If you follow me on Facebook, you may know that earlier this year I went to my naturopath – who had very negative things to say about the brand of fish oil I was using. I won’t get into what was said or even the brand, because I was never able to substantiate those claims, and after all, she did formerly work for a competing company. So for a little bit, I switched the competing company she recommended. Again, I’m not diving into brands or detailing my specific issues. Both brands are decent and my intent with this article is not to bash other brands, but tell you about the fish oil I’ve settled on; the one I consider the highest quality, purest fish oil.
Because my husband and I are planning on getting pregnant, I wanted the absolute best fish oil. And I literally spent months doing research to find it. There are so many factors to consider when it comes to choosing a fish oil.
How is it extracted?
Is it raw?
Is it sustainable?
Does it contain naturally occurring vitamins A and D, or they added back in after processing?
Does it have adequate amounts of vitamin A, D, EPA and DHA content?
And then I found a fish oil that fit the bill for all of the above: Rosita Cod Liver Oil.
Let’s start with extraction.
Rosita uses an ancient method that dates back to the Viking Era. The VIKINGS! You can watch a video detailing their extraction methods here:
While most fish oil on the market has undergone heavy processing, high heat, pressurization and other techniques that damage the delicate omega-3 fatty acids and remove vitamins A and D, Rosita uses traditional methods – leaving their fish oil and the nutrients within it intact.
Their oils are never exposed to heat or chemicals and it’s completely unrefined and unprocessed. This is truly raw, wild fish oil. Rosita is taking fish oil back to its roots:
There is a relatively unknown Age-Old Method which can be used to ‘capture’ the oil from fresh cod liver. This method, which was favoured by the Norwegian Vikings, produces cod liver oil that is identical to the oil which is present in a ‘living’ codfish liver. The livers are never subjected to chemicals, solvents, heat, steam, or Peter Möller’s method.
And they are certainly never allowed to decompose/putrefy. Instead, the principles of nature herself are used to capture the oil…The traditional ancient method actually preserves the full quality of the oil which retains its synergistic spectrum of naturally-occurring fatty acids, nutrients, and minor components. The captured oil is then encapsulated, or entirely bottled by hand, in its whole, naturally-balanced form. The oil is in the exact form as it exists in the liver of a living codfish. It also contains the same inherent constituents and nutrients. It is for these reasons that we chose to revive this ancient method, which has been lost in time, and finally take cod liver oil back to its very ancient roots.
Sustainability is no joke to these modern-day Vikings.
Rosita is a family run business. They’re not a giant fish oil company who sources their fish irresponsibly from some third party fishery. It’s not a situation of catching a massive amount of cod using nets. They’re not using the livers and chucking the rest of the fish. These are tried and true Norwegians! They’re catching their own fish, probably with their bare hands in freezing water.
Just kidding.
But they are using traditional, sustainable methods to source their fish. They often use the rod and line method to catch their cod – you know, like your uncle who likes to sit out on the nearby lake with a case of beer and his line in the water for hours on end. They also obtain their cod from local artisan fishers, using small boats to catch cod. No Deadliest Catch style giant boats here. Just sustainably caught cod from some of the cleanest water in the world.
Added vitamins? No thank you.
One of the biggest issues I’ve had with fish oil is finding one with intact vitamins A and D. Most either undergo decent but not ideal processing methods and retain the vitamins, or undergo processing that removes the vitamin entirely so that they have to be added back in. This is not the case with Rosita fish oil.
I can’t emphasize enough how little is done to or added to this fish oil – which is what makes it so great. While most companies extract their oil in a way that destroys not only the omega-3s but also vitamins A and D, Rosita uses such gentle, ancient techniques that ensure all the nutrients are intact.
Rosita’s nutrient breakdown:
- Naturally Occurring Vitamin D3 400-500 IU per teaspoon
- Naturally Occurring Vitamin A 43000-5000 IU per teaspoon
- EPA approximately 510 mg per teaspoon
- DHA approximately 700 mg per teaspoon
This is now the only fish oil I use and recommend. I take about a teaspoon a day, which is the right amount for me. You may need more, you may need less. Rosita is hands down the highest quality, purest fish oil and you can order it here.
