Liver

Organ meats in general are quite nourishing, but liver is by far the most nutritious.  This usually surprises people, since muscle meat is usually favoured over organ meat. Contrary to popular belief, the liver isn’t a storage organ for toxins; it’s a detoxifying organ that flushes out toxins. The liver is a full of vital minerals, nutrients, amino acids and healthy fats.

When we typically think of leafy greens  and exotic berries as superfoods, but liver is the true king of superfoods. Liver is the storage organ for many important nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, K, B9, B12 and minerals such as copper and iron). These nutrients provide the body with some of the tools it needs to get rid of toxins.

It is essential to eat organ meats from animals that have been raised on pasture - free from commercial feed. Pasture-raised animal products are much higher in nutrients than animal products that come from commercial feedlots.

Vitamin A: Above all, liver is the most concentrated source of vitamin A in its retinol form. 100g will give you 200% of your daily vitamin A. Although you can get plenty of vitamin A from vegetables, your body needs fat to absorb it. Vitamin A is important for eyesight, maintains healthy blood pressure, and is important for the regrowth of skin cells.

Vitamin B12: Found only in animal products. B12 is involved with the synthesis of DNA and red blood cells and is vital for people who are anaemic.

Choline: A B-vitamin mainly found in egg yolks and liver, choline is lacking in many people’s diets. Most of us have a deficiency and don’t even know it! Choline is important for metabolism function, lipid transportation, and cell membrane signaling. It also aids in detoxifying your body!

Folate (vitamin B9): Folate is essential for women as it aids in proper reproductive function and healthy fetal growth during pregnancy. Folate also prevents some digestive disorders.

Pâté is also packed with minerals galore: calcium, which is important for bone health; iron, which aids in muscle strength and transporting oxygen; copper, which is important for blood health; magnesium, which regulates blood pressure and blood sugar; and zinc, which is important for a healthy immune system.

Of course, liver from grass-fed cows will yield a higher percentage of vitamins and minerals than from commercially raised animals.

If you eat pâté, you should definitely only consume it about once or twice a week.