By: @___george.nat
Health trends aside, adding liver into your diet is here to stay. Someone has probably told you by now that beef liver is good for you, and if you haven’t given it a go, then keep reading. Whilst the word “superfood” has been thrown around a lot, it couldn’t be more fitting to put this label on beef liver.
Liver is one of the most nutrient dense foods available. It contains a long list of essential nutrients, vitamins, and proteins that actually reach a nutritionally valuable target. Aside from its health benefits, liver is also an extremely accessible and affordable food to include in your weekly grocery shop, with one liver costing as little as one dollar.
Beef liver contains an abundance of nutrients, including many that are difficult to obtain from other foods. A small serving contains more than 100% of the RDI for numerous essential nutrients. Some nutrients you’ll find in beef liver include:
Vitamin A: A powerful antioxidant that supports your immune system and skin health
B12: Required for optimal circulation and supports your daily energy levels
B7 (Biotin): Biotin is needed for energy production and to produce keratin which is the protein that makes up your skin, hair, and nails
Other B Vitamins (B2, B9, B1, B3, B5, B6): Among their many roles, these are necassary for energy production
Iron: In the form of heme iron, which is the most bioavailable form for our body to absorb
Calcium: Maintains the health of your bones
Magnesium: Required for over 300 biochemical functions in the body
Zinc: An essential mineral for the body that enhances the health of your skin, immune system, gut, and reproductive health
CoQ10: A powerful antioxidant that is excellent for heart, skin, and sperm health
Omega 3: Supports cardiovascular and brain health, alongside reducing inflammation within the entire body
Selenium: A powerful antioxidant that has been shown to support heart, skin health and thyroid health
Other nutrients include choline, phosphorus, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Beef liver is also a complete source of protein, meaning, it contains all of the essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce on their own. In other words, they must be consumed through your diet. Amino acids are the building blocks for every protein in the body and are essential for optimal brain functioning and mental health. As you can see, animal liver really packs a punch in terms of nutrient density.
This should come as no surprise, but eating liver is also good for your liver. Beef liver contains various nutrients that help support the function of our own liver, in turn, supporting so many other aspects of our health. Whilst the liver is where detoxification takes place, ingesting beef liver isn’t toxic as it doesn’t store toxins. The liver consumes said toxins and moves it into the intestines to be excreted out of the body.
If the idea of eating beef liver makes your stomach turn, there are some less intimidating ways you can begin incorporating it into your diet.
Smoothies: Trust me, you can’t even taste it
Pills: Dried beef liver is available in supplement form
Pate
Dried Beef Liver "Jerky": A great snack for when you’re on the go
Inside Bolognese or Meatballs: As we all know, any type of food can easily be disguised in these meals
In today’s world, our food supply is less nourishing than ever before due to depleted soils, pesticides, nitrogen fertilizers, and processed foods replacing whole foods. Consuming beef liver is an easy way to replenish our nutrient reserves required for a healthy body. Next time you’re at the supermarket, keep your eye out for liver to try in your next meal.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7296811/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3417664/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4597842/
