How to cook liver for most nutrition?

Liver is extremely nutritious and less expensive than most beef products. It's very lean, so it's most often pan-seared quickly to brown and keep it from drying out, although it can also be baked, braised, grilled or made into paté or liverwurst .

What is liver superfood?

Liver is one of the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet, with significant amounts of iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and copper . Eating a single serving of liver can help you meet your daily recommended amount of most of these vitamins and minerals, reducing your risk of nutrient deficiency.

What makes liver taste better?

Soak Liver in Lemon Juice Or Milk After it's done soaking, pat the liver dry with clean paper towels and cook it however you'd like. Soaking liver in an acid can help cut down on some of the metallic or “iron” taste common in beef and lamb liver.

Does cooking liver destroy nutrients?

When you cook beef liver, the heat breaks down some of the nutrients but also makes other nutrients easier to digest and absorb. Beef liver is a rich source of copper, retinol (preformed vitamin A), some iron, and B vitamins.

5 Delicious and Nutrient-Dense Liver Recipes

There has been quite a buzz around consuming beef liver and chicken liver as of late. Have you wondered what the health benefits of liver are? We help answer this question and provide you with five nourishing liver recipes.

One of our amazing NTC graduates, Steph Gaudreau took a side-by-side comparison of a serving of beef liver and the same size serving of a chicken breast. And, it’s mind blowing! These organs pack a powerful punch.

A quick look at some nutrients in 100 grams of beef liver paints a powerful picture:

+ Protein: 27 grams
+ Vitamin A: 26091 IU | 522% DV
+ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 3.4 mg | 201% DV
+ Vitamin B6: 1 mg | 51% DV
+ Vitamin B9 (folate): 260 mcg | 65% DV
+ Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): 83.1 mcg | 1386% DV
+ Choline: 418 mg
+ Copper: 14.6 mg | 730% DV
+ Iron: 6.2 mg | 34% DV
+ Selenium: 32.8 mcg | 47%

Now, compare that to an equal serving size of chicken breast:

+ Protein: 31 grams
+ Vitamin A: 21 IU | 0% DV
+ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 0.1 mg | 7% DV
+ Vitamin B6: 0.6 mg | 30% DV
+ Vitamin B9 (folate): 4 mcg | 1% DV
+ Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): 0.3 mcg | 6% DV
+ Choline: 85.3 mg
+ Copper: 2% DV
+ Iron: 1 mg | 6% DV
+ Selenium: 27.6 mcg | 39%

Health Benefits of Liver

Why should you incorporate liver into your diet? There are many health benefits to consuming liver. Although liver isn’t a leafy green vegetable, it can be considered a superfood. Chris Kresser dives into more information on liver on his website. Here some additional benefits:

High in Protein

A three-ounce piece of liver contains about 22-27 grams of protein. This is considered a high concentration. Protein is necessary for bodily processes like building and maintaining healthy muscle mass. It also helps with satiety, hormone production, skin and hair health, and more. For those who are moderate or heavily active, liver is a great option for protein in their diet.

Excellent Source of Vitamin B12

One of the most common deficiencies in the average human is vitamin B12. Symptoms can look like, fatigue, muscle weakness, brain fog and mood changes, and more. Liver happens to be a whole food source that is packed full of this vital nutrient. Before running to your local supplement store, incorporate this real food source of vitamin B12 into your diet and see how your body responds.

High in Iron

Liver also contains large amounts of iron. Iron is helpful in preventing anemia, fatigue, cognitive issues, and irregular menstruation.It is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body on a cellular level.

To learn more about the health benefits of liver, check out these resources:

How and Why to Eat Liver by Beth Martin, NTP
Why Liver is a Nutrient-Dense Superfood by Healthline

5 Nourishing Liver Recipes

So now you know why liver is so beneficial in your diet. But now you need to know how to cook it. Here are some tasty liver recipes to nourish your body.

Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs

This is a creative way to incorporate liver into your recipe. If you’ve been wondering how to cook beef liver, Steph Gaudreau makes it super simple and incredibly delicious!

Chicken Liver Mousse

Chicken liver is packed full of nutrients. If you’re looking to entertain some dinner guests, this is a nourishing appetizer! Our grads, Mickey Trescott and Angie Alt over on AutoimmuneWellness.com have a recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Try this Autoimmune Paleo take on Chicken Liver Mousse recipe!

Potatoes with Bacon and Liver

Beef liver benefits are too good to pass up! This recipe is great for those who may not find liver to be palatable.

Try Jenny McGruther, NTP from Nourished Kitchen’s Potatoes with Bacon and Liver recipe!

Chicken Liver Pate

This pâté is “created with generous, copious–almost unending if you so desire–amounts of butter.”

Try Lucia Hawley, NTP from Essential Omnivore’s Chicken Liver Pate recipe!

Chicken Liver Pate Recipe

Be inspired by the several ways to accent pate in this recipe. Fermented vegetables, raspberry jelly, and goat cheese are some ideas for starters.

Try Dr. Axe’s Chicken Liver Pate recipe!

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5 Delicious and Nutrient-Dense Liver Recipes - The NTA (2024)