Cod liver oil has been around for a very long time. For centuries northern populations such as Russia, Scandinavia, Iceland, Scotland and Greenland have consumed fermented fish oils. Many older generations consumed fish oil and their products, you may have even been given a teaspoon by your grandparents as it was a nourishing food given to children and helps nutrient absorbtion.
Cod liver oil contains vitamin A in its natural form, children and often adults have problems absorbing other forms of vitamin A commonly found in supplements. retinal palmitate, retinal acetate and others cannot be assimilated easily by the body. Therefore a natural form such as those found in animal foods, oily fish and cod liver oil are cited as the best sources.
Often we are told you can absorb vitamin A through the conversion of foods high in carotenoids, such as fruits and vegetables.The problem with this statement is in the Western world the conversion is very problematic, and this conversion can be as low as 5% which makes it very useless as a reliable source to prevent difficiencies.
Also because the conversion requires magnesium, zinc, and various amino acids which may be lacking in the diet the situation become worse.
A good cod-liver oil should have a synergy of about 10 units of vitamin A to 1 unit of vitamin D, this synergy aids absorption of each other but also stops toxicity of either which can occur when either is given in isolation.
Fat soluble vitamins are synergists in absorbing nutrients from food and ensuring a good supply is coming through the diet with meals will increase the amount of nutrients taken up by the body. You can literally starve for nutrients that you may be consuming in your diet because they are not being absorbed without the appropriate synergists.
A good rule of thumb is 1/2 tsp with two main meals of the day.
I personally recommend two products at present which have not been altered with the aim of a long and stable shelf life. The processing of these oils at high heat degrades these natural vitamins to which the industry often adds in synthetic versions to take their place. You would be very surprised to know that some of these vitamins being added, if we are lucky may come from other naturals sources such as lanolin from sheep's wool.
The two products I recommend are Green pastures "Royal blend" and Rosita's cod liver oil.
Both these products are raw, clean, and actually made from real wild cods liver's with no nasties added and nothing beneficial removed. You will not tend to find these at the average health food store but will find them easily online.
My name is Blair Harvey and I have had the pleasure of working at one of Australia's best Health Retreat's for the past fourteen wonderful years. Over those years I have had the delight of working with a spectacular kitchen team, we all have an immense passion for cooking good healthy food that is unique and tantalizing to your taste buds. Together we have not only developed our skills in cooking wholesome, nourishing and out right delicious foods, but we have been committed to broadening our knowledge of healing with whole foods and exploring the beauty of healthy living. Because of our enthusiasm in the benefits of foods and there healing properties I developed a blog to help us SHARE what we have learnt with the rest of the world.
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