Liver in itself is a greatly beneficial health recipe that you can never look away from. Chances are that even the benefits of chicken liver vs beef liver are arguments you might be interested in. The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth.
It is a reddish-brown, wedge-shaped organ with two lobes of unequal size and shape. This very important part of both of the human and animal bodies remain very essential in one way or the other. Those of the animals such as chicken and cow are of dietary importance which you can never overlook. Here are some of the features:
- Liver is nature’s most concentrated source of vitamin A
- An excellent source of high-quality protein
- Contains an abundance of all the B vitamins, especially vitamin B12
- One of nature’s best sources of folic acid
- Contains a highly absorbable form of iron
- Rich in trace elements including copper, zinc, and chromium; liver is nature’s best source of copper
- An anti-fatigue factor
- 3 times as much choline as one egg.
- CoQ10, a nutrient crucial for cardio-vascular function
- A good source of purines, nitrogen-containing compounds that serve as precursors for DNA and RNA
Benefits of Chicken Liver vs Beef Liver
The benefits of chicken liver vs beef liver that will be discussed is necessarily planned to sort out some of your doubts and uncertainties henceforth. The abundance of nutrients in liver make it an instinctual favorite among predatory animals, including us humans. In fact, organ meats like liver contain 10-100 times more nutrients than muscle meat.
For the vast majority of human history–we’re talking hundreds of thousands of years–our hunter gatherer ancestors prized organ meats, and often threw away or fed to their animals the lean muscle meat, the parts that today we would call the tenderloin.
Now let’s compare two of the most common types of liver, and explore which is best for you.
Chicken Liver
- Calories and Macros
Chicken liver is high in vitamin A, B vitamins, folate in particular, and a top-notch source of protein with little to no carbohydrates. While it’s not a powerhouse of awesome fats, you can supplement chicken liver with butter, tallow, or lard to boost the overall macro profile and include liver in a complete ketogenic meal.
- Vitamin A
Vitamin A plays a role in immune function, reproduction, and cell communication. Vitamin A is also crucial to normal eyesight.
- B Vitamins
Chicken liver is loaded with the full spectrum of B vitamins. You can look at liver as a natural B-complex supplement. Vitamin B12 helps the formation of red blood cells and DNA. B2, B3, B5, B6, and B1 are all important for cell growth, DNA formation, energy production, and healthy brain function.
- Folate
Folate, also known as B9, plays a role in cell growth and development. Specifically, folate is required for building DNA and for proper cell division. Folate in adequate amounts is usually hard to come by through food sources alone.
- Minerals
Minerals are nutrients found in our environment and the food we eat. Much of the minerals necessary for the human body to function can only be found in specific foods like liver. Chicken liver is rich in several essential minerals.
- Iron
Chicken liver is one of the best food sources for iron. The importance of Iron in your body falls under two critical categories. First, Iron is required for the production of hemoglobin, a protein component in red blood cells responsible for delivering oxygen to your entire body. Low iron hurts your body’s ability to breathe. Second, iron is used in the production of certain hormones which regulate body functions.
- Selenium
Selenium is another mineral found in chicken liver that’s in short supply in most natural sources. One serving of chicken liver contains over 100% of the RDI. Selenium is vital to reproductive health, thyroid function, and DNA production, and protecting the body from damage caused by free radicals.
- Phosphorus
Phosphorus is a mineral found in every single cell of your body. Phosphorus is primarily utilized in energy production, and also plays a key role in DNA and RNA production and enzyme activation.
Beef Liver
- Calories and Macros
Beef liver is also a great source of high quality protein. It has a slightly higher fat content and calorie count than chicken liver. As with chicken liver, you can add butter, lard, and tallow to boost your macronutrient balance.
- B12
Beef liver is rich in several B vitamins. A great source of vitamin B12, beef liver contains 900% RDI, the equivalent of receiving a B12 shot! B12 is vital to healthy brain function and the health of nerve cells, and protects against cognitive impairment.
- Riboflavin
Riboflavin (B2) is another hard to get vitamin that’s abundant in beef liver. Riboflavin is an important factor in cell growth and production. It is also the vitamin responsible for turning the food you eat into energy. Beef liver gives you macronutrients and the minerals you need to turn those macronutrients into useful energy.
- Anti-Fatigue-Factor
Interestingly, liver also contains a not-yet identified anti-fatigue factor, first discovered in 1951 study by Dr. Benjamin K. Ershoff. Though 70 years later we still don’t know the exact reason why liver is anti-fatiguing, the effects have made liver a favorite with athletes and bodybuilders.
- Copper
Beef liver is the clear leader when it comes to copper. Beef liver supplies 100% of your RDI. Copper plays an important role in nearly every body function. It is critical for creating energy, maintaining blood vessels, and creating connective tissue. Copper helps maintain the immune system, the nervous system, and activates genes. Most importantly it is critical for brain development.
- Choline
Beef liver also contains a significant amount of a little-known but important mineral called choline. Choline is required for brain and nervous system function, and aids in memory and mood regulation. It also helps with muscle control and movement, while aiding in the formation of membranes around cells. The liver can make a small amount of choline on its own, but most of it comes from food sources–beef liver in particular.
- Magnesium
Beef liver is also a great way to get more magnesium in your diet. Most people are notoriously low in magnesium without knowing it. Plant-based and processed food diets do not contain enough magnesium for the body’s daily needs. Deficiency in magnesium leads to chronic health issues including sleep disruptions, depression, and higher insulin resistance.
- CoQ10 -Coenzyme Q
Also known as ubiquinone. In humans, the most common form is Coenzyme Q₁₀ or ubiquinone-10. One of CoQ10’s important functions is to help generate energy in your cells by making adenosine triphosphate (ATP). CoQ10 is also a powerful antioxidant and there is evidence linking CoQ10 to cancer prevention.
CoQ10, may also be proven to be the anti-fatigue factor in liver, and has shown to increase sperm motility in men.
Read Also: Turkey is Good for the Body
Both sources of liver offer better specific attributes than the other, so you can’t go wrong with either. However, beef liver boasts the best all around nutrient profile.
Chicken liver is higher in minerals like selenium and iron, but as a whole doesn’t reach the same level of superfood as beef liver. Beef liver is significantly more nutritionally dense and provides a variety of vitamins and minerals to cover all your micronutrient needs.
Beef liver reigns supreme as a micronutrient powerhouse.
