The healthiest liver: which one to choose and how to cook. Is the liver with the most calories the most useful, or vice versa?

Liver is a product that replaces several. If you regularly eat it, you can forget about problems with anemia, and if you prepare it correctly and tasty, it will diversify the table. Or is the calorie content of the liver an obstacle to choosing an offal?

Without a doubt, this is a fairly high-calorie product, regardless of what kind of liver it is. Yes, among several varieties one can distinguish dietary ones, but, nevertheless, this is relative to each other.

Beef: the most optimal composition for a healthy liver?

Contents per 100g:

• Calorie content 120 – 130 Kcal;

• Protein 18g;

• Carbohydrates 5.5g;

• Fats 4g.

In addition, beef liver contains so many microelements and vitamins necessary for the quality functioning of the body that it can replace several products:

• All B vitamins and Choline help strengthen bone and muscle tissue;

• Vitamins A, C, D, PP in combination improve vision, accelerate metabolism, and are responsible for the quality of skin, hair, nails;

• Magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, contained in large quantities, fully provide the body with the necessary volume, which regulates the level of hemoglobin. These microelements are necessary for smokers, since nicotine removes these chemical elements from the body;

• Phosphorus, zinc, selenium and copper - elements necessary for the structure of the cell, help fight aging, and compensate for dietary deficiencies.

Beef liver can be called a healthy product. This is a common option. It is preferred by the majority. It has a non-intrusive taste, and this makes it attractive when choosing. But is this the healthiest liver?

If you are trying to lose weight, 200 - 300g. per week will only be beneficial. The amount of carbohydrates in the product is minimal. If weight loss is not the goal, but maintaining it is important, dishes made from this product will be an excellent prevention of vitamin deficiency and building material for muscles.

Liver - benefits and harm to the human body

The liver is a champion in the content of useful and nutritious substances. This product is unique and its benefits are enormous. Just 100 grams of liver can replenish several daily requirements for many vitamins and minerals.

Nutritionists unanimously recommend it for health and medicinal purposes. Moreover, these positive recommendations apply to any liver: beef, pork, chicken, cod and pollock. What is the norm for its use so as not to harm the body? About this in our article.

Beneficial features

Liver, especially beef liver, is very popular in cooking.
The secret is simple: the dishes from it are very tender, aromatic and extremely healthy. This by-product contains a huge amount of health benefits: vitamins, protein, minerals, amino acids in an easily digestible form for the body. It is rich in vitamins A, B, C, iron, copper, selenium, zinc, calcium and folic acid. For your information, 100 grams of beef liver contains:

• 5 daily norms of vitamins A and D
• 1.5 daily value of vitamin B2
• half the norm of vitamins B4 and B6
• two thirds of the norm of vitamin PP and selenium
• a third of the norm for iron and zinc.

This is what determines the healing properties and benefits of the liver for:

• Diabetes and atherosclerosis
• Urolithiasis
• Decreased immunity
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Heart disease, post-infarction conditions and cancer
• Decreased or increased blood clotting

This product is vital for healthy skin, hair and teeth. It normalizes vision, kidney and brain function. And it should definitely be on the menu for children, pregnant women and simply active people.

Contraindications

The benefits of beef, pork or chicken liver will be reduced to zero if it is stored for a long time.
Toxins accumulate in such a product. Pregnant women should use it in moderation. An excess of vitamins can harm the fetus and lead to disruption of its development.

Excess of these foods increases cholesterol levels and can be harmful for people with acidity and kidney disease.

Beef liver

This is the best offal in terms of taste and nutritional characteristics. Its generous vitamin and mineral composition makes it incredibly healthy:

• This is a low-calorie and perfectly balanced product for those who want to lose weight.
• It has a positive effect on the brain, sexual, and excretory functions of the body

• 
  Normalizes blood composition

• Strengthens the lungs and bronchi, neutralizes the damage caused by nicotine and tars
• Improves the condition of teeth, hair, skin

Beef liver is recommended in the diet of children, the elderly, pregnant women, patients with diabetes and anemia.

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Pork: low-calorie, so healthy?

Contents per 100g:

• Calorie content 110Kcal;

• Proteins 19g;

• Fats 4g;

• Carbohydrates 5g.

Vitamins and microelements, unlike beef liver, are not significantly different, but they differ, and which of them can be called the most useful liver depends only on what goals you pursue in nutrition:

• B vitamins;

• Vitamins A, C, E, PP;

• Potassium, fluorine, calcium and magnesium;

• Zinc, selenium phosphorus, copper;

Despite the fact that pork is one of the fattest foods, pork liver is a low-calorie product. When cooking, sufficient processing is necessary - the dish should not be raw.

In combination, microelements have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular and reproductive systems; if present in the body, the composition of the blood improves and the body’s protective function is improved.

Possible contraindications

It is not recommended to eat liver along with meat and legumes, because all these products are high in protein . If you consume it immoderately, you can get problems with the excretory and digestive systems. In case of chronic kidney disease, the use of such a heavy product is generally prohibited.

Chicken liver contains a very high amount of cholesterol , which is not recommended for children under three years of age and the elderly.

Since the liver can adsorb toxins , a very large amount of them accumulates in it. Therefore, if you eat an expired product, you can get food poisoning.

The harmful effects of the liver begin to appear if it is consumed too often and in large quantities . Therefore, the maximum frequency of consumption of the offal is once every two days.

If the blood contains too much cholesterol, then it is not recommended to consume more than 100 grams at a time, since it contains a large amount of its own cholesterol, which can clog blood vessels, causing a heart attack or stroke.

It can have a bad effect on the digestive system. So, after consuming it, heartburn and exacerbation of other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are possible.

Duck: the fattest liver, which means it’s not the healthiest liver?

Contents per 100g:

• Calorie content 400 – 405 Kcal;

• Proteins 16g;

• Fats 36 – 40g;

• Carbohydrates 0g.

The vitamins and microelements of this product differ in some features:

• Duck liver does not contain vitamins C, D, E, and B12. These are the elements that are vitally necessary for the human body;

• The amount of Choline is quite high, which means that lipid metabolism in the body will always be normal, and despite the high fat content of the product;

• High content of iron, zinc, iodine and chromium provide resistance to anemia, thyroid diseases, and eliminate problems with memory and brain activity.

The high caloric content of the product scares people who do not take into account that it consists of fats and proteins, with a complete absence of carbohydrates. 100 grams of foie gras will certainly not harm you once a week, but daily consumption is unlikely to be beneficial.

Why is low hemoglobin level dangerous?

A low level of hemoglobin in the blood causes a special condition - anemia (popularly called anemia). Anemia is expressed in the following:

1. pallor of the skin (with a tint of blue);
2. constant chronic fatigue;
3. in children - excessive tearfulness;
4. low mood;
5. lack of strength for physical activity;
6. insomnia;
7. lack of appetite.

Anemia can be caused by various factors, it may indicate the presence of a serious disease, it may occur as a result of poor lifestyle and nutrition, or a deficiency of vitamin B12 in the body, but most often anemia is diagnosed due to iron deficiency in the following cases:

1. insufficient intake and absorption of iron from food;
2. increased need of the body for iron (due to pregnancy, previous injuries, operations, other individual characteristics);
3. excessive loss of iron by the body.

In addition to those suffering from certain diseases, the symptom of which is anemia, the following are also most susceptible to this condition:

1. pregnant and lactating young mothers (due to the physiological processes of depletion of the body during pregnancy and lactation);
2. those who have suffered blood loss (internal blood loss, open wounds, menstruation, previous operations, donors);
3. those who do not consume animal proteins (vegetarians, vegans);
4. athletes;
5. malnourished.

If you suffer from a form of anemia caused by iron deficiency in the body, in order to treat and further prevent the onset of this condition, it is necessary to include in the diet certain groups of foods containing iron and substances that promote its absorption. These products primarily include liver.

Cod liver

Composition per 100g:

• Calorie content 600 – 615 Kcal;

• Proteins 4g;

• Fats 65 – 67g;

• Carbohydrates up to 2g.

Vitamins and microelements:

• Vitamins B1, B2, B6, B9. The absence of Choline (B4) in the composition is not in favor of such a product rich in fats;

• Vitamin A, C, D. High content and high-quality compound for the absorption of each other and calcium;

• Magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, iron in sufficient quantities, when consumed 100 g. in Week.

• Omega 3 acids in combination with vitamin D make the product indispensable for people who have given up eating meat.

The benefits of cod liver are so great that many athletes turn a blind eye to the calorie content of the product. 30 – 40 gr. for breakfast will not spoil your figure, but will only improve metabolism, thanks to amino acids, the combination of which works in favor of the breakdown of accumulated reserves. This is definitely the healthiest fish liver.

Taste and color

Everyone is different, and it would be strange to judge someone based on their eating habits. However, why are pork by-products, to put it mildly, not in the place of honor on store shelves? Why is pork worse than beef? There are enough liver lovers who note the taste and tenderness of this product, regardless of its origin. However, such a gradation does not seem entirely fair. How can you figure out which liver tastes better: pork or beef? Why do they differ in price? And does such a product require special culinary skills?

The most beneficial liver dishes

Minimal heat treatment makes liver dishes the healthiest. You should not fry or bake the liver with oils, as this will add calories to the dish and complicate the task for your stomach.

Simmer the product from the moment of boiling for no more than 20 minutes if the pieces are approximately 5 by 3 cm.

Soaking the liver in milk before cooking, or using milk instead of water for boiling or stewing, will make the product tender and easier to digest due to the milk protein.

Fans of ready-made liver pates should know that liver makes up up to 60% of the composition, which means that the benefits of the finished product are far from ideal.

Self-cooked:

• beef liver stew with vegetables and cream;

• pork liver stewed with tomatoes;

• chicken or goose liver pate with carrots,

will be an ideal addition to a healthy and tasty home table.

How to choose a good liver?

Liver is a valuable source of nutrients, but most of them can be practically zero if you choose a low-quality product, store and prepare it inappropriately. How to prepare liver turns out to be a secondary issue if you purchased a product of poor quality, not fresh, or from an old animal. The taste of the liver depends quite strongly on the age of the animal; for example, veal liver or the liver of a young lamb is considered more tasty. The liver of an adult ram has a rather pronounced flavor.

So, the following requirements are put forward for a good liver:

• smooth and even, moist and shiny surface,
• elastic and soft consistency,
• light brown or light burgundy color (the darker the liver, the older its owner was),
• cleared of blood vessels, lymph nodes, veins and films,
• no dry spots, blood clots, scratches or other damage,
• the absence of greenish or yellowish spots, which usually indicate damage to the gallbladder when the animal was slaughtered; such a liver will taste bitter,
• pleasant, slightly sweet and definitely not sour smell,
• frozen liver should be covered with an even thin ice crust, and not contain.

Chicken liver is brown in color with a burgundy tint.

Beef liver has the color of ripe cherries, and if you pierce it with a point, scarlet blood comes out.

Calf liver can be either brown or deep red, but always without a gray coating.

Chicken vs beef

Nutritional value table for chicken and beef liver (boiled)

The superiority of chicken liver has been proven in many respects, but its calorie content is higher. The choice is yours.

Fresh chicken liver is smooth, hard, brown, shiny. If it's orange, it's frozen. A burst gall bladder turns the product greenish (this does not add a pleasant taste).

Important: If you see the inscription on the store packaging - chlorine, refuse to purchase. Chlorine treatment has been recognized as dangerous.

Many housewives choose chicken by-products to diversify their daily menu. It is from the liver that you can prepare not only a very healthy, but also aromatic, appetizing and delicious dish. What does chicken liver bring us: benefit or harm? This will be discussed in our article.

Doctors' choice

The vast majority of culinary specialists consider beef liver to be better, but pork liver also has its connoisseurs. This product is chosen not only by culinary specialists, but also by doctors who appreciate its benefits for the growth of hemoglobin. In addition, pork liver is indicated for patients with diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis, as well as for people with visual impairments. Pork liver has slightly less calories - only 109 kcal per 100 g. But it also contains more fat, so it is a slightly less dietary product. The key point in choosing which liver tastes better: pork or beef, may be the purine bases in the composition of the pork by-product. Because of them, uric acid is formed in large quantities, which provokes the appearance of gout. Accordingly, not the most pleasant aroma may appear. To many people it seems specific. To get rid of the aroma, you have to spend a lot of time on heat treatment. So, in the question of which liver tastes better, pork or beef, the answer remains ambiguous, since it all depends on the processing method.

Benefits for men

Pantothenic acid from chicken liver B5 has a positive effect on the functioning of the adrenal glands and, as a result, the production of testosterone. Testosterone is responsible for male fertility and increases the chances of producing healthy offspring.

It seems that the African sorcerers who forced men to eat liver were not mistaken. A complete benefit for demographics. You see, at the same time your soul will become wider.

Any liver, including chicken liver, is useful for active smokers, alcoholics and those who quit smoking or drinking. Animal antioxidants strengthen the human liver, protecting it from cancer and other malfunctions.

Composition and calorie content

BJU: proteins, fats and carbohydrates

In 100 g of chicken liver:

• 20.5 g proteins;
• 5.8 g fat;
• 0.72 g carbohydrates.

The offal also contains amino acids (AA) important for human health - methionine and tryptophan. Heparin supplements the glycosaminoglycan composition.

Vitamin profile

100 g contains: 12 mg of vitamin A (retinol equivalent, or RE); up to 13.4 mg – PP; 0.71 mg – E; 25 mg – C and beta-carotene. There are also B vitamins: thiamine (B1) – 0.51 mg; folic acid (B9) – 241 mcg; riboflavin (B2) – 2.1 mg; pyridoxine (B6) – 0.9 mg; cobalamin (B12) – 16.57 mg.

Mineral components

A 100-gram serving of chicken liver contains 290 mg of potassium, 267 mg of phosphorus, 17 mg of iron, 15 mg of calcium, 24 mg of magnesium, 90 mg of sodium. In addition there is 385 mcg copper, 9 mcg chromium, 58 mcg molybdenum, 15 mcg cobalt, 6.6 mg zinc.

What is useful for women

For expectant mothers

• Chicken liver is rich in folic acid. It is necessary for pregnant women for three reasons: it helps intrauterine development, participates in the formation of the circulatory and immune systems of the fetus, and prevents defects in its development.
• Iron and copper increase hemoglobin (during pregnancy it is often low), prevent anemia, and reduce the risk of miscarriage.
• Zinc maintains normal hormonal levels. It often goes wrong during pregnancy due to the loss of large amounts of protein. In addition, zinc helps the development of male reproductive organs in the fetus.

Zinc deficiency during pregnancy increases the number of miscarriages among boys.

For beauty, slimness and health

• The presence of chicken liver in the diet of a woman of any age increases the chances of improving the condition of hair, skin and teeth. And the duo of vitamins B9 and C will relieve causeless fatigue, ulcers in the mouth and on the tongue.
• Being a source of riboflavin, the offal will help women overcome anemia caused by monthly blood loss.
• The low caloric content also speaks in favor. But if you want to maintain your weight, know: just 100 g of chicken liver protein is equal to the daily protein requirement.

Hastily

How to fry pork liver if you bought it for the first time and haven’t tried it yet? If desired, you can remove the film from the edges. Cut it into thin slices and soak in the prepared dressing. Milk removes the specific aroma very well, then pour tomato juice with seasonings and garlic over the meat. Now simmer for about 30-40 minutes. Lovers of juicy taste will find another option for frying pork liver useful. In this case, while the offal is soaked in milk, you need to chop the onion and fry it with chopped carrots. Now add liver, salt, pepper and suneli hops to taste. When serving, add natural yoghurt topping with mustard and garlic to the liver. Bon appetit!