There are several superfoods out there, and beef liver is among the most nutritionally beneficial. It is nutrient-dense, with a beneficial combination of both macro and micronutrients that support overall health and wellness. It’s high in protein and low in carbohydrates, and you can include it in your diet in liver supplement form or freshly prepared. To learn more about beef liver benefits, continue reading.
Beef liver is a nutrient-dense superfood with high-protein, and low-carb. It has been referred to as "nature’s multivitamin." Specifically, raw beef liver has a solid nutritional profile that includes vitamins A, C, D, E, and K, and the B vitamins folate, niacin, and riboflavin. Also, it’s packed with minerals which include calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, manganese, selenium, and choline.
Compared to other superfoods, beef liver supersedes many in almost every micronutrient, from vitamin A to zinc.
It also has a healthy macronutrient profile. A 3-ounce serving of beef liver (4 ounces or 110 grams uncooked) contains:
As a nutrient-packed food, beef liver provides several health benefits. These include:
If you’ve been experiencing low energy and feeling sluggish, your body could be lacking essential micronutrients. Beef liver contains several energy-supporting nutrients, such as vitamin B12, riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), vitamin C, iron, and magnesium. These micronutrients assist your body in converting the foods you consume into energy that your body can use. Furthermore, B vitamins and iron assist your muscles and organs in transporting an adequate supply of oxygen and help with absorption. This, in turn, supports your physical stamina and mental concentration.
Beef liver benefits also extend to glowing skin. Younger more youthful skin can be achieved by adding beef liver to your diet. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc help to support and maintain skin health. For instance, vitamin A, aka retinol, minimizes the appearance of aging. Vitamin A increases skin firmness, thickness, and vascularity. Also, vitamin C halts the appearance of skin aging by minimizing wrinkle depth, on the one hand, and protecting your skin from damaging UV rays through its natural antioxidant properties on the other hand.
If you are having trouble getting pregnant and starting a family, beef liver can support fertility. This is through vitamin A, vitamin B12, selenium, zinc, and folate. Specifically, vitamin B12 has the potential to increase sperm count and motility, increasing its ability to wriggle through a female cervix, uterus, and fallopian tube to reach an egg. Additionally, selenium and zinc could improve your ability to get pregnant.
Beef liver provides several vitamins and minerals that support healthy fetal development, including vitamin A, vitamin B12, copper, folate (vitamin B9), iron, and zinc. A serving of 100 grams of beef liver provides 18% of the recommended daily intake of iron required by a pregnant woman.
If you like organ meat and would like to strengthen your bones, then beef liver is a good option. It contains vitamin D, magnesium, and calcium that together promote bone health.
Beef liver, whether grass-fed or not, contains the micronutrients potassium, niacin (vitamin B3), and magnesium that can support your heart health. Research findings indicate that potassium intake also has the potential to reduce your blood pressure.
Beef liver benefits can also increase your brainpower. Cognitive improvement and sustained focus may be possible by making cooked beef liver a part of your diet.
The vitamins and minerals selenium, copper, niacin (Vitamin B3), and iron may enhance your cognitive performance in the areas of attention, concentration, and memory. Research findings indicate that selenium levels drop with age, which in turn, may cause reductions in brain function. Additionally, deficiencies in niacin can impair your memory. As such, having an adequate supply of niacin in your diet could help sustain cognitive function.
Beef liver contains the mineral magnesium which has the potential to improve muscle strength, muscle power, muscle performance, and cardiorespiratory endurance. The more exercise you do, the more magnesium you need to support your physical performance.
Having an adequate supply of the right types of vitamins and minerals can help you to maintain a strong immune system. Beef liver offers an abundance of immune-supporting compounds, such as vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, copper, and zinc. Vitamin A, for instance, reinforces the skin’s mechanical barrier function and inner linings of areas of the body, like the intestines. This stops harmful pathogens from getting into your tissues and the bloodstream. Also, the antioxidant properties of vitamin C can boost your immune response. It minimizes tissue damage and oxidative stress through the elimination of free radicals.
With beef liver in your diet, you are supporting your psychological health with the intake of mood-enhancing and stress-minimizing B vitamins, folate, and magnesium.
Your eye health can be supported with beef liver because it's a good source of vitamin A. Vitamin A is a lipid-soluble compound with several biological actions to aid in vision, and it plays a role in the regeneration of visual pigment.
If eating beef liver is unappealing, you can take beef liver as a supplement rather than eat it. Desiccated beef liver supplements contain beef liver that has been dried and ground into powder. The Journal of Food Science cites that these supplements provide the micronutrients present in fresh liver but in a more concentrated form. This may be more palatable for some people. Typically, desiccated beef liver is safe when taken in moderation.
People who can benefit from taking beef liver supplements include those who are trying to lose weight and build muscle, but also trying to boost their energy levels. Also, it can help women trying to conceive, athletes and workout enthusiasts, and people who are anemic.
However, this supplement has some risks.
While vitamin A is essential for optimal health, high amounts of vitamin A in non-defatted products can put you at risk of vitamin A toxicity, or hypervitaminosis. The result of vitamin A toxicity can be liver damage, pressure on the brain, vision problems, skin changes, and bone pain. Additionally, a pregnant woman should not supplement with more than 1,500 mcg (5,000 IU) of vitamin A, to minimize the risk of birth defects, like cleft palate, heart defects, and hydrocephalus.
Furthermore, some desiccated beef liver contains high levels of the mineral copper, which may cause nausea, liver damage, and even mental decline in some people.
Grass-fed beef liver supplements tend to be of higher quality and provide a unique blend of essential nutritional compounds that can support your health.
There are also other issues with beef liver and beef liver benefits that you should know about.
An article in the Journal of Food and Drug Analysis suggests that beef liver may sometimes contain detectable levels of antibiotics. This could prove hazardous to your health. Cows sometimes receive antibiotics close to their slaughter time, and antibiotic residues present in the beef liver may result in antibiotic resistance. As such, the result could be you developing allergic reactions, anaphylaxis, toxicity, disruptions in embryo development, and increased risk of certain types of cancer.
Beef liver is a high-cholesterol food, containing about 274 mg of cholesterol per 100 g. Too much cholesterol in your diet can increase your risk of heart disease. As such, it’s best to eat organic beef liver in moderation in order to limit your cholesterol intake.
Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS), the non-Addison's form of adrenal dysfunction, where the body's stress response cannot keep up with life's chronic stressors. Cortisol is a key feature. Your body responds to stress by way of your adrenal glands which release hormones when experiencing stress. When you experience chronic stress, the adrenal glands become unable to keep up with the demand for stress hormones. This results in an imbalance in the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response system. The result is the emergence of a wide range of symptoms.
There are several nutrients in beef liver that could help support the liver and the detoxification process. These include vitamin B12 and selenium. As AFS progresses, AFS sufferers may become dependent on an ever-increasing amount of nutrients like B12 to maintain their energy. However, you should always consult with your physician before you start eating beef liver or taking beef liver supplements. AFS can make you more sensitive to changes in your diet, new supplements, or toxins.
Beef liver and beef liver benefits extend to both pregnancy and male fertility. It is a fertility superfood, and its folate content makes it so for women and men. Beef liver is a powerful source of protein, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and folate that supports fertility.
According to research, vitamin A helps follicles mature properly, boosts egg quality and ovarian response, and supports embryo implantation and development. Also, it boosts the volume and quality of cervical fluid and guards sperm in men.
Furthermore, folate helps with sperm count and the prevention of both failed fertilization and implantation failure. Additionally, it improves egg development, increases the chances of live birth, and guards against neural tube defects in developing fetuses.
Beef liver is an excellent source of protein that helps to build, repair, and maintain muscle tissues. This high-protein food will keep you feeling full longer. As such, you’re less likely to overeat or grab an unhealthy snack. Also, it can boost your energy and help you to enhance your performance when doing a workout.
The iron in beef liver helps to transport oxygen to your muscles and improve your endurance, while vitamin B12 boosts your energy, and the protein helps your muscles grow and repair. These will help you lose weight and increase muscle mass.
Beef liver benefits can help to boost your overall health and wellness. This nutrient-dense, high-quality meat, which can also be taken in supplement form, provides several benefits, from fertility improvement to boosting brain power. Whether you eat cooked beef liver or take beef liver capsules, you gain several essential nutrients that your body needs.
If you would like to learn about whether you should try incorporating beef liver or other high-quality nutrients into your diet, the team at Dr. Lam Coaching can help. We offer a free, no-obligation phone consultation at +1 (626) 571-1234 where we will privately discuss your symptoms and various options. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
Duizer, Lisa M et al. “An Acceptability Trial of Desiccated Beef Liver and Meat Powder as Potential Fortifiers of Complementary Diets of Young Children in Indonesia.” Journal of food science vol. 82,9 (2017): 2206-2212. doi:10.1111/1750-3841.13807 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28746725/
Hodge C, Taylor C. Vitamin A Deficiency. [Updated 2023 Jan 2]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK567744/
Kirrella, Ghada A., et al. "Safety of Frozen Liver for Human Consumption." Journal of Food and Drug Analysis, vol. 25, no. 3, 2017, pp. 520-524, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfda.2016.11.012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28911637/
Beef liver is a superfood that is nutrient-dense. The most relevant beef liver benefits include weight loss and muscle building, a boost of fertility in both men and women, improvement in brain function, and better immune system function. It also supports great skin and eye health and improves mood.
