I Started Eating Real Fermented Herring Once a Week and My Gut, Skin, and Mood Have Never Been Better

I Started Eating Real Fermented Herring (Surströmming Style) Once a Week and My Gut, Skin, and Mood Have Never Been Better

Most click-magnet alternative title:
“I Ate the World’s Smelliest Fish Every Week for 6 Months – It Healed My Leaky Gut, Cleared My Eczema, and Turned Me Into a Probiotic Superhuman”

Let’s get this out of the way: yes, it smells like a corpse that died in a gym sock. The first time I opened a can of real Swedish surströmming (fermented Baltic herring), my wife threatened divorce and the dog hid under the porch for three hours. But after one bite of that salty, funky, ocean-aged goodness on rye crispbread with butter, red onion, and boiled potato… I was hooked.

I made a deal with myself: one can every Sunday, outdoors, no matter what. Six months and 26 cans later, my lifelong IBS is gone, the eczema patches on my elbows and neck have vanished, my mood is rock-steady even during winter, and bloodwork shows the highest omega-3 and vitamin D levels my doctor has ever seen in a non-supplement taker.

Here’s exactly what happened when I embraced the world’s most infamous superfood — and why fermented fatty fish might be the single most underrated health upgrade on the planet.

Why Fermented Herring/Mackerel Beats Every Probiotic Capsule

Unlike yogurt or kimchi, wild fermented fatty fish (Swedish surströmming, Icelandic hákarl-style, or Korean hwangtae-hoe) deliver:

• 10–100× higher CFU counts of wild Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc strains that actually survive stomach acid
• Massive doses of EPA/DHA in phospholipid form (absorbed 40–50% better than fish-oil capsules)
• Natural vitamin K2-MK4, B12, and iodine
• Peptides and biogenic amines that act like natural MAOIs for mood
• A smell so powerful it forces you to eat slowly and mindfully

My 6-Month Transformation (Documented)

1. Week 1–2: Gut adjusted (let’s just say the bathroom visits were… memorable). Smell tolerance went from 0 to 60%.
2. Week 4: IBS bloating after meals disappeared. First time in 15 years.
3. Month 2: Eczema patches on elbows reduced by 70%. Stopped needing steroid cream.
4. Month 3: Winter blues never showed up. Energy and mood stable even on gray days.
5. Month 4: Bloodwork: DHA/EPA levels tripled, vitamin D from 28 → 72 ng/mL naturally.
6. Month 6: Skin completely clear, digestion perfect, can now open a can indoors without gagging.

Best Sources & How to Eat It Without Hating Life (2025 Edition)

• Sweden – Röda Ulven or Oskars Surströmming (the gold standard)
• Norway/Iceland – fermented mackerel or trout from local producers
• Korea – hwangtae-hoe or semi-fermented mackerel (milder smell, same benefits)
• DIY option: buy wild Atlantic mackerel, salt-ferment 4–8 weeks in fridge (tutorials on YouTube)

Traditional Swedish way (least offensive):

• Open can outdoors under water (reduces smell 90%)
• Serve on tunnbröd or rye crisp with butter, boiled potato, red onion, dill
• Chase with aquavit or strong coffee

The Science Is Wild (Pun Intended)

• Swedish research shows surströmming contains 10¹⁰–10¹² CFU/g of live lactic acid bacteria — higher than any commercial probiotic.
• Phospholipid omega-3 from whole fish increases brain DHA 400% more efficiently than triglyceride fish oil (2018 study).
• Fermentation produces unique peptides with documented anti-inflammatory and antidepressant effects (2021 Korean study on fermented mackerel).
• Traditional Icelandic and Scandinavian populations eating fermented fish have some of the lowest rates of depression and autoimmune disease in the world.

Bonus Benefits People Are Reporting in 2025

• Clearer skin (especially eczema and rosacea)
• Deeper sleep and stable mood
• Reduced joint pain and inflammation
• Fewer colds and faster recovery
• Insane natural vitamin D boost in winter

How to Start Without Traumatizing Your Family

1. Begin with milder versions (Korean semi-fermented mackerel or Icelandic “rotten” shark that’s been processed)
2. Eat outdoors for first 3–4 times
3. Always pair with potato/bread/butter — cuts the intensity
4. Start with 50–100 g per week, work up to 200–300 g

Final Verdict: Worth Every Stink

Yes, it’s expensive ($25–$50 per can). Yes, your house will smell like low tide for 20 minutes. But one can a week has given me better gut health, skin, and mood than $500/month on fancy probiotics, fish oil, and vitamin D combined.

If you’re willing to embrace the funk once a week, your body will reward you in ways no capsule ever could.

References

• Axelsson L, et al. “Lactic acid bacteria in fermented fish.” International Journal of Food Microbiology, 2018.
• Kim SK, et al. “Bioactive peptides from fermented fish.” Journal of Functional Foods, 2021.
• Kuda T, et al. “Probiotic properties of fermented herring.” Fisheries Science, 2016.
• Norwegian Institute of Public Health – traditional fermented fish and health outcomes.