Most people have heard about the health benefits of fish oil as a supplement, but if you are thinking about using a fish oil supplement it is important to note that not all fish oils are created equal. There are actually many types of fish oil that can be purchased, and some of the oils are higher quality and more nutrient-dense, resulting in better health benefits that can be gained by using the oil. On the same note, other brands contain lower quality fish oil that may be low in nutrients and high in contaminants. So, it is important that you understand the product before you start using it, in order to be sure that you are getting the nutritional benefits that you desire without the negative elements that are present in many of the fish oil supplements.
Today we are going to compare krill oil vs cod liver oil, and there are two main differences between these oils:
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acid Levels
Both cod liver oil and krill oil are from fish, and there are some nutritional similarities that can be found. For example, both krill oil and cod liver oil contains omega-3 essential fatty acids, although cod liver oil typically has a higher amount of omega-3′s.
So that you can understand how much of a difference in the essential fatty acids that are available, it is important to look at the EPA and DHA that is in one dose of krill oil vs. one dose of cod liver oil. Most krill oil supplements have around 150 mg of EPA and 90 mg of DHA. In comparison, most sources of cod liver oil have around 400 mg of EPA and 500 mg of DHA. You can see that the amount of essential fatty acids is much higher in the cod liver oil. Both oils are good for healthy skin.
Because omega-3 essential fatty acids are one of the biggest benefits of using fish oil, fermented cod liver oil is a superior supplement compared to krill oil since it has higher levels of the essential fatty acids that you need.
Vitamins A and D
Fermented cod liver oil is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin D, and these two vitamins are essential for many functions of the body. The problem is that many sources of vitamins A and D are synthetic sources, which are not as beneficial for your health compared with food-based vitamins A and D.
Any supplement that contains synthetic sources of vitamin A or vitamin D should be avoided. Instead of using these synthetic supplements, it is a better idea to purchase fermented cod liver which will provide you with sufficient amounts of both of these vitamins along with other micronutrients that aren’t available in synthetic form. Be sure that the brand specifically states that it is “fermented” cod liver oil because conventional cod liver oil has been stripped of the naturally occurring vitamin D– which means that it is often replaced with synthetic vitamin D.
In comparison with fermented cod liver oil, krill oil has limited amounts of vitamin A and no vitamin D. Because of the lack of these important vitamins, fermented cod liver oil is a better choice compared with krill oil.
If you are looking for good fish oil, then cod liver oil is a better option because of the higher amounts of essential fatty acids, vitamin A and vitamin D. Just be sure that you are buying a fermented cod liver oil, in order to be sure that it has the food-based nutrients instead of synthetic vitamins that are added into many of the conventional brands of cod liver oil.
Resources:
Cod Liver Oil: The Number One Superfood, Weston A. Price Foundation
