Alaskan cod liver oil
Alaskan cod liver oil. It sounds so appealing!! Right!?
Sometimes I forget how unappealing healthy products and rituals can sound until I explain something to a friend and they stare at me in disgust until I talk them off a ledge. Alaskan cod liver oil is one of those things. This is where, as a friend, I’m asking you to try it.
If you currently take a fish oil supplement in a gel capsule or tablet form, you need to upgrade. If you don’t currently take a fish oil supplement, start.
The deal with your run-of-the-mill fish oil gel caps is that their potency is significantly lower because they are 1) made to be shelf stable and 2) the encapsulated fish oil is often from the tissue of multiple types of oily fish (tuna, mackerel, anchovies, etc.). There’s nothing wrong with them, they’re just less potent. Most fish oil gels say ‘take 1 or 2 capsules a day’ – but the reality is you’d have to take substantially more (think 10-12 capsules on average) to get the same nutritional benefits as you do from a single tablespoon of cod liver oil.
That’s because cod liver oil comes from…you guessed it…the cod’s liver…and liver is famous for its unparalleled nutrient density. In a tablespoon of cod liver oil you’ll exceed your recommended daily intake for vitamins A and D, support reduction of inflammation in the body, support brain, bone and eye health, reduce joint pain…the list of benefits goes on and on. The nutrients in cod liver oil are also highly bioavailable – read: your body can absorb and use it. Lots of nutrients aren’t readily bioavailable, so this is important.
It’s an easy ritual to add to your mornings, and with a myriad of health benefits, why wouldn’t you add this potent super-nutrient to your life?
When to take: Daily
I take a generous tablespoon of Alaskan cod liver oil every morning, right before my coffee or Dandy blend and it’s a ritual I miss when I’m traveling… Alaskan cod liver oil is, well oily, and the kind I take is infused with organic lemon and I’m telling you, it tastes so good when you take it – it is not fishy at all. It’s this lemony oily creaminess that coats your throat and when you chase it with a swig of frothy creamy coffee…it’s so oddly satisfying.
Classification: Non-organic, wild caught
It is nearly impossible to find organic cod liver oil, but wild-caught for fresh fish is the effective equivalent/ as close as you can get today. Therefore, make sure your fish source is wild-caught, and that any added ingredients (e.g. lemon) is organic.
Where to store: Fridge
The cod liver oil I buy is shelf-stable until opened, then you store it in the fridge. At the rate of one tablespoon per day it takes me two months to get through a bottle.
Wholeness factor: Very good to best
With minimal processing, cod liver oil is pretty darn close to straight-from-the-source. Always read cod liver ingredient labels to ensure there are no added preservatives, fillers, or gimmicky marketing (beware labels that claim ‘made with natural’ ingredients).
How I eat it
Firs thing in the morning, measure out into a tablespoon, drink like medicine. Chase with hot beverage of choice. Bliss.
My favorite Alaskan cod liver oil
