How Much Vitamin B12 in Chicken Livers?

One chicken liver contains 73 calories.

One chicken liver contains 73 calories.

Liver doesn't top the favorite food list for many people, but perhaps you should reconsider including it your diet. Chicken liver is rich in key nutrients, including a notable amount of vitamin B12. Prepared the right way, it can also be a tasty addition to your healthy eating plan.

Chicken Liver

One chicken liver contains 7.41 micrograms of vitamin B12, which is more than three times the 2.4 micrograms you should consume each day. If you eat a 3.5-ounce serving of chicken liver, which is the standard serving size for meat, you'll get 16.85 micrograms of vitamin B12. Fortunately, there aren't any adverse side effects from eating more vitamin B12 than you need, as long as the nutrient comes from food and not supplements, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is naturally present in animal foods, such as meat, eggs, cheese and milk. The vitamin helps your body convert food into energy, and plays an important role in the proper function of your central nervous system, including the function of your brain. Vitamin B12 enables your body to make healthy red blood cells, too. If you eat meat regularly, you probably get all of the vitamin B12 you need, according to the University of Maryland Medical Clinic. A deficiency can cause anemia, weakness, numbness and a loss of balance.

Additional Nutrients

In addition to the large dose of vitamin B12 you get from chicken liver, you'll also get a good amount of other essential nutrients. A 3.5-ounce serving of chicken liver supplies 11.63 milligrams of iron, a nutrient that keeps your immune system strong and helps your body make red blood cells. This is more than the 8 milligrams of iron men need each day and is 65 percent of the 18 milligrams women should have on a daily basis. The same serving of chicken liver also supplies more vitamin A than you need for the entire day and almost all of the niacin you should have.

Eating Chicken Liver

Chicken liver is high in cholesterol so if you're following a low-cholesterol diet, talk to your doctor about whether the food has a place in your diet. A 3.5-ounce serving of chicken liver contains 563 milligrams of cholesterol, which is more than the 300 milligrams you should limit yourself to each day. That doesn't mean you can't eat chicken liver, but it does mean you shouldn't eat it every day. Saute chicken liver with onions, garlic and your favorite herbs and spices. Serve the liver with sauteed potatoes and steamed vegetables for a nutrient-rich meal.

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