Liver...a bit of a controversial topic to say the least!
Here at Legacy Nutrition, we have heard very mixed opinions (especially in regards to pregnancy) about whether we should be eating liver or not. Some swear by it, some say it contains toxins, and some say it has too much vitamin A and can be harmful to an unborn baby...if you're asking us, we say it all comes down to context and sensible consumption!
Liver is natures multi-vitamin put simply. There are little foods that come close to not only the selection but the dose of vitamins and minerals you can find in liver such as iron, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, zinc, folate, choline, phosphorous, vitamin A, selenium and so much more. Iron deficiency is a real issue in many menstruating and pregnant women, so eating liver is a wonderful way to help reverse iron AND vitamin B12 deficiencies with a REAL FOOD approach. Iron and vitamin b12 work together BTW, there is no mistake that nature has placed them alongside each other in this multi-nutrient superfood we often toss to the dogs!
Most people find liver hard enough to consume because of its unique “gamey” taste, so eating too much is rarely an issue. BUT it is important to be aware of how much you are eating as liver does contain preformed vitamin A which can be potentially toxic at high levels. For those of you that could eat a jar of pate a day, we recommend keeping your liver consumption to around 150 grams (of pure liver) spread out over a week and preferably from grass-fed hormone-free animals! And this is where sensible consumption comes into play. If there are contaminants in the liver such as heavy metals, there are most definitely going to be contaminants in the WHOLE animal too, so it really comes down to where you source your meat from. We can’t just blame the liver.
Some pregnant women are advised to stay away from liver due to its high vitamin A content. This advice is drawn from a study back in the 90's that saw a slight increase in birth defects when given 10,000IU of SYNTHETIC vitamin A alongside no other important cofactors to help it absorb and become metabolically active, so it builds up in the liver at toxic levels. We have scrutinised the science and have found that the results of this study have now been deemed as “un-scientific findings” by researchers and do not apply to liver as a food. Liver in its whole food form contains natural pre-formed vitamin A alongside vitamin D & K which are important cofactors that help vitamin A to be metabolically active in the body.
Some ways for the whole family to enjoy liver:
Freeze beef or chicken liver pieces in 80gram chunks and grate into dishes like spag bol, shepherd’s pie, curried mince, and nacho/burrito mince. The kids won’t even know they are eating it!
Make a delicious homemade pate and enjoy on seedy crackers or vegetable sticks as a snack. Or spread on toast for breakfast with a poached egg and a side of wilted greens (our favourite pregnancy breakfast!)
Purchase a liver powder supplement and take it as a capsule if you simply cannot bear the taste.
Chicken Pepper Pate
Ingredients
250g chicken livers, washed and pat dry
2 rashes of chemical free bacon (I.e., Hendersons), chopped
125g pure butter (not margarine) + extra for sealing
1/2 a brown onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tsp of roughly cracked pepper
1 bay leaf
2 Sprigs of thyme OR rosemary. If using dried, 1/2 tsp.
1/2 cup bone broth OR organic chicken stock cube in ½ cup water
Grated zest of half a lemon
1 tsp coconut oil for frying
Method
Heat coconut oil in a pan on medium heat, fry onions, garlic, thyme and bacon until cooked. Add chicken livers and fry until just browned on the outside. Add butter, the stock/bone broth, and the bay leaf. Leave to simmer on each side for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover, and leave to cool for 10 mins.
Once cooled, remove the bay leaf and thyme stalks. Add to a food processor with lemon zest and blend until smooth, juices and all! Once smooth, add cracked pepper and stir well. Scoop about 3/4 cup into glass jars, melt extra butter (about 25g) and pour a thin layer on top to seal each jar. Keep refrigerated and use within 1 week. Enjoy on crackers, with chopped carrot, toast, or on sandwiches!
