Beef liver: benefits and harm to the body

Any liver, whether beef, pork or chicken, is highly nutritious. Often this product is used in health diets. Each variety is a meat by-product, has a lot of protein in its composition, and is characterized by a significant amount of vitamins, enzymes and trace elements. The taste of the liver is directly related to the age of the animal: the younger it is, the tastier the offal dish will turn out.

How to distinguish beef liver from pork

According to experts, the offal of certain animal species has a different composition, appearance, taste and nutritional value. For example, a pig’s liver contains a little more fat than a cow’s liver. The difference is small, but nutritionists still do not recommend using this by-product to people who have problems with high cholesterol, as this causes the circulatory system to suffer.

By the number of vitamins and minerals, these products are similar, but beef liver is considered the most dietary, as it contains less fat and more vitamins (especially A and B). Such a liver is especially useful for people with diseases of the kidneys, nervous system.

It is also easy to distinguish the liver of animals to taste. Pork offal has a slight bitterness, and has a more delicate structure. To remove this bitterness, the liver should be soaked in milk. Beef liver has a more rigid structure, therefore, to cook dishes from such an offal, you should stew it with sour cream, and before starting to cook it is necessary to clean the film and blood vessels.

You can also distinguish pork and beef liver by external signs. First of all, it concerns the size. For comparison, a whole piece of cow’s liver weighs at least 5 kg, while the weight of a pig’s liver reaches 3 kg. Beef offal has a red-brown color, a rigid structure and a pleasant aroma. The pork analogue is characterized by the presence of large pores and a diamond-shaped pattern. In addition, this product has a harsher odor, giving a slight bitterness.

Which liver is healthier: beef, pork or chicken?

Pork liver contains a large number of vitamins and minerals (vitamin H, B vitamins). Chicken offal is good because it is absorbed faster. It contains a large amount of protein, folic acid, as well as vitamin A. Chicken liver is very popular among Koreans, who use it for low vision, overwork, in the postpartum period. Beef liver has a set of the most common vitamins, enzymes, amino acids. It increases the level of hemoglobin, helps to strengthen the immune system.

According to experts, beef offal is useful both in taste and in nutritional indicators. Such a fortified product is very useful for human health, it has a positive effect on the reproductive, excretory system of the body, normalizes blood composition, and has a positive effect on the condition of hair and skin.

Composition and calorie content

The cow's liver is made up of protein, which plays an important role in the construction and growth of the human body. It contains almost the entire list of essential amino acids, a large number of mineral components. The iron contained in it increases the level of hemoglobin, vitamin A helps to maintain vision, B12 helps to create nerve and blood cells.

The calorie content of the beef product ranges from 125 kilocalories per 100 g. It is worth noting that in stew this figure is 117 kcal, and if you fry the dish, the calorie content rises to 208.

Beef liver can be added to the diet no more than 2-3 times a week. In childhood, the daily norm of meat and offal is only 100 g per day. This includes the liver. For adults, the following recommendations exist: women - 200 g, men - 250 g, elderly people - 50 g per day.

What is beef liver good for?

Beef liver increases mental activity, improves memory, protects against the occurrence of "night blindness". In addition, this product helps to cleanse the body of toxins, contributes to the normal outflow of bile and liver function. The liver of a cow allows you to protect the body from atherosclerosis, varicose veins, blood clots, helps to thin the blood, cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol plaques.

For women

For women, taking boiled liver is recommended. This will normalize the hormonal background, remove all unpleasant sensations during menstruation, during menopause. In addition, this product allows you to get rid of black dots, blackheads. With the addition of beef offal to the diet, skin elasticity is improved, collagen fibers are strengthened.

For men

If we talk about the benefits for men, then beef liver is useful for those who smoke and drink alcohol. Being a kind of sponge, it can absorb all toxic substances and toxins, normalize the liver. Also, this dish can prevent the development of oncology.

During pregnancy

Beef liver is recommended even for pregnant women, starting from the second trimester. It is not recommended to use it from the first weeks, since allergies can develop. The high content of retinol in the product helps prevent the formation of stretch marks, preserve the health of nails, hair. Due to the high level of iron in the product, anemia is prevented in pregnant women and unborn children. The content of folic acid and B vitamins in the liver contributes to the normal formation of the baby’s nervous system, as they help transport oxygen to the fetus. By cleansing the liver and kidneys, this product reduces vomiting during toxicosis.

When breastfeeding

Women during lactation are also recommended to use beef liver. However, this should be done no more than 1-2 times per week, and a single serving should be 100-150 g. Then there will be no reactions in the baby. Reception of beef liver by women during breastfeeding helps to improve the quality of milk and its fat content. Many people think that milk will start to be bitter, but this is not true, so do not worry that the baby will refuse to breast.

For children

Cow's liver is useful for children at any age, as it helps strengthen immunity, protects against the development of respiratory tract infections. It is possible to give a child this product from a year as a complementary food. A large number of vitamins and enzymes contained in the liver are very important for the physical and mental development of children. If you give the child regular liver from an early age, this will positively affect his adult life. Indeed, in this case, he will be protected from problems such as obesity, oncology, bone disease, anemia.

When losing weight

Since beef liver is rich in all necessary enzymes, trace elements that are easily absorbed by the human body, it is often included in weight loss diets.For example, if you need to lose weight in a short time, you can use a diet based on this product. This will help get rid of 5-7 extra pounds in two weeks.

Beef liver in medicine

With diabetes

In diabetes mellitus, the addition of beef liver to the diet is allowed. This is due to the high content of vitamins and elements, the most important of which are copper and iron. Here they are kept in active form, due to which they are easily absorbed by the human body. Iron helps in maintaining a normal level of hemoglobin, and copper protects against the development of inflammatory processes. In addition, the vitamins and mineral elements contained in the liver protect the skin, brain and organs of the excretory system in diabetes.

Important: glycemic index of beef liver from 50 to 100 units (depending on the method of preparation).

With pancreatitis

To protect against exacerbations of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, namely pancreatitis, it is important to follow a diet. This will make the periods of remission longer. The basis of nutrition in such cases should be foods that contain a lot of protein, vitamins, enzymes. It is worth noting that foods containing fats and carbohydrates have a negative effect on the digestive tract.

During exacerbations, the use of the liver should be excluded. This is due to the fact that it increases the secretion of gastric juice, which negatively affects the inflamed areas of the digestive system. It is necessary to introduce cow’s liver into the diet gradually, and it should be started a month later after the onset of remission. This will restore the functioning of the organs, and due to the large vitamin composition to improve the well-being of a person.

With gastritis

With gastritis, the body does not absorb a sufficient amount of useful and nutrients. Beef liver has a high level of nutrients necessary for humans, which is necessary for people suffering from gastritis. However, if gastritis is associated with an increased level of acidity, eating a liver is not recommended. This is due to the fact that the extractive elements present in it, which contribute to the production of hydrochloric acid, lead to irritation of the walls of the stomach. Do not use the liver for exacerbation of gastritis. As for gastritis with low acidity, there are no restrictions on beef liver.

For constipation

Beef liver helps in the fight against such a problem as constipation. Due to the normalization of digestion, in particular the improvement of the digestive tract, the intake of this by-product eliminates constipation. This restores peristalsis, as well as intestinal microflora. This allows you to protect the human body from the development of bowel obstruction.

With gout

Comprehensive treatment of gout also requires a strict diet. It is impossible to completely get rid of such an ailment, however, following a special diet can reduce the period of exacerbations. Beef liver can be included in the diet of a patient with gouty arthritis, however, it must be remembered that a fresh product has the greatest utility. Eat beef offal should be in limited quantities, not more than 1-2 times a week. As mentioned above, beef liver contains a lot of iron, folic acid and B vitamins.

With cholecystitis

As you know, inflammation of the gallbladder appears due to malnutrition. Therefore, in the treatment of this disease, a rational diet is important.Eating with cholecystitis should be foods rich in vitamins, nutrients, dishes that are easily absorbed by the body, have a low calorie content and contribute to the liquefaction of bile. Beef liver meets these requirements. It can be included in the diet for such a pathology, however, the method of processing this product is very important. For this, liver dishes cooked steamed or on water, without the addition of spices, are best suited.

Harm and contraindications

No matter how useful a product is, it always has the opposite effect. This also applies to beef liver. It should not be consumed by elderly people who have chronic diseases. It is not recommended that people with high cholesterol use the liver in their diets. Otherwise, it will lead to blockage of blood vessels, which often ends in sad consequences.

Also, the consumption of this offal is not recommended in cases where there is acute or chronic inflammation of the kidneys. For information on adding beef liver to the diet, consult a specialist.

How to choose and store beef liver

When choosing a product, it is important to know that the benefits and harms of the liver are directly related to quality. When choosing, you should pay attention to the chilled options. This will allow externally determining the freshness and quality of the product. When purchasing liver in the market or in the store, you can ask the seller to provide special certificates and opinions from a specialist.

A good quality liver should have a uniform structure, light brown or burgundy. You should carefully consider the film, it should fit snugly to the offal. Fresh and healthy beef should not be seasoned with spices. The surface of the liver should not have any damage or growths that indicate that the animal was sick. If any, the purchase should be discarded. It is worth noting that beef liver is characterized by a specific smell, which is important not to confuse with the sign of a spoiled product.

Fresh cow liver can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than two days. If you put the product in the freezer, then here it can lie for three months. Of course, it is better to immediately cook something from it, since it is not recommended to store the liver for more than three months.

Is it possible to freeze

It is better to cook dishes from fresh beef liver. However, it can also be frozen. To prevent the product from losing its valuable properties, it is recommended to store it in the freezer for no more than three months.

How to cook beef liver deliciously: recipes

Pate

To prepare a beef liver paste, first you need to rinse with 0.5 kg of offal and cut into slices. Then peel and wash one onion and one carrot. Chop the onion with a knife, and it is better to grate the carrots. Next, you need to heat the pan and pour 150 g of vegetable oil into it. This is necessary in order to fry the liver with onions and carrots over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

Then pass the resulting mass through a meat grinder, mix with butter and add salt and pepper to taste. After this, grind the mass until smooth. This can be achieved with a fork or a wooden spatula. The paste is ready. It remains only to shift it into a suitable dish and keep it in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Fritters

To prepare beef liver pancakes, you should prepare half a kilo of this product, wash and cut into small pieces.Then you need to peel and cut into four parts onions. Skip the liver and chopped onion through a meat grinder. After that, in a bowl you need to mix all the products with the addition of 2-3 eggs, pepper and salt to taste. You can add a little semolina. The resulting liver mass should be well beaten with a whisk, then cover the bowl with a lid and leave to swell for half an hour.

Next, add vegetable oil to a heated frying pan and use a tablespoon to put pancakes from the liver. It should be fried over medium heat, until a golden crust is formed, adding vegetable oil as needed. Ready-made pancakes can be served with a side dish.

Liver cutlets

Cutlets are a delicious dish that can be prepared not only from minced meat, but also from beef liver. First of all, you need to prepare 0.5 kg of liver, bitterness should be removed from it. For this, the product must be kept in water for several hours. Then release the liver from the film and blood clots and cut into pieces. Two small onions need to be cut into slices. Scroll the ingredients in a meat grinder. Next, add two eggs, spices, 150 ml of mayonnaise to the resulting mass and mix thoroughly. Then, about 200 g of flour should be added to the liver mincemeat, the mixture should not be very cool, it should have the consistency of dough for pancakes. After that, use a spoon to collect the basis for beef liver patties and fry in oil until golden.

How to fry

For frying beef liver, it is recommended to use flour or bread crumbs, which will make the product soft inside. It is also worth noting: the less time the liver fries, the tastier and softer it turns out. If you don’t have tomatoes at hand, you can add a small amount of tomato paste or thick juice. The addition of lemon juice in a small amount will help to get a dish with a piquant taste.

How to stew

To cook the stewed liver, first you need to rinse the product under cold water, remove the film and cut into small pieces. Next, you need to fry the liver in a pan with the addition of onions until cooked. Then pour the tomato paste and simmer the mass for a minute. After that, pour warm water into the pan, bring the dish to a boil and simmer for no more than five minutes, otherwise the liver will turn out to be stiff.

How to cook

The simplest method of cooking beef liver is boiling. This usually takes about 30-40 minutes. To check the readiness of the product, it is necessary to pierce it to the middle. If a light liquid appears, the dish is ready, if the juice of a dark red color flows, you need to continue cooking.

Do I need to soak before cooking

It is recommended to fill the cleaned liver with milk or cold water and soak for an hour.

Is it possible to eat raw

The question often arises as to whether it is possible to eat raw beef liver. Yes, it can be eaten raw, but this is not recommended, as there is a high probability of harming the body. The liver may contain parasites that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Heat treatment kills all parasites, if any.

How to defrost quickly

The best place to defrost your liver is a refrigerator. But in this case, it is necessary to leave the product there for the whole night, this will save all its useful properties. You can also defrost offal in the kitchen at room temperature. This takes several hours depending on the size of the piece available. But if you need to quickly defrost the liver, it should be placed in a deep bowl and filled with water. You can also use a microwave to defrost. In this case, you need to turn on the minimum power so as not to warm the liver inside or out.

How to clear the film

Before preparing a dish of beef liver, it is imperative to remove the film that covers it. Since the film is bitter, it can ruin the taste of the finished dish. The film should be removed from the frozen liver without waiting for complete defrosting. It is only necessary to slightly defrost the product, this will allow you to easily remove unnecessary parts. It is important to flush a piece of liver well before cleaning.

If you want to remove the film from a fresh liver, you must first place it in a container of water for several minutes. After that, put a thumb between the product and its film on the cutting board and carefully remove it from a whole piece.

According to some housewives, the use of coarse salt to sprinkle on the liver facilitates the removal of the film.

Also, before cooking a dish from the liver, you will need to remove all large veins. For this, the product must be cut into small pieces, cutting along the veins. Thus, it is easy to clean pieces of the liver from the bile ducts and blood vessels.

Can I give beef liver to animals

You can also include beef liver in your pet’s diet. It can be given to adult dogs and cats, as well as puppies, kittens, pregnant and lactating individuals. However, it is important to remember that there are contraindications. For example, it is not recommended to give the liver to older animals. For pets, 50–70 g of liver is enough, depending on the weight of the pet, and the product should be given no more than twice a week.

Some pet owners give their pets raw beef liver. They do the right thing or not, it is impossible to answer unequivocally, since everything depends on the characteristics of each animal, its lifestyle. However, it should be remembered that raw by-product has a laxative effect. The boiled product has a small fixing effect. According to veterinarians, at present, the diet of domestic animals is so similar to the human one that you should not risk it and give the dish raw. If we are talking about a dog, of course, none of them will refuse to eat a raw piece of meat or liver, but we must remember that this can lead to negative consequences. The pet may have diarrhea or ascariasis, and then it will be difficult to get rid of the problem.

Interesting facts about beef liver

1. Beef liver is very popular among athletes and bodybuilders. This is due to the fact that this product helps to build muscle. So, back in the last century, American scientists conducted an experiment. To do this, they organized three groups of rats, each of which made up a specific menu. Then the experimental animals were placed in containers with water and time was recorded, during which the rats kept afloat. Rats with a normal diet swam for 10-12 minutes. Animals with synthetic vitamins added to their diet lasted a little longer, but this difference was only a few seconds. And rats that fed beef liver could stay on the water for up to an hour and a half. This suggests that this product contains substances that increase endurance, but which components are responsible for this, scientists have not been able to find out.
2. In some modern civilizations, traditional healers believe that raw beef liver has a large number of useful elements and can relieve various diseases. For this, the liver is cut into small pieces (the size of a pea) and kept in a freezer for two weeks. For treatment and prevention, such doctors are advised to take one such pill every day. It is believed that during a stay in the freezer, all parasites and dangerous organisms die.However, for such experiments only fresh product is used, and animals must be raised for this purpose in ecologically clean places and only on natural nutrition.
3. In the media and in various literature, you can find information that the animal’s liver is very harmful, since it is the liver that first of all encounters the effects of toxic substances in the body. However, it is worth noting that the liver does not accumulate poisons that enter the body. In addition, this body collects all the nutrients, vitamins and minerals, which, on the contrary, neutralize all toxins.

Photo of beef liver