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9 Reasons why Beef Liver should be in your Healing Protocol
“Beef Liver”. That phrase alone is enough to make some people gag, but seriously- beef liver is one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. Between fear-mongering about the retinol levels (the study that was done about Vitamin A causing birth defects used synthetic retinol- people have been eating liver for thousands of years with no issues), misconceptions about how the liver stores toxins (it doesn’t- it filters them out to store elsewhere), and the switch to fast foods, liver has fallen out of favor with most of the Western world. I am sure most of the people in my generation have never even tried to eat liver- or they may have never even heard of it! You can read a bit more about liver here.
Why You Should Be Eating Beef Liver For Better Health
- As far as livers go, beef has the most bang for its buck.
- It has vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folate, and minerals such as zinc, copper and iron.
- Beef liver has the most bio-available form of copper. If you think about that, it makes sense why so many people are suffering from copper dysregulation these days: because who grew up eating liver regularly??
- It’s an excellent source of CoQ10
- It has an unidentified anti-fatigue factor (pretty sure it has to do with its nutrient content!)
- Helps your immune system stay strong
- Eating liver helps our livers work better as well
- Helps to speed up the metabolism (which is great for slow oxidizers!)
- It is amazing for female hormonal balance- helps those in menopause, those with PMS, and even those with irregular cycles
The Easiest Ways to Get Beef Liver In Your Diet
When it comes to liver, eating it is obviously the best way. It is best to find grass-fed beef liver from a reputable farm. You can go with a classic liver and onions recipe or you can be a little sneaky and hide in meatloaf like this recipe does. Or you can even be brave and try a completely different recipe like this one: Blueberry Balsamic Beef Liver Pate
I’m not personally at that stage yet so I use Perfect Supplements’ desiccated beef liver supplement (use my coupon code SASSY to get 10% off of your whole order from their site, and now they even have their own beef liver powder!) This just basically means it’s been dehydrated and it retains its nutrient content. I open the capsules up and add to my smoothies (and my son’s!).
The supplement route is best for sensitive individuals as you can slowly introduce these nutrients and prevent major detox reactions. Vitamin A and copper are both very potent, especially for those dealing with underlying infections like EBV, yeast, or parasites. Low and slow is always best when healing! I usually recommend starting with 1 capsule (or 1/4 teaspoon of the powder) a day for the first week, and then bump it up a little each week until you get to the recommend dose (typically 4-6 capsules or 1-2 teaspoons of powder).
Common symptoms of not tolerating beef liver well would be any typical excess copper symptom: anxiety, racing mind, insomnia, etc. Depending on one’s adrenal strength, bound/unbound copper status, and liver strength, one might need to hold off for a bit and work more on the liver itself first. If you feel like you cannot tolerate beef liver, it’s time for an HTMA to determine what your individual nutritional needs are so you can work on better utilization of copper, iron, and vitamin A.
The body is a whole and we must treat it as such! I have my Bachelor of Science in Natural Health Sciences, certificates in Herbal Studies from Herbal Academy, and I am constantly learning more about health to help my clients and followers.
My goal is to help you unleash your own inner healer! You already hold the power to heal inside you. My role is as a guide to help you realize this potential.
Hi there, LOVE your site. So much good, well researched and reasonable information! Quick question. How much “real” beef liver do you recommend a day/week. I don’t have access to high quality supplements where I live but I do have organic grass fed liver available.
hey Jessie! To be honest, I am not sure about amounts. Most serving sizes seem to be about 2-3 ounces, so that seems reasonable for a weekly goal.
Postmenopausal women are cautioned about iron. Does that caution only apply to iron supplements? Are food sources, like liver, ok?
Post menopausal women would just need less iron, but they still do need it. Supplements are more likely to build up in the body and cause issues so yes the warning is likely more for that vs food and natural sources.