by Colleen Russell“>Colleen Russell

Are You Afraid . . . to take Fermented Cod Liver Oil?

Have you been avoiding the big glass bottle in the back of your medicine cabinet?  We hear from a lot of people who purchase Green Pasture Fermented Cod Liver Oil with every intention of making it part of their daily routine–but just can’t bring themselves to do it.  What if it tastes gross?  Smells weird?  Makes me gag?  How can I take cod liver oil without tasting it?

Fermented Cod Liver Oil is Gross!  Can’t It Be Deodorized?

The undeniable fact is that real fermented cod liver oil, no matter the flavor, doesn’t taste good, especially to someone experiencing it for the first time.  It is a natural product which is derived from the livers of Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands cod and is not heated, processed, bleached, filtered, or treated.  While it would be easy to do so, removing the flavor and smell from this sacred food would strip away the nutrient content that makes it special.  In the end, Green Pasture Cod Liver Oil’s benefits far outweigh the ten-second discomfort of swallowing it down.  

Ok, I’ll take it.  How to take cod liver oil without gagging?

The good news is that, if the thought of a spoonful of Green Pasture Cod Liver Oil makes you cringe, you’re not alone.  Hands down, the most frequently asked question at the Nourishing World store revolves around how to take cod liver oil.  The even better news is that with a few clever tricks and a little mind over matter, you can take the chore out of your daily Green Pasture cod liver oil routine.  (and if all else fails, you can certainly order the capsules!)

Do you have a method that hasn’t been mentioned here?  Email us to have your suggestion added to our list of How to Take Cod Liver Oil Recommendations.

Top Ten Tricks for Taking Green Pastures Cod Liver Oil

1. Find Your Preferred Temperature:  Green Pasture Cod Liver Oil is shelf-stable, and can be stored in the refrigerator or on the shelf.  It is a matter of preference.  Many people find the liquid cod liver oil more palatable if it is refrigerated.  Please note that refrigeration sometimes results in the liquid becoming cloudy or crystallized, which is normal and NOT an indication that it has gone bad/rancid..

2. Find Your Preferred Consistency:  Depending on its temperature, Green Pasture products will have a consistency that varies from bottle to bottle.  If it is warm, it will be thinner.  If it is cold, it will be a bit thicker.  To thin it out, place the jar in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.

3. David Wetzel, Owner of Green Pasture’s Preferred Method:  Add Fermented Cod Liver Oil, Skate Liver Oil, and Butter Oil  to 2 ounces of warm water or tea…and Bottoms up!

4. Try a flavored gel:  While Green Pasture has made their fermented cod liver oil available in a variety of flavored gels, it is important to note that flavoring is added to the product’s taste–not substituted for it.  Chocolate cream-flavored Fermented Cod Liver Oil, after all, is still cod liver oil, so don’t expect hot fudge.  BUT a lot of people do enjoy the flavored gels and swear by them.  Nourishing World now carries the fermented cod liver oil/butter oil blend gels in unflavored, cinnamon tingle, or chocolate cream.

5. Hold Your Nose!  Put your cod liver oil on a spoon, plug your nose, gulp it down, and swallow before taking a breath.  Chase with water.  This eliminates the communication point between your olfactory sense and your taste buds and is less stimulating.

6. To get a child to take fermented cod liver oil, Green Pasture recommends blending 1 cup of yogurt, 1 teaspoon of fermented cod liver oil, and frozen berries, pouring into popsicle molds, and freezing.

7. Apply to the skin:  While the science behind the actual amount of fermented cod liver oil that is absorbed through the skin has not been thoroughly reported, rubbing cod liver oil directly on the skin is an acceptable method for those who are unable to take it orally.  Green Pasture recommends applying ¼ to ½ teaspoon of fermented cod liver oil to a baby’s bottom during a diaper change.

8. Try Green Pasture’s Blue Ice Infused:  This blend of healthy oils which Green Pasture Blue Breeze Organic Coconut Oil, Fermented Cod Liver Oil, High Vitamin Butter Oil, and Fermented Skate Liver Oil.  Using Coconut Oil as a carrier, Blue Ice Infused is an easier, more palatable way to take Green Pastures supplements with an array of health benefits.  Blue Ice Infused is available unflavored or in two unique flavor combinations:  Cinnamon or Caramel.

9. Experiment with Your Own Cod Liver Oil Mix-Ins or Chasers!

   1. Milk

   2. Coconut Oil

   3. Orange Juice

   4. Maple Syrup

   5. Kombucha

   6. Yogurt

   7. Pudding

   8. Honey

   9. Molasses

   10. Mashed Banana

   11. Lemon Juice

   12. Peanut Butter

   13. Oatmeal

10. If all else fails, bypass your taste buds altogether and go for the capsules.  If you still have a nagging aftertaste or complain of ‘fish burps,’ try storing your FCLO capsules in the freezer.  The oil will stay frozen in the upper part of your digestive tract, and thaw out by the time it hits your stomach.  Problem solved!