Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Are there Health Benefits from Liver?


When you are looking to make a meal that is delicious and exquisite, you usually overlook some foods that are healthy for you. There is one food in particular that one would commonly overlook in this case. That food is one that is known to be liver. Yes, liver, it is not a food you would normally consider “tasty”. However, some of you might do so, and even if you don’t, it should be known that liver can be very beneficial to your health. You are able to prepare liver in various different ways to have it go with your dish and support your health with the rich vitamins and minerals that is in liver.

Beef liver nutrition facts

Beef liver nutrition facts. Servings: 100 grams, raw, beef liver. The nutrient content includes Vitamin B12 (988%, about 10 times your daily requirement), Copper (488%), Vitamin A (338%), Riboflavin (162%), Panthothenic Acid (72%), Niacin (66%), Vitamin B6 (54%), Phosphorus and Iron (both at 27%). Source: USDA.gov
Rich in Vitamin A
There is a vitamin in particular that is in liver that is especially helpful to your health. That vitamin happens to be Vitamin A. For females, liver can help contribute to healthy fertility and support proper embryo development. It also has effects that are especially beneficial to your children as well. Vitamin A is capable of helping children avoid the development of asthma, prevent kidney stones, and Vitamin A can regular blood sugar and fats. In general though, the Vitamin A that is found in liver is capable of protecting you from some toxins in the environment and support proper development throughout puberty. Also, Vitamin A along with arachidonic acid, which contributes to hydration, intestinal health and growth, are both capable of improving the appearance and healthiness of your hair and skin.
Secondly, it is known that liver is an excellent source of the mineral iron. Also, it is not just one kind of liver either; beef liver, chicken liver and pork liver are all great sources of iron. If you didn’t know, iron helps carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles and other organs in your body. When there is not enough iron in your body, oxygen circulation slows down, and you are prone to fatigue, irritability and headaches more often. This is what is referred to as iron deficiency anemia. Eating foods that are chock full of iron, such as liver, helps prevent iron deficiency anemia that is caused by this, as well as from blood loss and an inability to absorb iron in your body.
Hidden gem: Carnitine
Another benefit that comes from having liver in your diet is the increased energy you will have. Due to the nutrients that are in liver, it has multiple energy-boosting qualities. One mineral in particular, carnitine, can help raise energy levels, reduce body fat, and allow one to exercise and work out longer. It is synthesized in the kidneys and liver and is capable of preventing muscle cramps and fatigue in the muscles. Liver is also known to contain an acid known as lipoic acid, which is vital in the citric acid cycle to produce energy.
DHA, an Omega-3 fatty acid
Not only does liver have benefits to your physical health, but it also provides benefits to your mental health as well. It has been found that liver contains high levels of DHA, or its long name being docosahexaenoic acid. DHA, which is a type of Omega-3 fatty acid, is capable of boosting parts in the higher brain functions associated with intelligence as well as the ability to learn, and also supports visual acuity, or visual clearness.
Nutrient content from other types of animals
Below are the nutrition facts for 4 other types of animal liver that you can easy get your hands on. These includes lamb liver, chicken liver, duck liver and turkey liver. Among all of them, turkey liver has the highest content of Vitamin A at 1448% of your daily needs.

Lamb liver nutrition factsLamb liver nutrition facts. Servings: 4 oz, about 113 grams, raw, lamb liver. The nutrient content includes Vitamin B12 (1,696%), Vitamin A (556%), Copper (394%) and Riboflavin (241%). Source: USDA.gov
Chicken liver nutrition factsChicken liver nutrition facts. Servings: 100 grams, raw, chicken liver. The nutrient content includes Vitamin B12 (276%), Vitamin A (222%) and Riboflavin (105%). Source: USDA.gov
Duck liver nutrition factsDuck liver nutrition facts. Servings: 44 grams, raw, duck liver. The nutrient content includes Vitamin B12 (396%), Vitamin A (351%) and Copper (131%). Source: USDA.gov
Turkey liver nutrition facts

Turkey liver nutrition facts. Servings: 100 grams, raw, turkey liver. The nutrient content includes Vitamin A (1448%), Vitamin B12 (823%) and Riboflavin (152%). Source: USDA.gov
Lots of health benefits
In conclusion, you may not necessarily be a fan of the taste of liver, but one can see the benefits that liver can bring to your body. It is a wonderful source of Vitamin A, which is capable of helping one develop throughout their lives as well as protecting you from any toxins in the environment as well as improving healthiness in your skin and hair. The large amount of iron in liver is able to prevent iron deficiency related problems as well as help blood cells circulate throughout your body. Carnitine in liver is able to energize you so you can work out and exercise longer, and the DHA in liver will help you learn, see easier, and boost higher brain functions related to intelligence. These are just some of the benefits to your health that are related to eating liver. So next time you are planning a meal, I would suggest that you give liver and its benefits a chance.