Fermented Cod Liver Oil

A lot of us have heard about fermented cod liver oil (FCLO). It’s been getting quite the buzz lately for its health benefits. What sets it apart from a lot of other fish oil products is that it’s fermented.

Fermented? Isn’t that bad? Doesn’t that mean it’s spoiled? Why would I want that in my stomach?

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, fermentation is defined as “chemical process by which molecules such as glucose are broken down anaerobically.” So basically, sugar is converted to acids, gases, or alcohol and usually involves yeast and bacteria.

YUCK!

Just looking at the definition of fermentation, it definitely doesn’t sound attractive. It even seems dangerous to be eating something that’s fermenting or has been fermented. But that’s not the case at all with FCLO.

What makes this product okay to be eaten? Do I get anything out of eating this? Is it safe for everyone? How do I know what kind of FCLO to get?

I got your answers to these questions coming right up.

If you already know about all the benefits to FCLO and are just looking for the best product around, scroll down to the bottom for a brief review of the FCLO that I personally use everyday!

Why Fermentation?


First off, let’s talk about why there’s FCLO in the first place.

The question isn’t: Is regular cod liver oil not good enough? But it’s: How is FCLO better than regular cod liver oil?

Fermentation is an ancient practice to preserve foods for long periods of time. This practice dates as far back as the Neolithic times when bread and alcohol were processed using fermentation. This practice was vital to human survival then because food was not always plentiful, and whatever was available needed to last in times of famine.

Nowadays, with convenience stores around every block, food is nowhere near as scarce in developed countries. Although alcohol is bread is still being mass produced, the knowledge of fermentation benefits in general is disappearing with the need to preserve food.

Fermentation
Don’t See Much Of These Nowadays

Before we look at the benefits of FCLO, let’s see how it’s made.

The Process

The process if as simple as the name implies: fermentation.

But a big misconception that a lot of people have is that the oil is fermented, and therefore is rancid. And who wants to eat ANYTHING that’s rancid?

But here’s the catch: the oil is not rancid.

Actually, the oil itself is actually not even fermented.

Say what?!? But aren’t we talking about FERMENTED cod liver oil here? How can you call something fermented when it doesn’t even go through the fermentation process?

The process actually ferments the cod liver, not the oil.

The oil from the cod liver is collected AFTER the liver has been fermented. This is the big different between regular cod liver oil and FCLO.

The actual process of fermenting cod livers? Easy. Soak wild cod livers in a brine solution, and wait for the livers to ferment naturally. Over time, the oil from the livers will float to the top, at which point they’re drained off and collected. These are the FCLO we’re talking about here!

Nutrient Concentration

Getting in the “why” of fermentation, it’s easy to answer this one. Below are a few of the benefits of FCLO.

  • Full Spectrum of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
  • Enhanced Bioavailability Through Fermentation
  • All Nutrients Are Maintained with Non-Heat Process
  • Enhanced Fat-Soluble Vitamin A, D, and K

We’ve all heard of how deficient Americans are where it comes to Omega-3 Fatty Acids intake. In most cases, it’s not the Omega-3s that are lacking, but the unbalanced ratio of Omega-3s to Omega-6s. Too much on the side of Omega-6s cause inflammation and other havoc on the body.

FCLO is a great source of Omega-3s, which is anti-inflammatory. This does a great job at curbing inflammation, which leads to many other benefits as we’ll go over later.

As for bioavailability, you might’ve seen that explain in my article on the Nutri Ninja. But it this case, no blending is required.

The fermentation process brings out the nutrients of the oil, making it easier for our bodies to absorb. What’s the point of having all these nutrients if we can’t absorb it? For a classic case of “high nutrient” food but low bioavailability, check out my grains article.

Maintaining the nutrients throughout the process is just as important. Since FCLO is made without having to go through any heating processes, all the nutrients are maintained.

Unlike regular cod liver oil, it doesn’t need synthetic vitamins added to it. Vitamins A, D, and K are enhanced through the fermentation process, not just to be more bioavailable, but more concentrated.

This is not a complaint about regular cod liver oil, but synthetic vitamins have shown to not be as well-absorbed as naturally-occurring vitamins like those found in FCLO. It some cases, synthetic vitamins have been shown to be harmful for our health.

Not In Our Guts!

One thing that needs to be cleared up about fermentation is that it should NOT occur in our guts.

That’s right, eating fermented foods is fine. But eating foods that ferment INSIDE us is NOT fine.

This point has to be made very clear because I’ve heard people say that this is why FCLO is not good of our health. There’s no fermentation taking place inside of our bodies when we eat FCLO. It’s already been fermented.

And as said before, the oil itself is not fermented. It’s simply the product of a fermented liver.

So before we read another article or listen to another podcast about how FCLO is bad and fermentation is bad, know that FCLO does not ferment in out guts.

The fermentation that are often talked about are from FODMAP diets. For those of us not familiar with this, (nerdspeak warning) FODMAP stands for fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols. Back to plain English, FODMAP foods contain carbohydrates that are fermentable in the gut.

That’s right, they literally ferment inside of our stomachs and intestines.

And as you may have guessed, all the bacteria associated with the fermentation process isn’t great for us. It’s awesome when done on the outside and we only deal with the end product. But fermenting something inside out bodies is not ideal.

Our gut bacteria is there for many things, but fermenting is not one of the things that should happen. Check out this article for more.

Benefits


So FCLO has a bunch of good stuff in it. How does that translate into what it does for us? Here are just a few of the key benefits we can experience.

Optimal Vision

The Vitamin A so abundantly found in FCLO not only maintains, but improves our eyesight. Many have reported being able to adjust to bright lights and the sun much easier after taking FCLO regularly.

Others have said their eye fatigue went away after using FCLO, even on days where they have to be visually focused for long periods of time.

Another nutrient in FCLO that helps with our vision is DocosaHexaenoic Acid (DHA). This is a naturally occurring nutrient in cod liver oil. But as we went already, the fermentation process makes all the nutrients much more bioavailable. It’s not surprising to see someone switch from regular cod liver oil to FCLO and start seeing the benefits that they were expecting, just because their bodies can actually absorb the nutrients now.

Healthy Skin

Again, the power of Vitamin A comes into play here. Along with DHA, the Vitamin A in FCLO gives us healthy skin by suppressing inflammation and promoting normal growth of our skin tissues.

It can also be topically applied to areas of wounds for faster healing of our skin.

I’m not suggesting smearing our bodies with FCLO. In addition to the room-clearing smell, that would surely land you on everyone’s “unpopular and do not speak to” list.

Bone And Joint Health

Osteoporosis
Prevent Pains Like These!

Our bones and joints gets a boost from the Vitamin D in FCLO. This comes as no surprise since it’s one of the nutrients that is poorly absorbed in other foods but easily absorbed in FCLO.

Besides basking in the sun, FCLO may just be the best way to get our vitamin D intake. No worries about skin cancer either.

Bone diseases like osteoporosis? Anecdotal evidence suggests that this can be reversed with FCLO.

Again, the anti-inflammatory effects helps with joint health. When our bodies undergo inflammation, our joints are especially affected. They get swollen, puffy, and just feels uncomfortable.

By taking away unnecessary inflammation, FCLO protects our joints from damage.

>>Ready To Get Your Own FCLO? Try Them Out Here!<<

Multiply The Benefits


These are by no means the end of the benefits to FCLO. There are so much more than I can list here but I think you get the idea. Diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, cavities and a whole lot of common diseases that plagues developing countries have been improved and even completely reverse with FCLO.

With all that FCLO does for us, it seems hard to find something better. And we wouldn’t want to synthetically alter its structure in attempts to gain more of its benefits. As discussed, synthetic vitamins has no value to our bodies and worse off, might even hurt us.

But what if I told you there’s a way to make FCLO even better? What if we can take something else that’s also super powerful, and combine the together? What if they actually play off of each other and even enhance the effects of the other?

Introducing High Vitamin Butter Oil.

High Vitamin Butter Oil

High Vitamin Butter Oil (HVBO) is extracted from grass-fed cows. More precisely, it’s oil that’s extracted from the butter yielded from grass-fed cows.

The process is non-heat, just like that of FCLO, so all the nutrients are kept intact. It is actually centrifuged to extract the highest quality, most nutrient dense part of the butter.

But the big reason why HVBO is so great lies in it’s one essential ingredient: Activator X.

What the heck is Activator X? Sounds like the next villain in the X-Men franchise. Maybe this ingredient give us X-Men like powers?

Unfortunately, we won’t be growing claws out our hands or shooting laser beams from eyes from taking this stuff (although it’s be cool). Activator X is simply Vitamin K2.

Vitamin K2 is known for 2 AMAZING things.

  1. Delivers calcium to our bones for deposition
  2. Remove excess minerals from organs and soft tissues to prevent calcification (kidney stones anyone?)

Not only is it great for our bones, it keep the minerals in the right places so we don’t have to worry about child-labourish pain to pee out a stone. And just like the vitamins in FCLO, K2 is also fat-soluble, making it easy to be absorbed by our bodies.

Another awesome thing is it’s casein and lactose free. So if you’re intolerant to either of those, you don’t have to miss out.

Just one more awesome thing. Vitamin K2 activates proteins that are signaled by Vitamins A and D. Remember what contains copious amounts of Vitamins A and D?

Combined Together

That’s why it’s so good to combined FCLO to HVBO together. These two superfoods work synergetically, enhancing each other’s effects to give us a superpunch of nutrients.

So how do we know the right amount to combine together? Do I buy them separately and mix them on my own? How do I mix them? What process should I follow?

Don’t worry, this has all been figured out and made a WHOLE lot easier for us.

Only Product On The Market


From my research on finding the best FCLO and HVBO, I’ve only come across one product that’s worth investing it. That’s the Green Pasture Blue Ice Royal Gel.

Fermented Cod Liver Oil

Blue Ice Royal Gel
  • 10/10
    Health Benefits - 10/10
  • 10/10
    Price - 10/10
  • 9/10
    Taste - 9/10
  • 10/10
    Shelf Life - 10/10
9.8/10

Summary

I have personally been using this product daily for months and I feel great everyday. I really cannot recommend it any higher. There is no other product out there with this type of top-notch quality.

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User Review
0 (0 votes)

I think at this point, it’s pretty clear this product is the real deal. Combining 2 of the best superfoods into a single package makes it not only easy to take, but delivers the nutrients in the right amount and proportion.

I’ve buy these in cases of 12 and I still have my first case from over 6 months ago. Those bottles are still good. Keep them in a dark, dry place and you’ll have no problems with spoilage.

It comes in cinnamon or chocolate flavor, but I personally have no preference to the taste so I went with the unflavored. I have read that some can’t stand the taste of it. Again, the taste doesn’t bother me at all. But due to there being a few that can’t take it, I gave it a 9/10. One simple tip: breath through your mouth and not your nose when taking it, no bad taste whatsoever.

And the price in my opinion is beyond reasonable. For the health benefits that we’ll be getting, the price per bottle is really worth it.

So why not give it a shot? I bet you’ll really enjoy all that it has to offer.

>>Find Out How To Get 21% Off Your Next Order Of Green Pasture Blue Ice Royal Gel<<

Stay healthy,

-Wing

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I've just started getting serious about health and fitness around 2014. Since then I've learned the insider info on how to optimize athletic performance and healthy living through both nutrition and proper training. The most important thing I've discovered however, is the connection between the mindset of those that excel in athletics, and those that succeed in their life pursuits. I've spent the last couple years observing and drawing these connections and similarities, finally created a platform to share with you all what I've found, and how to apply them in your own life to get similar results.

8 thoughts on “Fermented Cod Liver Oil- An In-Depth Look

  1. I grew up with my mother always promoting the benefits of cod liver oil. I would take it but not really understand why I was taking it as a supplement to my diet. Well now I do – so thank you for the interesting information. I look forward to following and reading more interesting info on your site!
    regards
    Terry

    1. Terry,

      Thanks, you mother knows well! I have friends who also tells me their parents and grandparents always had cod liver oil in their kitchen at all times. And they contribute that as one of the reasons for their great health!

      -Wing

  2. Yeah, like most people I was like YIKES! Fermented?!? I had realized that the process of fermentation in the body is no good. Generally this happens when we eat too much or eat before bedtime, or we do not chew our food well (eat too fast).

    When we eat too much the body only uses the nutrients it needs for the moment and the rest sits in the intestines and ferments. Not good. Also eating too late can be harmful because the food will sit in the stomach and ferments or a better way to put it, it putrefies. Nasty!

    You are right. Eating things already fermented is better.

    You mentioned that your product is a source of vitamin E. Is this because the fermented cod liver is preserved in vitamin E oil? Also is it the fermented cod liver that helps the skin and joints or is it the oil? Or does liver produce its own kind of oil? Don’t really understand.

    Thanks again for your informative site.

    Rpetry

    1. Rob,

      Some brands add in synthetic Vitamin E into their brands to keep the oil from spoiling or going rancid. As far as I know, the Blue Ice brand of FCLO with HVBO does not have synthetic Vitamin E added to it.

      Eating fermented cod livers itself will give us some of the benefits as FCLO, but the nutrients are all really concentrated in the oil. As the fermentation process completes, a lot of the compounds are converted to the oil, which enhances all the nutrients. So the oil has a much bigger effect on improving our skin and joint health. Note that unfermented cod liver or just regular cod liver oil cannot give us those benefits to the same degree.

      -Wing

  3. I agree that fermented fish oil sounds pretty disgusting. But then again, if it’s good for my body, I can choke it down. I’m wondering if it ever ‘repeats’ on you? Sometimes when i take fish oils i burp them up for an hour or so after. Do you know if this product is goof for arthritis?

    1. Jackie,

      I’m also familiar with the fish oil burps ahaha. I haven’t had any experience with it coming back up for me, not with the gel version at least. When I used to take other brands of fish oil in capsules, I’d get that frequently. But it may be the gel version that’s keeping that from happening? Just my guess.

      As far as arthritis, I know FCLO not only treats the pain, but can even reverse the process. Check out this study and this study for more info. I know they’ve been know to restore tooth enamel in people with tooth decay as well.

      Hope this helps!

      -Wing

  4. This is a very informative article. I particularly enjoyed reading about the fermentation process as I did not know this was done with CLO.

    I have never tried cod liver oil although I have heard good things about it.

    Are there any known side effects to taking this product?

    Would you recommend taking in the morning or evening?

    1. Craig,

      The one side effect is if someone allergic to cod takes the product, they’ll have an allergic reaction. If the product is taken in excess (say 3-4 Tbsp per day), then it can cause a deficiency in other vital nutrients. It’s best to take this in moderation (1 Tbsp per day for adults) along with other whole, nutritious foods.

      I recommend taking it on an empty stomach so that’s the morning for most people. I personally don’t eat until the evening so I have it right before dinner.

      -Wing

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