Which oil is best?

In a clinical study conducted by The Centre for Nutritional Studies, Barlean’s Omega Swirl, a lemon flavored, emulsified fish oil product was found to be 90% more bio-available than standard fish oil.

In the study, the total percentage of oil that reached the blood stream was 10-times greater with Omega Swirl than the same dose of fish oil. Theoretically, it could take up to 20 standard fish oil gelcaps to equal the amount of Omega-3 delivered to the bloodstream by just one, two tsp. dose of Omega Swirl.

Barlean’s Fruit Swirl resembles the texture of a fruit smoothie and has a fruity flavor to match. According to Barlean’s, this texture allows the oil to more efficiently pass through the intestinal wall and into the bloodstream.

Barlean’s Omega Swirls have won multiple “Best of Supplement” and “Tasters Choice” awards and the company has captured national media attention, including our attention here at HL&S! (We also like their OliveLeaf complex oil, which has a nice minty flavor.)

Which oils are your fave?

So, I’m a bit skeptical of the flu vaccine. Maybe it is ignorance, or maybe it is my belief on natural medicine, but at our household we’re going to try and brave out this year’s flu season with natural remedies. My entire family is taking probiotics and of course vitamins; we’ve also added Source Natural’s Wellness Herbal formula (available for kids and adults), which includes such immunity-boosters as ginger root, goldenseal, echinacea, and elderberry.. Add to the mix a healthy serving of orange/yellow veggies and carrot juice, and we’re a shoe-in for a healthy winter, right? Well, as a neurotic mother of a 1 1/2 year old, I’m not quite so sure. And, even with the most frequent handwashing you’ve ever seen, I’m willing to try even more to keep our family free from the flu. So, when I heard about olive leaf complex, which is purported to have double the antioxidant capacity of green tea (in fact, rating higher in antioxidants than goji, acai, mangosteen, or noni), I decided to give it a try.

Olive leaf extract has been used for thousands of years. Both the Egyptian and Mediterannean peoples used it to treat a variety of conditions, and even Hippocrates mentions it in his medical texts. In Barlean Organic‘s formula, which is made in Australia, olive leaves are picked fresh and fresh-pressed to ensure potency. At first, I was a bit intimidated by the bottle. Although it was “peppermint flavored“, I was concerned it would be like chewing gum while swallowing a tablespoon of olive oil. Should I mix it with something, and if so, what? I finally just decided to take a shot. And, it tasted good. Almost like peppermint schnapps—another one of my cold-weather standbys. ($19.95 for 8 oz.; also available at Whole Foods)