Many people believe that cod liver oil is made from whales and regard it as the stinking stuff they know their parents and grandparents took to get them through the fall and winter. But cod liver oil is not old-fashioned, it has, in fact, never gone out of style. The richness of nutrients remain an excellent addition to our Western diet.

Cod liver oil is fortunately usually made from, you guessed it, cod. The liver of the fish, which we often eat as fried cod bits or fish-n-chips, is full of healthy oils. The oil parts are extracted from the liver using several methods. What you are left with is cod liver oil

Good fats

For the most part cod liver oil consists of two healthy fats: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These are two omega-3 fatty acids that your body can only produce with great difficulty. They only come in large quantities in seafoods such as saltwater fish and seaweed. If you consume enough EPA and DHA you are nurturing your body from within in an evolutionary responsibly way.

DHA is in fact a miraculous, ancient and irreplaceable molecule in many living beings, especially  young people whose brains are still developing. Therefore, it is widely recommended to eat fish two times per week. For people who do not, omega-3 supplements or cod liver oil are smart alternatives.

Vitamins A and D

All natural oils contain fat-soluble vitamins. In cod liver oil you will find large amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D. Vitamin A benefits your skin, eyes, growth and resistance. Vitamin D ensures strong bones and teeth. Often these vitamins are added to regular cod liver oil because they are lost during industrial processing. With natural liver oils such as those by Green Pastures and Rosita Real Foods no artificial vitamins are added. These liver oils are minimally processed and therefore retain all the natural nutrients and vitamins.

Phosphorus and Iodine

Cod liver oil also contains a bunch of phosphorus and iodine. As EPA, DHA, and all vitamins, these minerals belong to the class of essential nutrients. Phosphorus contributes to the strength of your bones and iodine allows for the production of thyroid hormone.

Hardly old-fashioned

Contrary to what many people think, cod liver oil has never gone out of fashion. It does not come from whales, but is extracted from the kinds of fish we often eat and love. In addition, cod liver oil contains a lot of healthy fats and fat-soluble substances. This makes cod liver oil – to put it in contemporary terms – super-fat!

Taking cod liver oil

With all its healthy ingredients, cod liver oil can be a perfect complement to our Western diet. It is widely available and it comes in many shapes and sizes. If you want the best, then do the sensible thing and thorough research the options before purchasing a product cod. Ergomax’s personal favorite is the Extra Virgin Cod Liver made by Rosita Real Foods.

Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil

â–º EVCLO (Extra Virgin Cod Liver Oil)
â–º Fresh cod liver oil
â–º Traditional and produced by hand
â–º Viking Food
â–º Wild & nutritious
â–º 150 ml
â–º 30 to 60 doses per bottle
â–º Check here specified nutritional composition of EVCLO (PDF)