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Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil + Concentrated Butter Oil Capsules
Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil Capsules
Today we will be discussing the benefits of cod liver oil (fermented and cold-pressed in particular) over taking a fish oil supplement.
When you understand the differences (and there are many), you may never look at a fish oil supplement the same again so get ready to potentially have your mind blown!
(my mind was blown when I learnt this information not so long ago)
In this article you will learn:
- About the way that Green Pasture cod liver oil is sourced and processed and about it's nutrition and potential health benefits
- How I no longer need reading glasses when I used to wear them for years
- The fish oil industry and fish oil supplements
- Farmed fish 🐟
Once Upon a Time
Not that long ago, cod liver oil consumption was standard practice and especially in European societies. I remember being given cod liver oil by the tablespoon as a young girl (over 30 years ago now) and at the time I didn't realise the wisdom of my mother, but I sure do now!
Cod Liver Oil Nutrition
Cod liver oil naturally contains important fat-soluble vitamins A and D (and when you add in concentrated butter oil such as this product here), you get even more benefits as butter oil contains vitamins E and K!
You do not find these fat-soluble vitamins in plant sources, you only find them in animal sources such as butter, ghee, cod liver oil and other animal foods.
Anyone who tried to convince you otherwise, run!
The truth is that vegetable like carrots, contain beta-carotene (not vitamin A) and this then has to be converted into vitamin A in the body but many of us are very poor converters (this may be due to our ever-changing gut microbiomes?
(our gut microbiome/gut flora environment has been drastically changed over the past 50 years and a big contributing factor is the toxic herbicide glyphosate, GMOs, toxic vegetable oils, processed foods, chemicals in foods/environment etc, antibiotics and dare to say... vaccines)
NOTE: this is not an anti-vax post, so please don't assume anything here, I am simply pointing out the truth about our gut microbiome. Thanks so much 🙏🏼
The fact is that all drugs have an impact on our gut health, even ibuprofen!
EPA and DHA
Cod liver oil contains omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA and these fatty acids are important for our health.
As you may be aware, we need omega fatty acids for good health and certain foods contain certain omegas and some we need more of and some we need less of.
Two in particular that we need are EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) and these cannot be obtained from plants full stop!
There are the rare few people who can convert ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid) into DHA and EPA but if they are able to do this, they may not do it well enough (at a level that is beneficial to the body and health).
Benefits of EPA and DHA
- Linked to healthy ageing
- Associated with proper foetal development
- Important for cardiovascular function/to prevent cardiovascular disease
- May help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease and be helpful for a person with a very mild case of Alzheimer's disease (early Alzheimer's)
- Known to help reverse arterial plaque
- May help to reduce inflammation
- Linked to disease-prevention
- Plays a role in weight management
- Plays a role in cognitive function
Why FCLO over a Fish Oil Supplement?
Taking a fermented cod liver oil (FCLO) supplement is recommended over a fish oil supplement/eating farmed fish as both of these come with their own risks in which we will get into soon...
If you have regular access to wild-caught oil fish, more power to you!
But most of us do not and for many of us, we could really benefit not just from the right information but also from the purest sources of cod liver oil so that we can naturally boost EPA and DHA fatty acids for our optimal wellbeing!
Before we get into the many wonderful benefits of taking fermented cod liver oil, we'd like to share some info. about the fish oil industry which may change the way you see fish oil supplements forever...
The Dark Side of Fish Oil Supplements and Its Industry
🐟Is a byproduct of the seafood industry
🐟They’re heated to unnatural temperatures (about 230 degrees) and boiled for many hours thus destroying the goodness and making them very fragile and unstable.
🐟They are a PUFA (polyunsaturated fat) that’s highly unstable and prone to rancidity!
🐟They do look pretty in their capsule and they don’t smell rancid. Deodorisation occurs in the refining process of fish oils and this is to make it smell fresh. But they are not fresh!
Eating Farmed Fish
While we are big believers in the benefits of seafood, we are also conscious of how it's been raised, sourced and processed as this matters greatly!
Farmed fish not only hurts our wild fish and their ecosystems, but eating farmed fish can also be detrimental to us as we are what they eat!
Fish sourced from farms, often contains little to no omega-3 as these fish are often fed an unnatural diet of GMO corn, soy and other foods no fit for a fish (or a human).
They also get a lot of parasites and are given antibiotics, which we then ingest if we are eating farmed fish.
Always check for wild-caught and avoid buying Tasmanian salmon as it is more often than not, farmed.
Other factors to consider are the pesticides that they may be exposed to (through run off or trough the feed they are given).
Farmed fish may be exposed to growth steroids/steroid-like substances, dyes and other chemicals.
We don't eat a lot of seafood in our home (though I do love it), we are fortunate to have access to fresh, wild-caught fish if we want it but I just don't find it the most economical way to get my omega-3.
These days, (for convenience and for my bank balance), I would rather just take a high-quality Fermented Cod Liver Oil supplement such as this one.
The Benefits of Cod Liver Oil
- Cod Liver Oil contains preformed vitamin A and this fat-soluble vitamin is very important for proper foetal development, our immune system, eyesight and healthy eyes and organ function.
- Preformed vitamin A is the active form of vitamin A that is preferable and is only found in animal sources such as cod liver oil, ghee, butter, liver and liver supplements, caviar, kidneys, cheese, egg yolks and some other animal sources.
- Provitamin A carotenoids such as alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin are inactive forms of vitamin A found in carrots and other plant foods. The problem with these inactive form of vitamin A, is that our body has to then convert this into an active form and as we mentioned earlier, most people are poor at converting. Therefore, for optimal health, it is always best to get your vitamin A from animal sources.
- Cod Liver Oil is a good source of vitamin D and according to research (see reference links below), this nutrient has many important functions in the body, such as:
- Reducing the risk of MS (Multiple Sclerosis)*
- Decreasing risk of Heart Disease*
- Reducing Childhood Illness*
- Potentially Supporting Weight Loss*
- Regulating Mood and Helping with Depression*
- Supporting the Immune System*
- Helping to Prevent Autoimmune Conditions*
*This is general and many other factors come into play such as the health of our gut microbiome, diet, lifestyle, stress levels, ability to detoxify properly etc.
The Benefits of Concentrated Butter Oil
What is Concentrated Butter Oil and Why Add it to a Cod Liver Oil Supplement?
That is a fair question and we hope to be able to shed some light on this today.
Concentrated butter oil is exactly that - a dairy oil that has been extracted (without heat) and from cows fed exclusively grass all year around!
The end product has a high content of what is known as the 'Wulzen Factor" (the anti-stiffness factor), as it was discovered by a researcher named Rosalind Wulzen. It was a great discovery for sure!
That is because he also discovered that this unique substance (in the concentrated butter oil) protects humans and animals against calcification of the joints which may also protect against degenerative conditions such as arthritis.
Concentrated butter oil has also been shown to protect against issues such as hardened arteries (atherosclerosis), cataracts and calcification of the pineal gland.
What Else Makes This Oil So Phenomenal?
It's the vitamin K2 which is also known as the "Activator X". This activator molecule was discovered by Weston A Price in the 1930s, Dr Price was referred to as the "Isaac Newton of Nutrition" as he made some key discoveries about nutrition and physical degeneration that would change the course of history!
We are massive fans of his work!
It can get a little confusing here so let's just try to clarify things...
Weston A Price was the one who discovered the Activator molecule (vitamin K2) but he did not realise that this was called vitamin K2 or even a vitamin, he just knew it was a molecule that activated other nutrients.
Dr Price did not discover vitamin K itself, tis was discovered in 1943 by Carl Peter Henrik Dam. I hope that makes it less confusing?
If you ask me, I think that it was actually Weston A Price who discovered vitamin K but he just discovered the animal-based form of it. Correct me if I am wrong!
"Activator X" is vitamin K2 (as mentioned above), remember that vitamin K1 is very different and comes from hard to digest plant materials such as leafy green veggies etc.
The potential benefits of Concentrated Butter Oil
- Helps foster proper growth and development in children
- Supports the Endocrine System (especially the thyroid)
- Helps to reduce chronic inflammation that may be linked to heart disease
- May help decrease mortality rates
- May help prevent atherosclerosis as it helps to keep arteries flexible and prevent stiffening (contains the 'Wulzen Factor')
- May help to prevent calcification
- May help to prevent cataracts
- and much more
You can learn more about Activator X (the "X Factor") over on our other blog here.
Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil and Concentrated Butter Oil capsules are a wonderful way to get all of this valuable nutrition and we go deep into the nutrition of concentrated butter oil over at our other recent blog 'The Mind Blowing Benefits of Butter Oil' which you can find here.
Is the Info on Vitamin A Toxicity Misleading?
We think that the information on vitamin A toxicity could be misleading to many - especially pregnant women trying to grow a human being. None of what we say is ever to be taken as health advice but we encourage you to dig deeper than the mainstream sources... we are only here to share accurate information that is intended to help people to thrive, be happy and optimal.
If you are concerned about vitamin A toxicity (which has been blown out of proportion greatly and much misinformation exists around this topic), I highly suggest that you read Sally Fallon Morell and Dr Mary Enig's article on the Weston Price Foundation website. The link is the first one in our reference section.
I No Longer Need Reading Glasses!
I have been using this product and also eating grass-fed ghee for many years and I just realised the other day that I no longer need to wear my reading glasses (which I had worn for at least 5 years prior). I don't know for sure that the use of these products regularly in my diet had this drastic impact but knowing what I know about vitamin A and E and K2 (in these products) and how they positively affect eye health and vision, I would say that it is highly likely that they did help me here.
Either way, it is nice not to have to wear reading glasses! 😊
Are You Concerned About Cholesterol?
We have been made to feel scared of cholesterol but cholesterol is a very important molecule that our body needs for optimal health. If you are confused on this topic, we encourage you to head over to our recent blog about cholesterol. The blog goes into detail about what cholesterol actually does and how the medical industry have it so very wrong.
We are all about empowering people with the right information so that they can make informed choices and not choices made from a fear and propaganda perspective.
References:
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/cod-liver-oil/cod-liver-oil-basics-and-recommendations/
https://www.truebasics.com/blog/what-are-epa-and-dha/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3262608/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-a-benefits
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/004484869290078Y
https://www.dr-rath-foundation.org/2021/09/vitamin-k2-far-more-than-just-blood-clotting/
https://www.drmirkin.com/health/heart/plaques-in-arteries-are-reversible.html
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/nutrition-greats/weston-a-price-dds/
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/in-defense-of-vitamin-k2-mk-4-dr-prices-activator-x/
https://www.drstevenlin.com/mystery-of-activator-x/
https://kinesismagazine.com/2020/08/07/fish-drugs-and-the-environment/
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d#1.-Vitamin-D-may-fight-disease
https://www.healthline.com/health/multiple-sclerosis
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29243029/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31172459/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32252338/
https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12937-021-00744-y
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7281985/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32365423/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30246883/
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/calcium-plus-vitamin-d-supplementation-and-fat-mass-loss-in-female-very-lowcalcium-consumers-potential-link-with-a-calciumspecific-appetite-control/623D71E0A965E910C48903089FA7B56C
Disclaimer: This article is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as health advice. Statements made have not been evaluated by the TGA and are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent and one should always consult with their trusted health professional before adding a new supplement to their diet.
