Eating The Whole Animal

We are omnivores; we enjoy both plant and animal sources of food as humans.  When consuming animals we usually eat the muscle meat. We often forget about all the other organs such as the liver, heart, kidney, brain, and the bones. These organs have different structures and functions in the body, which in turn creates nutritional differences. Today’s post will be dedicated to the benefits of organ meats, specifically beef liver, plus Ill share an excellent Bacon Liver Burger recipe.

Liver is a great source of protein, vitamins A, B6, B12, C, folate, copper, and iron. Vitamin A content is extremely high in liver; liver shouldn’t be eaten everyday as a 100 gram serving provides you with 53 400 IU of Vitamin A (10 000 IU is the daily recommended dietary reference intake for adults). Vitamin A is fat-soluble vitamin used in the body for new cell generation, increased vision in dim light, development of healthy hair and skin.

Lately, I have been reading lots about the evolution of food and primal eating; traditionally, liver was considered a delicacy or a treat. It makes sense as there is only so much liver meat per animal, therefore hunter gatherers would cherish this organ (for good reason). Below I have provided a table comparing the nutrients of 100 grams of blueberries, kale, beef, and beef liver. All data values were taken from Chris Kresser's Site. 

Wait…isn’t the liver a detoxification organ? Yes and no. The liver does breakdown and neutralize toxins, drugs and chemicals but does not store them after this process. According to The Weston A. Price Foundation, the liver breaks down these toxins but stores them in either fatty tissues or the nervous system. One study examined lead and mercury levels in the kidneys and livers of Canadian cows, pigs, and chickens; all levels were in the acceptable tolerable range for these heavy metals.

It is still wise to be wary of the source of your beef liver. Liver from grass-fed or pasture raised cows will be healthier than conventionally fed cows. If you are going to eat conventionally fed beef liver I would suggest calf liver. Remember that any animal consuming toxic contaminants or living in polluted areas will store toxins in not only the liver but also in every organ, including the muscle.

Liver isn't the best tasting; liver has an acquired taste. Soaking liver in milk or vinegar before cooking will help with the disagreeable taste. But in my opinion everything tastes good in burger form or with bacon, so below I shared my favourite Bacon Liver Burger recipe.

Bacon Liver Burgers

Ingredients:

2 lbs grass-fed ground beef

½ pound grass-fed liver

1/4 pound of bacon

2 large eggs (free range if possible)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 table spoon Turmeric (anti-inflammatory properties) - optional

2 table spoons of almond flour (regular flour optional)

1 table spoon of red palm oil (or olive oil)

½ cup chopped green onions

1- Slice liver up into tiny cubes or pieces. Be sure to remove any connective tissue or veins (your butcher will also be happy to do this for you).

2- Mix all ingredients together. Put in fridge for 10 minutes.

3- Form into burger sizes and shapes of your desire/hunger. Grill them on the BBQ or broil them on low in your oven. 

Throw these bad boys on a bun, or on a kale salad with some bacon, avocados, and tomatoes.  Liver is nature's multivitamin; female readers especially should experiment with eating liver once a week as it is high in iron and folic acid. Many females are anemic and need to increase iron intake; higher daily folic acid intake is recommended in pregnant women. We are depriving ourselves of many necessary nutrients if we don’t consume the whole animal, specifically organ meats. The liver is a storage zone for many nutrients in the body, I want those nutrients and so should you. 

Yours in Health,

Mason