At the risk of sounding redundant to long-time followers, liver is the PERFECT food! It contains an unmatched amount of nutrition that is oh-so-good for you! Yet, despite being rich in nutrients, there are misconceptions about eating liver. For example, many people believe the liver is a storage organ for toxins in the body which is simply not true! Although it plays a vital role in neutralizing toxins, it doesn’t store them. Instead, liver is a storage organ for many essential nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and minerals such as copper and iron, which play a vital role in removing toxins.
Even though it’s incredibly nutritious, I know what you’re thinking… “I can’t eat liver - it’s disgusting!”
I hear you. I do. I had read plenty of articles on the benefits of liver before I ventured out to buy some. And when I did buy it, it sat in my freezer for weeks. I, like many others, was turned off by the thought of handling, cooking and eating liver. And as it turns out, beef liver isn’t one of my favourite culinary pursuits. I find it has a unique and robust flavour, so I prefer chicken livers when making dishes like pate, as it’s much milder.
Though it’s not my favourite dish, I’m still determined to get the benefits of beef liver. This is why I choose to supplement with Cell Squared’s Organic Beef Liver capsules which give me all the benefits of beef liver. I’ve been supplementing with liver capsules for a few years and have experienced significant improvements in my energy levels, hormone balance, skin, hair and nail growth. In addition, I can feel my body getting an extra boost of the vitamins and minerals it needs to thrive!
Foods are balanced and loaded with nutrients. I believe it is best to get our nutrients from food rather than synthetic supplements and vitamins. By using beef liver as my multivitamin, I am still taking a food first approach to health instead of relying on synthetic vitamins and minerals, which can be challenging to absorb.
BENEFITS OF LIVER SUPPLEMENTATION
Affordable supplementation of essential vitamins and minerals
Tasteless and convenient
Have a long shelf life
Six capsules a day equates to 18g of fresh beef liver or up to 34g of cooked beef liver
Full of retinol (the most bioavailable vitamin A) which is essential for immune health and integral to skin and hair health and growth
High in B Vitamins, including Vitamin B12, which boosts energy levels, improves physical performance, minimizes brain fog, enhances mental clarity, and supports smooth, radiant skin, hair and nail health.
Vitamin B2 plays a vital role in absorbing nutrients from food and maintaining your body’s energy supply.
Vitamin B5 supports detoxification and the elimination of inflammatory substances.
Vitamin B6 is involved in more bodily functions than any other nutrient and is one of the most dramatic mood-elevating effects of all the B Vitamins.
Vitamin B9 (Folate) contributes to blood formation, cell division, amino acid synthesis, immune system function, brain health, reducing tiredness & improving mental fatigue.
Copper helps form lysyl oxidase, which aids in the synthesis of collagen and elastin. These components help maintain skin structure and elasticity, something that naturally declines with age.
Liver also contains trace elements such as copper, zinc and chromium.
It has an anti-fatigue factor and much more!
The liver isn’t the only organ offering health benefits; other organs like the heart and kidney are incredibly beneficial. Traditional peoples and early ancestral healers believed that eating the organs from a healthy animal would strengthen and support the health of the corresponding organ of the individual.
Organ meats are incredibly nutrient-dense! This is mainly because they perform vital bodily functions. With soil degradation, we must source the most nutrient-dense aspect of the animal to reap benefits and nutrition.
PROS OF A HEART + KIDNEY ORGAN SUPPLEMENT
Kidney has a similar nutritional profile to liver. It’s rich in vitamin A, B and D, selenium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and phosphorus. It also contains a concentrated form of protein with a full array of amino acids and omega-3 fatty acids. Kidney supplementation supports kidney health, aids in detoxification pathways and the antioxidant defence system, helps defend against infection and supports immune health. Kidney is also an excellent source of diamine oxidase (DOA), an enzyme that helps break down excess histamine in your body.
Heart is a rich source of all the B vitamins, especially vitamin B12. It also contains many minerals such as phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium, iron and a high level of coenzyme-Q10 (CoQ10). The human body produces CoQ10 naturally, but its production decreases with age which can cause deficiencies. CoQ10 is a compound that helps digest and breaks down food and is a nutritional powerhouse for mitochondria. CoQ10 is present in every cell of the body, but it is concentrated in organs with the greatest energy demands like the heart, liver, kidney and lungs.
WHAT TO REMEMBER WHEN CONSUMING ORGAN SUPPLEMENTS
The origin and quality of meat you eat matters whether you’re grilling it or consuming it via a capsule. I recommend looking for organic, grass-fed sources for the highest quality. My favourite brand is Cell Squared’s certified organic liver and organ supplements because they’re free from unnecessary fillers or ingredients. They’re also sourced from Australian cattle. Further, I love that they‘re completely transparent with their testing, certification, and sourcing. They are also very potent as 6 Cell Squared capsules are equivalent to 16g of raw beef heart/kidney or up to 32g of cooked beef heart/kidney.
If you’re curious about organ supplements, give it a try. Organ supplements are also suitable for those who want the nutritional benefits from animal products without tasting them. For example, people transitioning from a vegetarian or plant-based diet. For increased energy and nutrition levels, organ supplements are worth considering!
Even though they are a bit pricey, the return on investment is vast as they are packed with an array of nutritional benefits. Alternatively, if organ supplements aren’t in your budget, liver can be sourced from your local butchers and it tends to be a lot cheaper than other cuts of meat. Just ask your local butcher and ask them about their sourcing too as it’s important to buy grass-fed or organic.
Here are a few recipes you can start with if you want to try incorporating liver into your diet;
Bacon & Garlic Chicken Liver Pate. I have converted many liver hating people to liver lovers with this recipe! This goes beautifully on cucumber, celery and carrot sticks, gluten-free crackers or mix a small amount through spaghetti, meatballs or rissoles.
I also have this Hidden Liver Spaghetti Bolognese recipe – a must-try!
If you’d like to try a recipe with Cell Squared's Liver powder, try these Hidden Liver Meatballs. I love these served with cauliflower puree and homemade gravy or chopped up and added to fried rice.
I love the benefits of an organ meat rich diet but struggle to source the less popular organs (organic heart, kidneys ect) and haven’t had time to dive into different cooking techniques and recipes to make them enjoyable. Although some recipes have been a success (like the ones above), many were flops. Because of this, I’m happy to supplement organs and stick to cooking fried chicken livers and making pate, as that I can handle.
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Disclaimer
The information on this website is intended as educational advice only and should not be used in place of a medical provider to diagnose or treat any illness.
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