod Liver Oil became a workable supplement because of Vitimin D deficiency from lack of sunlight. Physical reactions to cod liver oil could change from one region of the country to the other. From one person to another. Diet and other factors have to be considered. My brother had rickets as a child and very bow legs. Cod liver oil was suggested to my mother at that time (1960's) and she began giving it to all of us. Should mention we are black. We need much more exposure to sunlight daily than much lighter skinned ppl and Caucasians.

In my late fifties had to do my own research to figure out why I was feeling drained, muscles, bones, teeth aching during the fall and winter. Problems sleeping, flu like symptoms, etc, etc. Research led me to Vitamin D where all my symptoms showed up as vitamin D deficiency.

Where you live should also be considered. We have always lived in the Midwest (Not good). Fall and winter months no vitamin D is available from sunlight. So other vitamin D sources from food sources and pill supplements can only supplement what we really need and that is exposure to the sunlight that makes vitamin D as it is absorbed through the skin. Supplements are only a fix until we can enjoy the full organic health benefits of sunlight during late Spring and Summer. Again, where we live plays a huge role in any negative or positive effects.

Vitamin D is a hormone not a vitamin and requires adequate sunlight to be produced through exposed skin. Made me want to take another look at people in Africa and the Rainforests of the world where natives still walk around with most of their skin exposed. Maybe not so primitive after all, when you think of the advice we're given to cover up and apply sunscreen. If I heard someone black talk about needing sunscreen I think I would slap them. Lol.

People did not know how important vitamin D from sunlight was when I was coming up. I think if they had, a lot more black people would have tried to stay in the South or move back there for over all health reasons. Skin makes little if any Vitamin D from the Sun above 37 degree latitudes of the Equator during fall and winter. In other words dark skin, it would be better live in Florida, Nevada or Georgia, than New York, Illinois or Seattle, Washington for example.

By the way my brother in his 50's now has suffered from attacks of CHF - Congestive heart failure. Vitamin D deficiency is now known to be a huge contributor to CHF. They have done far too little research on Vitamin D over the decades and are now scurrying to catch up as people have taken their health into their own hands bypassing medical opinions and obsession with treating everything with surgery and drugs.

Finding quality Cod Liver Oil these days, frustrating at the least. Since healthy people are not the medical and pharma industries best friends you have to wonder if they have more to do with not being able to find quality cod liver oil any longer.

Final note, it's late March and I already feel better, stronger, and sleeping better at night. Started taking notice over the past three years. Once I get to mid April all the symptoms I mentioned disappear since I'm out in the sun more often and I'm a gardener. When Fall comes, they come back. I'm learning to drink lot more water. Eat fish like Salmon. Eggs. Also green leafy vegetables and fruit. Blends I make in my blender. Help me a lot.
I've removed many things from my diet like white sugar and junk food. I use EVOO, coconut oil, etc. Now I get much less pain in my face, jaws,bones, muscles over the winter.

Loved the article. Glad these subjects are finally on the table to discuss.

Signed,
Waiting for April in Wisconsin (sigh)

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this blog! Thank you Mr. Dave Vet!!!!!!!!! I know that this blog was not started to kick against the FCLO and Green Pastuers, and I am so grateful to read the effects though, that she and others have had so that I can have the needed information that I need to make a decision. I have decided to try FCLO from Green Pasteurs and am looking forward to my bottle as I have just purchased. I have just recently started taking Carlsons and it has made me feel wonderful for many reasons, but I want to try the fermented as well. Your added information has given me the confidence I needed, as I was alittle confused until you came into this blog. I read this entire blog, which took me hours, and just wasn't convinced until you came in the door!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!!!!!! Your breakdown of the fermented process, the definition, and comparison to yogurt, and the information you provided about mercury, and the future farm production is absolutely invaluable information in my opinion. You are awesome. Love you! Thank you Ms. Sarah for starting this blog!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Finally! Someone who has consider the "S" word. Seasonal. And I'll take your two cents over the advice of the millions of "3 dollar bills" out there. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

It seems to me that most foods naturally contain within themselves what is needed to digest them, so our bodies can benefit from their nutrients. Like raw milk has lactase, but when pasteurized, it then becomes indigestible for many people. Wheat and other grains need one of the three "s" (sprouting, soaking, souring) to help us digest them. Even ruminants have trouble directly digesting grasses and grains, but unlike us they are their own processing plants. This CLO is really an irresponsible health nut craze that puts a burden on local areas that need that resource. And the FCLO sounds like a brilliant marketing gimmick to reduce shrink. Sell the rotten junk to the health food worshipers in America. They'll pay premium prices if their health nut gurus tell them its healthy for them. The joke is on y'all while Sven and Ingvar laugh all the way to the bank. All of your symptoms are strikingly close to food poisoning. I will be passing on this silliness and I will focus on eating locally and seasonally. I will be preparing and processing foods more naturally, Thanks for helping me decided against taking this and any other CLO product.

Eric Brody said...

The link from the article said page did not exist. Not sure how to comment without reviewing this source:

Great health benefits were observed form both types of oil, but some people did have digestive problems from the dark brown oil. (Archie has put together a great article detailing all of this history here.)

Sarah Smith said...

I just updated the link to the new page address, so it should work now.

megaoils said...

I truly believe this product has helped to balance my hormones.

Think About It! said...

1- CLO is food. Do you worry about "dosage" of hamburger?
2- The delineation of dosages of anything on the basis of age is ludicrous. The basis should be the person (...large, small, sickly, robust, etc.) and his/her nutritional needs.
3- Would you decide when to mow your lawn according to the pronouncements of a faceless bureaucrat somewhere or according to how your lawn grows?

L.R. said...

I found this very informative. Thanks so much for sharing!

Anonymous said...

I noticed you posted a blog trying to dissuade people from even considering the Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil, by saying it's nothing but a marketing ploy and the same high heat, highly processed product, http://www.greenpasture.org/fermented-cod-liver-oil-butter-oil-vitamin-d-vitamin-a/what-is-virginextra-virgin-fishmarine-oilcod-liver-oil/

Whereas if you actually go their web sites -

http://ratfishoil.net/11-netshop-articles/9-rosita-real-foods-products

"No Heat or Chemicals Used."

You'll see their method is actually done in the old way.

http://www.rositarealfoods.com/9-cod-liver-oil-articles/2-artisan-extra-virgin-cod-liver-oil

http://www.rositarealfoods.com/13-general-information-blog/1-the-age-old-ways-of-extracting-liver-oil

Rather unprofessional of you, IMO. You also still seem to be in denial that (some) people get digestive issues from your product. At the very least, you could have a disclaimer on your site that, if one has digestive issues, they should not use FCLO. It's not like you'd lose business - there are plenty of people who benefit from it. But if you refuse to take any responsibility for your product, then that tells me you are not to be trusted, and what only matters to you is the $$.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this post! I checked out Rosita's site yesterday, and they do have the EVCLO up for sale!

http://ratfishoil.net/

It's still cost-prohibitive for me, but I'm glad to know it's available. Until I can afford this, I'm going to try the Sonne's.

I really appreciate the post and reading the comments as well. I always stayed away from the FCLO because of the price, but also I was rather skeptical - while I am grateful to WAPF for the valuable information they provide, I was rather suspicious of their promoting this ONE super-duper product - that you can get from only ONE source - and at a steep price - because it's 'traditional' and uber-healthy. Some even go far as to say you absolutely CANNOT be healthy without it, no matter how good your diet is -

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/why-eating-organic-will-never-make-you-healthy/#more-9842

She doesn't mention GP, but where else is one to find this 'superfood'?
Seriously?

Anyway, enough on my soap box, I'm going to read more of your blog :)

Anonymous said...

I take cinnamon. Just started- I have a bladder issue that cannot take histamines and I dont notice anything with this. It seems everything that we take ends up having people against it for one reason or the other.

The Kremers said...

The Healthy Wellness Mama blogspot has a lot of information on curing tooth decay.

RayK said...

Does this apply to the butter oil/cod liver oil blend as well? I was planning on taking it from green pastures but now I'm a little confused.

Anonymous said...

just on the off chance it may help someone, i read that fermented foods that are done with whey or a starter create a histamine reaction in some people. where as a brine solution used for fermenting does not. i thought it was interesting because i have always preferred brine methods, just never knew why. i just wanted to put it out there for those of you who many be upset about not being able to enjoy ferments because of a histamine reaction.

Anonymous said...

umm, so basically this article is saying don't take Blue Ice fermented cod liver oil because it tastes bad? Great science there... FYI, there's a big chance that you felt nauseous simply by autosugestion because you didn't like the smell and taste. BTW, are you aware that they also sell them in capsules?

Anonymous said...

stopped reading at homoeopathy.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone know what could cause this? My son is 4 years old and whenever he eats any fruit, his stool is very loose. Any advice on why this is happening or what to do? Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Well, you must be clearly forgetting that the time the oil was actually "made" is much shorter than the whole evolution of our spiece or the time that our digestive systems are able to go through a major development (certain populations have much better tolerance for grains and brake them down easier). Therefore it doesn't really matter whether you take the oil in the time it was available after producing it. What does matter is how was it "obtained" in the first place. Well, the answer is simple enough - by eating livers themselves. So what you want to look at is when would certain fish be available for consumption (most of the year except for winter months). The production of oil was supposed to provide a supply of it throughout the months the fish were not available. Not the other way around.

Unknown said...

Sarah, do you know the little norwegian company's name? I travel through norway several times a year.

Sarah Smith said...

Rosita is the name of the company that is producing the EVCLO.

Sarah Smith said...

The Raw EVCLO will be available for sale sometime in the next week or so!! In the meantime, I am giving away 2 bottles of Raw EVCLO here:
http://nourishedandnurtured.blogspot.com/2014/08/giveaway-two-bottles-of-extra-virgin.html

Pennylicious said...

$49 for 150 ml is cost prohibitive, so I'll be sticking with unflavored CLO. Thanks for the article.

Anonymous said...

i am so glad to find this article. i also after having read about the benefits of consuming fermented cod liver oil, recently started giving my 6 month old daughter 4 drops a day of the blue ice brand. she is exclusively breastfed and has not eaten any solids yet. she reacted terribly to this oil. she suffered with major gas pains, and mucus in her stools. after just 4 days we are done with this product! i am so disgusted by the "rotten" liver particles you write about! how awful! again, am so glad you wrote this piece. thank you!

Anonymous said...

Green Pasture's website also seems very well researched. Archie's cod liver oil is extremely expensive!

Anonymous said...

Hi Tamara,

This might be too late, but I would recommend you check Karen Hurd's website.
you can read up on allergies and mercury. I'd say lots of beans and garlic.

Anonymous said...

I have to say I was glad to find this article. We took the unfermented CLO for years as well, stocked up too when it went out of production. It was beneficial to my children's dental health. When the fermented came out my child refused to take it anymore. I did not appreciate spending $44 on it and then not being able to use it. I have since switched to a commercial CLO approved by Weston Price org. but still miss the original CLO from Blue Ice.

Unknown said...

Typically, when people begin training for the first time, they are impressively enthusiastic as well as impatient. They want results and they want them immediately. This mentality usually leads to various supplements. Green supplements are also considered natural health and fitness supplements that has no side effects.

John Anderson said...

I feel Norwegian Salmon oil and Vital Choice's salmon oil is a safe alternative to fermented cod liver oil.

Anonymous said...

I was looking into FCLO after reading it was recommended by Dave Asprey of the Bulletproof Executive. However, I just can't get past the truly awful wording on their website: it may be unintentional, but their main argument seems to be it's "sacred" (an utterly nonsensical statement) and it's a very old, traditional method--going back thousands of years. This is the fallacy of "If it's older it's better." Plenty of older methods (or traditional methods) of food prep resulted in epidemics and all sorts of problems.Like eating raw meat and getting parasites. Older doesn't necessarily mean better. (Witness eating of traditional bat soup in W. African countries where Ebola is spreading).

I wanted to find some scientifically sound argumentation in favor of it, but I did not find it! So I bought Carlson's and am happy with the results.

--Former magazine editor (who is very focused on words!)

Anonymous said...

On the Amazon page for Carlson's Norwegian cod liver oil, there are rave reviews re: healing bleeding gums and cavities. I'm on my first bottle of Carlson's.

Mike G said...

What kind of cut was Archie giving you for promoting?

Sarah Smith said...

I do not get any "cut" from Archie for promoting his product. He did send me three bottles once it was released, of which I kept one and gave away two bottles on this blog. Profit has had nothing to do with my sharing of information regarding my family's experiences with FCLO and EVCLO. Rather, my motivation has been to share information that can help people find health.

Anonymous said...

test if you have overgrown candida yeast

T.West said...

Thanks for the awesome blog. I have histamine issues so need to avoid fermented products. Have just placed an order with Kitsa's Kitchen, an Australian distributor of Rosita EVCLO. I am in Western Australia. I am studying naturopathy so good to know for future clients :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Sarah is there anyone you know that you would recommend for "constitutional homeopathy" and can you let me know what it consist of? Have a wife that has auto-immune hashimotos thyroiditis, and allergic to shell fish & tuna, so cant give her the cod liver oil, or any fish oils for that matter. Thanks

Sarah Smith said...

I do constitutional homeopathic treatments, and have many patients who I consult with by phone since they do not live nearby. If you want more information about my constitutional care, rates, etc, please email me at nourishedandnurtured[at]gmail[dot]com.

Most of the homeopaths I know of who would be good (based on their writings) are extremely expensive. I don't have any experience with her directly, but based on what she has written, I think Elaine Lewis would be a good homeopath. http://elainelewis.hpathy.com/working-with-elaine/ (My rates are much less than hers, but she is more experienced than I am.)

Unfortunately, there are a lot of "pseudo" homeopaths out there that don't use homeopathic remedies to their full potential. There is a good article here about selecting a good homeopath:
http://www.homeopathic.com/Articles/Finding_care/How_Do_I_Know_If_a_Homeopath_Is_Good_Finding.html

I hope this helps.

Lynn said...

Thank for this article., I've been mulling over the decision to spend $55 on the fermented blend with coconut oil for my son and I. With hearing about how fermented cod liver oil can have posible putrefied liver within was enough for me not to take a chance on having a similar reaction. Will look into the brand you have suggested and others. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

I've been taking the fermented cod liver oil from Green Pastures with their butter mixed in to the same bottle and it's been good. I don't understand the aversion to the smell. All fermented foods, which traditional societies, the healthiest human societies that we know of, smell conventionally "bad." And things that have no odor, like processed foods, don't mean they're healthy.

Anonymous said...

*Sorry, fixed a missing phrase.

I've been taking the fermented cod liver oil from Green Pastures with their butter mixed in to the same bottle and it's been good. I don't understand the aversion to the smell. All fermented foods, which most or all traditional societies, the healthiest human societies that we know of, have used extensively, smell conventionally "bad." And things that have no odor, like processed foods, don't mean they're healthy.

Unknown said...

While reading Weston Price I remember butter oil and CLO were recommended to be mixed just prior to consumption. Why was the Blue Ice blend developed? I think that according to the book, CLO should be taken together with butter oil but not in a blend.

Anonymous said...

Please stop giving your baby or kids these new coming supplement, kids do not need supplement but adult do (period)

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much! My son needs to take cod liver oil to heal his teeth and he refuses to take the fermented cod liver oil. He has tried and he just can't get it down. He has taken regular fish oil from Nordic Naturals... it is difficult for him, but he can actually do it. Hearing that this is a milder flavor, with the vitamins he needs for his teeth, I am hoping he will be able to take it. :)

Anonymous said...

not sure if autoimmune is of importance but I am dual autoimmune and spent a lot of money on fermented cod liver oil and tossed it all out. I could not stomach it. Plus I have allergies and had a histamine reaction, not so with the non-fermented cod liver oil. I have been eating according to WestonAPrice since the 80s and was raised on traditional foods. The years between have been experimental. I think it the fermented is a choice for those who can stomach it.

Anonymous said...

I have found this blog interesting. I have been taking the Blue Ice FCLO and Skate oil for a few years now. I rotate between the two and have had no problems. I do prefer the NutraPro International Butter oil and have used it instead of the Blue Ice. Incidentally they also sell a Virgin Cod Liver Oil that you might find meets your needs. I have not tried it yet but will in the near future. Also a word of caution on vitamin D. Make sure it is not from the drug Quintox which is rat poison. See the People's Chemist website for more information on that.

Rebecca R. said...

My daughter has tooth decay, and I started with Green Pastures butter oil and FCLO, but for cost purposes, just tried Nutrapro's HVBO and cod liver oil (not fermented) this last time around. I have been very pleased so far...I think it is more like what you describe the original Blue Ice to be.

Kimichanga said...

Have you tried Carlson Norwegian Cod Liver Oil, Lemon flavored? It is great and no fish taste and it is light in color. It taste so good with a lemon after taste and you don't burp up fish during the day at all. My whole family takes it (1 tsp a day) and I buy mine on amazon but there are many places that sell it. I am not sure if walmart sells it but I think I heard it does. I don't think I will try any other brand or take fish oil supplements, this is the best and I hope they don't discontinue. That is awful that what was working for you discontinued...don't you just hate that? The company I listed also makes a bubblegum flavor for kids but the lemon is the best and works for us all, even my youngest (2 yr old). The bottles range from $28-32 depending on where you purchase and the smallest bottle on amazon has roughly 50 tsp in total. Vitaminshoppe has a special and selling the big one for $21 right now so not bad if you do some searching for prices. If you do decide to try it, please get back to me, I want to know your thoughts. We haven't taken it that long but only a few days to experience any difference physically but the taste is so good and I wish I could take more. My husband refuses to take fish oil or eat fish so this addition is truly a great deal for us and our children. My kids have been sick for almost a week...daughter was experiencing bacterial pink eye and my son had a sore throat that turned into a nasty cold and then a stomach bug on top of it and upon taking this stuff, they look back to themselves the next day (which is today) so I do believe it was this product that helped speed up recovery!

Anonymous said...

For ALL people here with diseases and ailments learn about the Miracle Mineral Solution or MMS

Anonymous said...

Artic cod is not a white fish either, it's not the 'cod' that we eat here in America

Anonymous said...

I know it might take a bit of work but what about placing the oil into enteric caplets?.

Unknown said...

I know that this is an old post, but I'm in the same situation with my 6 year old daughter. She has taken Green Pasture Blue Ice butter oil/fermented cod liver oil for SIX MONTHS and the cavities are still there. Honestly, I'm quite disappointed. Please, let us know the results with your son. Thanks

Anonymous said...

Hello. My daughter has been taking Green Pasture Blue Ice butter oil/fermented cod liver oil for six months and her cavities are still there. Really disappointing

Anonymous said...

I'm not at all surprised that you had that reaction. Fermenting foods is a way to preserve foods for when times are scarce and are not as important as eating fresh whole foods. Several food preserving techniques, including some forms of fermentation, are linked to cancer. WAPF is very into fermented foods and I think they go overboard on it. Price himself hardly talks about fermented food and he never recommends it in his book. Some fermented foods are tasty, but they are less important than fresh foods, and you should never ever force yourself to eat something that tastes bad.

Anonymous said...

I take gel of cod liver fermented oil with butter form that I keep refrigerated. I use a teaspoon to remove a full teaspoon of gel from the bottle twice per day. In order to down cod/butter without "tasting it" too much, I use a plastic spoon to cut what's on spoon in half. I compact each half with a spoon so that I swallow each half whole. It seems to be doable and not obnoxious at all, as I follow the gulped two servings with a glass of water. I can get more in me this way and I think it is more cost effective - more product for the price and it lasts longer than capsules.

Anonymous said...

I just laugh when people say 'if you believe in homeopathy, you cannot be a reliable source', without the slightest evidence EXCEPT their non-belief! Ludicrous. Totally agree with the statement 'If you always stop reading at the first instance of the word "homeopath..." then you cannot and will not ever cure your ignorance of this valuable healing modality.' - The number of times I have been ridiculed or dismissed by people (and my ex) for using natural remedies, whether homeopathy, pure essential oils, hair mineral analysis...I can no longer count. Yet, my daughter is on her way to recovery thanks to my research and willingness to look into any alternative therapy/medicine, in whichever way that would take!

Anonymous said...

There are different schools of essential oils that teach differently. Essential oils can be for consumption, but in moderation. To say that you cannot even apply them topically, that is surely incorrect! Even vitamin C, if taken in high doses, can be beneficial. So, I do not see why consumption of essential oils should be a problem. It could be however that some oils are more intense than others, as someone pointed out earlier cinnamon can be heavy on the stomach. I use essential oils all the time and I cherish them! I use them topically, sometimes for consumption, or just to breathe in and provided I do not overdo it, I do not have a problem at all. You have to dilute them, of course. In the beginning, I did not understand that and I overdid it a little. Essential oils have been around for centuries and they can do WONDERS for any kind of health problem including depression, anxiety etc.

Organic Olivia said...

Tamara, I would LOVE to know the name of that e-book please!

Kelly said...

Dave West's post is full of nonsense, especially regarding histamine.

HIstamine is found in ALL fish, unless it's FRESHLY caught and eaten right away. And it is high in all fermented foods, including fermented cod liver oil (and kefir, and sauerkraut, etc.)

Somerset Wedding Girl said...

All of this is very shocking to me. I was given cod liver oil tablets as a child to fend off colds, if I had known half of this information I may well have kicked up more of a fuss! I just hope it hasn't had too much of a negative effect now that I'm older.

Nutricentric - Pete said...

Sorry, have to comment. I've worked on clinical trials. The placebo effect is not confined to positive effects. When a double-blind trial is carried out, the results will be compared in terms of the nature and extent of desired effects and adverse effects.

Melissa said...

I know this post isnold, but I had to chime in. My family had had some miraculous healing experiences I attribute to FCLO. My sons wouldn't eat solids until age two, and FCLO is part of what healed him. My husband healed his seasonal allergies after one season of taking FCLO. Having said that, it totally makes sense to me that what works for one person may not work for another. Our bodies are all different. So let's not write this healing food off for everyone, because it is doing good for many.

Kristinista said...

Please watch my video covering Dr. Daniel's shocking new ebook about fermented cod liver oil!
https://youtu.be/wYOsI3xFuUA

Rayvn McTiernen said...

Well of COURSE this info would not "stop" any reasonable/sane human being from using fermented CLO! Because YOU PERSONALLY had an issue which was merely a digestive problem that YOU PERSONALLY experienced, and you even SPECIFICALLY NOTE that the health benefits are the same, why would anybody ever stop taking something that has the same health benefits of any and is NOT causing them any digestive issues?! (Where, if it was, they would have already stopped taking it and/or it doesn't bother them?!)

Sally Oh said...

That was a really good article and not at all controversial as I was led to believe. Oh well, lol. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for posting this. Because of it, I discovered virgin and extra virgin cod liver oil. Both are now available in the United States. Look it up on Amazon.com and you'll see them. I just ordered directly from NutraPro.

Anonymous said...

http://www.nutraingredients.com/Regulation-Policy/Norway-warns-on-polluted-fish-oil-supplements

Anonymous said...

I wanted to thank-you for this post. It cleared up a lot of misinformation for myself even though I have been a follower of the WAPF. I took the oil while I was pregnant with my second child and had to take it before bed with my nose plugged and tried not to gag as I got it down. I took it because it was 'good for me and the baby', but always found it be so putrid. I also want to thank-you for recommending an alternative source of information Rosita EVCLO. I have learned a great deal from their site as well as the recent posts and arguments regarding FCLO from those in the WAPF community. I think in the end it shows that 1. You need to trust your gut and your instincts and do your research well. 2. Even the traditional food movement can still be influenced and play ball like the other big corporations with product endorsments and 'research'. 3. In the end make the best decision you can, let it go and trust that the right information will find its way to you to show you the truth. Because in the end, the truth will set you free.

Many blessings on your journey. And thank-you for your work.

Sarah Smith said...

Thanks for taking the time to comment. I agree with your three conclusions, and I'm glad you found this to be helpful.

Anna said...

Thank you for this very informative post on what I think is a very important topic

Anonymous said...

This article might explain some of the different views about FCLO:
http://blog.radiantlifecatalog.com/bid/68517/A-Mystery-Solved-The-Science-History-of-Fermented-Cod-Liver-Oil

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this post. It was extremely informative and exactly what I wanted to know. The alternative to green pastures' brand looks like really high quality stuff and I'm so glad you shared it with everyone. Thank you

Shanaya said...

This is the first time i read the blog like yours..In your blog i found all my queries..I really appreciate your effort..This information is useful for me as well as for users also...

Rick Jonie said...

I am considering a private label line of supplements and this one is intriguing. Thank you for your help!

stern said...

Dr Brownsteins March 2014 issue about fish oil pills
anyone have a link for such ?

stern said...

According to the EU, Rosita has too many harmful contaminents
https://www.nutraingredients.com/Article/2015/07/02/Norway-warns-on-polluted-fish-oil-supplements
??

Anonymous said...

evclo and corganic are selling the same rosita oil ?

Sarah Smith said...

The EU link you posted is about RATFISH oil, NOT cod liver oil.

Samco said...

Thanks Sarah Smith sharing such an amazing blog with us. The Online shopping of medicines are being in trend and people like to buy their medicines through the websites.

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