The importance of taking cod liver oil for your best health cannot be underestimated. In Dr. Weston A. Price’s book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, a study of school girls in New Zealand found a daily supplement of high vitamin cod liver oil each day reduced cavities by nearly 42%.
In the following video, I will show you the best brand on the market today for cod liver oil as well as how much to take based on the research of Dr. Weston A. Price and the Weston A. Price Foundation.
The proper dosage of cod liver oil is 1 tsp (5 ml) per day and depending on the size of the spoons in your kitchen, you may or may not be taking the right dose.
The size of spoons varies quite a bit around the world, so be sure to measure the spoon you are using to take your cod liver oil as sometimes what people think is a full teaspoon is actually only a half!
Remember to always take your cod liver oil with high vitamin butter oil. If this supplement is not available where you live, you may substitute (homemade) grassfed ghee instead. For those with dairy allergies, use emu oil.
Another dairy-free option is a natural K2 supplement derived from natto.
Taking these healthy fats together synergistically boosts the absorption of nutrients as noted in the detailed research of Dr. Weston Price.
Cod Liver Oil Basics
The video below shows you the basics of taking cod liver oil. If you are interested in cod liver oil for babies, the linked article provides more information.
If gagging is an issue with strong tasting foods like cod liver oil, this article plus video on how to stop the gag reflex for about 20-30 seconds with a simple acupressure technique may prove helpful.
Wondering what brands are best? I personally take this brand of virgin cod liver oil, which is sourced from some of the cleanest waters on earth. Note that my currently preferred brand differs from the recommendation in the video, which was filmed some years ago. The suggested manner of taking it and the reasons why remain the same, however.
Note that cod liver oil is a better choice than both krill oil and plain fish oil. This is because CLO contains natural fat-soluble vitamins as well as important omega-3 fatty acids.
What is your opinion on the butter oil/ fermented cod liver oil mixture?
Sarah, do you take 1 tsp of cod liver oil and skate liver oil both daily? Or alternate each?
Are the Green Pastures capsules just as effective as the liquid?
Oh wow! I am so surprised about the amount a large spoon holds! I thought I was taking a Tb per day all through pregnancy and now through lactation. Yikes!
I use the fermented cod liver oil liquid and the skate oil liquid. The gel should be the same I believe – 1 tsp to get 3000 IU of D. Double check the label though as I don't have one on hand to check myself.
Hi Sarah, What type of cod liver oil do you use? I know you use Green Pastures brand. I use their fermented cod liver oil paste. Do you use the liquid? For the paste they recommend 1/2 tsp, is this still accurate or should I be taking 1 tsp?
Earth Fare is a highly processed, industrialized cod liver oil. It is not of much if any benefit to you to take it. The fermented cod liver oil is quite strong and does take some getting used to. The capsules might be your best bet if you are unable to handle strong tastes.
Hi Linda, the serving size on the bottle is not the same as the recommended dosage.
I am also taking Green Pastures fermented cod liver oil. On the back of the bottle it says suggested serving size is 2ml. I've been going by that.
Hi Sarah! Thanks for the video! I was under the same wrong impression about the spoons – good to know! Do you have any tips for how you take the cod liver oil? It's been quite a while since I've taken it, but I remember how disgusting it was to take, and I didn't know if there was a clever way to disguise it. 🙂 I have the fermented cod liver oil/butter oil mix from green pastures but have been a little chicken about taking it…
Sarah, you so totally Rock!!! I am FINALLY just about to buy this very brand of cod liver oil – I was taking just plain CLO in capsule form, and sometimes just Carlson's vitamin D drops, but now I am convinced I must have the FERMENTED Cod liver oil. So good timing on this post and I'll be spreading the love for sure!! Thanks for all you do to inspire many many lives!!
I have started taking a cod liver oil softgels recently. It's Earth Fare(local healthfood store) brand. I know I need more, and I'm working on that. I also spend time in the sun. Does the brand that you use have any allergen info on the bottle? My daughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. Also, what does it taste like? I was looking at one of the brands of the Weston A Price foundation website that is gummies for kids.
Thanks
Linda