Liver? Is it good for you?
Spending a lot of my childhood in rural France, liver was often on the menu. With doctors telling me to eat more offal to help with my fainting spells.
I was curious as to whether this was an old wives’ tale or if there was more to it. And it turns out that liver is one of nature's most potent superfoods.
So let's get into the detail:
Liver provides more than the RDI (recommended daily intake) for vitamin B12, vitamin A, riboflavin and copper. It is also rich in the essential nutrients folate, iron and choline.
Liver is also rich in protein and low in calories. 100 grams of beef liver provides a whopping 26 grams of protein with just 165 calories.
Even though liver is incredibly nutritious, it should not be consumed daily. Eating it once per week is enough and here’s why;
It’s possible to get too much vitamin A, which can lead to toxicity and some medications can interact with vitamin A, such as Orlistat or certain psoriasis medications.
Liver is high in dietary cholesterol. People trying to lower their cholesterol or who take cholesterol medications should discuss with their doctor.
To summarise consumed in moderation liver is a nutritional powerhouse, it's also cheap so a great way of getting animal protein on a budget.
Liver doesn’t have to be a scary thing to cook either! It can be quickly flash-fried in a small amount of butter and tossed through your favourite salad. Or added to soups and stews for an extra hearty kick.
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