Beef Liver Nutrition Facts and Benefits

Beef liver: a cut of meat that's more than seven times cheaper than steak, with a thousand times the vitamin A, and yet we toss it in the trash. We've paid for the wrong cut — or at least, that's what the advocates are saying. "You were told carrots," one narrator asserts. On the surface, it sounds like a simple debate of value versus superstition. But there's more to the story — a tale of nutrition, perception, and the role of the NHS. And it's a tale that starts much deeper than "you've been lied to".

The Powerhouse Cut

Nutritionists have tried to convince people of the power of beef liver for decades. Whether or not it works is subjective, but there's no denying that beef liver is a nutritional powerhouse. For a mere £3.50 per kilo, a 100-gram serving of beef liver delivers over three weeks' supply of vitamin B12, a week's worth of copper, and more folate than a serving of spinach. And that's just the beginning. Of course, it's the real vitamin it's most famous for. Beef liver contains readily useable retinol, a form of vitamin A your body can use instantly. While we're typically told that carrots, which contain beta-carotene, are the heavyweights of vitamin A, our bodies need to convert the beta-carotene into retinol. Some people are better converters than others, but half of adults in the United States alone aren't able to convert beta-carotene well, according to identified studies. The NHS has started to catch up with this realization. For most of its history, it had recommended that people eat liver no more than once a week. And, while they still stick to that rule, they've decided to make it more of a guideline than a hard-and-fast rule. And yes, the NHS does still stand by its stance on pregnant women: Liver and pâté are best avoided. But most adults should be safe to eat beef liver as often as every day.

Medical Advice versus Western Culture

So, with all the vitamins, all the nutrients, and — critically — all the price savings, why are we still paying for the wrong cut? It's the meat's reputation. We've been told for all our lives that liver is toxic, and it's pretty hard to unlearn that. It doesn't help that even our governing bodies used to echo this rhetoric. Doctors have cautioned away from liver, but it was all based on cancer studies from the 1970s. The studies were eventually called into question, but the damage had already been done. More specifically, eating liver (in particular) was linked to high blood pressure and various cancers until closer reviews of the studies in question revealed that the problems in question weren't actually from the meat; they were from the diets and habits of the people in the studies. The toxic label has stuck. Natural health practitioners have begun calling it the "forgotten superfood". It's cheaper for sellers to market steak over liver, so they have stuck to that, and lack of demand makes it less likely that stores will stock it, even at higher margins. But it hasn't stopped liver from becoming a cult favorite. It's sold in higher-end burger chains that lean on gourmet toppings and demystifying meat cuts and occasionally on the menus of the kinds of places where you'd expect something more esoteric than a steakhouse.

The Royal Reporter

Beef liver is not the kind of meat people buy for themselves. But that’s becoming less true. One key part of the equation has been a dogged strain of health consciousness that has risen in recent years, particularly in the British Isles. The NHS: the main provider of healthcare in the United Kingdom, has been vocal about liver and its advantages. But what makes the situation more unusual is that the NHS has historically avoided promoting specific foods. The body has been content with promoting a general diet far beyond the specifics of any one food. For example, the NHS has been measured and cautious in its recommendations about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. They've never heavily emphasized one fruit or vegetable. That is, until beef liver. Suddenly, we are living in a time where the NHS is recommending beef liver. They've always been cautious and particular about their recommendations. But the NHS's 2019 research revealed that over 45% of the British population didn't have enough vitamin A in their diets. They couldn't simply recommend more carrots; they needed to be more concrete. And, as has been their motto ever since, "Better safe than sorry." The NHS now recommends eating beef liver once a week. No more.

The Simple Science of Beef Liver

There's a reason people are simultaneously so hesitant to eat beef liver, and so dogmatic about its virtues once they do: it's delicious. Beef liver is often consumed lean. The cuts are often trimmed, but it is intensely flavorful. It's been recommended to use it in stews, to sauté it or pan-fry — even to turn it into pâté. It works especially well with a crispy bite on the outside. That's a clear, and crucial, element of how beef liver is prepared. But it's also one of the reasons why it was mistreated over the past few decades. During that time of its relative obscurity, our diet as people has leaned increasingly toward convenience. It's easy to cook a steak. The preparation of beef liver, however, takes patience. For a good sear, it should be cooked quickly, over a hot flame, and then allowed to rest. The idea is to cook it just enough so that it's tender, but not cooked through until it's tough. The NHS stopped short of recommending it for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. But even that's not particularly surprising: while beef liver is nothing like a raw liver and is, in fact, considered safe to eat every day, the NHS's recommendation is utterly clear. The NHS's guidelines are famous for being strict and unyielding. But it's not a problem of taste — it's a problem of habit. "It's a hard sell," one chef remarked. "It's a hard sell, but it's worth it. Once they taste it, they're hooked. It's just a matter of getting the taste to them the first time."

Trimming The Fat

Beef liver is best cooked fresh. Fresh liver has a reddish color and a snappy texture. But liver that has started to age may turn brown and absorb flavors from the environment it's stored in, according to the USDA. Liver is a porous cut of meat, which means that it's highly susceptible to absorbing whatever flavors it comes into contact with. It's always best to cook it within a few days of purchase. Typically, a little sunlight and air are all it takes to keep the liver fresh enough. Some expert sources have suggested keeping it in a vacuum-sealed package, but there's no need to go out of your way. Beef liver can be trimmed, of course, but the richest flavors are always found in the fattier part, near the center. If you trim too much, you're losing out on the parts of the liver that are the most nutrient-dense, and the most flavorful.

The Liver That’s Best for You

If you want to try cooking with beef liver for yourself, you've got plenty of options. It's sold in most health food stores and in some groceries, particularly those that cater to specific diets. Once you've got the cut for you, you can go to work. Beef liver is a versatile cut of meat, but it retains the most flavor when it's cooked quickly over high heat. The NHS advises sautéing your liver over a hot pan, but you can also sear, pan-fry, or broil it in the oven.

Liver to Your Plate

Get the Liver: You’ll often find beef liver in the frozen section, but fresh is best. If you’re buying fresh, look for a reddish color and a snappy texture. If yours is brown, your liver is already starting to rot. Prepare the Liver: Once you have the beef liver, simply rinse it under cool water, and pat it dry with a paper towel. You want to take care of the fatted edges and, if you’re lucky, the gizzards, of course, but beyond that, it’s your call. Cook the Liver: Place your liver in a dry, hot pan, and cook quickly over high heat, to a cooking done temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit. What makes the NHS recommendation so powerful, however, is its non-committal attitude. Rather than pressuring you to buy liver once a week, the NHS has decided to give you the freedom to eat it as often as you'd like. Try beef liver at least a few times a month, and see how you like it. Once all the vitamins, folates, and more have hit your system, you’ll forget all about the health benefits.