Why don’t more people eat them or at least talk more about their unique nutrient profiles? Is it just that they’re gross? is that they’re tied to toxic masculinity and other disliked subcultures (in the west), or something of that nature? Besides the risk of vitamin A toxicity from over consuming beef liver I haven’t heard many good arguments against them.
Liver is a powerhouse food and is referred to as “Nature’s multi-vitamin”. We should be eating it and taking less synthetic vitamins. I eat it almost daily from this brand :The ground chicken with liver is absolutely delicious. https://forceofnature.com/collections/all?utm_source=orange142&utm_medium=ppc&utm_campaign=search&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0oyYBhDGARIsAMZEuMuQNZxNfZK5GxGJscDrkZQa7KSaXII5NNTgM6udFW6e4E90rfsRu2UaAnvEEALw_wcB
None.
People just feel eeky about them and don’t know how to prepare them.
Liver is probably the most nutrient dense food you can have though. And it’s really delicious. Toxicity is easily manageable if you eat it only for 50g at the time and 3 times max per week.
Organs make a big comeback with carnivore diets.
Moroccan living in italy here! My whole family loves organ meats, no, almost everyone in morocco does, it’s almost a crime not to eat it!
Unfortunately I’m the odd one who cannot stand the smell and the taste of them, I just can’t and really don’t understand how people are so crazy about them.
I must admit I felt good after reading this post, my whole life I felt like a weirdo for not liking organ meat, I guess it’s not so uncommon in the rest of the world.
it’s also a socioeconomic class thing in western culture, particularly American food culture. wealthier people can afford muscle meats whereas poorer people would often have to make do with cheaper cuts, including organ meats. in this way, organ meats have been stigmatized.
For example, black slaves in the American south were given “off cuts” that the slave owners cast away and made delicious soul food with it. .
Many non-Western cultures have an appreciation for off cuts/offal. Personally, when done well, I find such dishes are delicious, but like everything else, best enjoyed in moderation especially for those with certain health conditions.
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard any arguments against. I have several family members that eat liver with bacon and onions as a treat meal every now and then and love it. I know they use some organ meats in meat dressings but not sure what they use or how they make it. I personally grew up with but never liked the texture of liver but do like the dressing it’s mixed in.
Arguments against is this is where many toxins and other substances that when eaten in moderation have no harm, and good benefits. However, overeating organ mean can collect more of those toxin at a level we weren’t designed for. Humans ate a bison whole, they didn’t come across 60 chicken livers every day. So our bodies only evolved to deal with the “animal or two at a time”.
I like organ meats. The only issue I have with them, is the simple fact that they are heavy on the stomach. I do prefer lighter meals/foods.
Furthermore, what does toxic masculinity have anything to do with a well-rounded diet? This is some serious mental gymnastics.
Liver has this excess of vitA and most offal are high in cholesterol (which may or may not be a problem, depending on your belief or sensitivity to dietary cholesterol). Saturated fats are also something some people believe in avoiding
Organ meats are just a bit of a hassle to prep, they have a shorter shelf life. Blood is insanely high in iron, great for anyone who menstruates. But it needs to be handled properly. In my country it is only available in the frozen isle.
Probably to watch how much you eat.
Excessive bioavailable iron can contribute to iron overload.
Vitamin A toxicity.
And plenty of other potential issues.
Overall there’s 0 reason you shouldn’t include organ meats in your diet. Maybe at best “I don’t like em” but you can just grind it into regular meat and you won’t notice it.
Not many, apart from taste (palatability) and the danger of hypervitaminosis. Organ meats are particularly rich in B-vitamins, such as vitamin B12 and folate. They are also rich in minerals, including iron, magnesium, selenium and zinc, and important fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, D, E and K. Furthermore, they are an excellent protein source.
I can think of a few criticisms of beef liver off the top of my head. They are high in dietary cholesterol and saturated fat, and contain no soluble fiber, so they adversely affect biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk relative to some other options. They are high in purines, so they increase the risk of gout. They also largely don’t contain heme iron, which is the most bioavailable form of iron; instead they have ferritin, the storage form of iron. Heme iron is available in foods like ground beef and the impossible burger.