Liver Nutrition

Liver nutrition

4 oz worth of liver nutrition (uncooked, calf’s):

159 cal;
22 gm protein (complete);
5.3 gm fat;
4.6 gm carbohydrate;
9 mg calcium;
377 mg phosphorus;
7.5 mg iron;
83 mg sodium;
319 mg potassium;
25,515 units A;
.225 mg B-1;
3.08 mg B-2;
13 mg niacin;
40 mg C;
340 gm cholesterol;
18 mg magnesium.

Probably the most nutritious of all meats, liver, whether calf, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, or goose is an exceptionally good source of almost all of the nutrients needed by the body for health, growth, and reproduction. It is an outstanding source of a high grade protein especially rich in essential amino acids, needed for growth and repair of all bodily cells and tissues and for the production of enzymes, hormones, and antibodies. Liver protein may thus prove an aid against such conditions as anemia, flabby muscles and ligaments, low blood sugar, blood pressure problems, ulcers, water retention, breaking hair and nails, and the wrinkling and going to pot of many of the middle aged.

Low in calories and carbohydrates, liver is especially good for weight watchers. A four ounce portion of liver supplies about five times the basic adult requirement for vitamin A, needed for growth, healthy skin, resistance to infections, good night vision, and health of the mucus membranes of the nose, throat, and digestive tract. Liver is an exceptionally rich source of most B vitamins. It offers adequate amounts of B-1, needed for the health of the nervous system, for good appetite and digestion, and in the production of energy. It is the richest available food source of B-2, which forms an essential part of many enzymes and is necessary for the health of eyes, mouth, and facial skin, and an aid in the body’s utilization of oxygen obtained from foods; one of the richest sources of B-6, necessary for the body’s utilization of protein and stored fat and an aid in maintenance of normal blood cholesterol level and in the prevention of various nervous disorders and skin problems; and one of the best food suppliers of B-12, needed for growth, for formation of red blood cells, for promoting good appetite in children, and acting as a general boost of vitality for adults. Liver is a good source bf antistress factors; rich in cholin, needed for metabolism of fats and protein, for maintaining normal blood cholesterol level, and a possible factor in regulating liver functions and in reducing excessive fatty deposits in the liver; nod one of the richer sources of folic acid, needed for the formation of all body cells skin, organs, hair, fingernails, sperm for growth and essential for proper formation of red blood cells and for utilization of proteins. Liver is a good source of inositol, necessary (along with cholin) for the body’s production of lecithin and thus an aid in reducing blood cholesterol levels; a source of twice the basic adult requirement for niacin, important for growth, for proper functioning of nervous and digestive systems, for healthy skin, and for sugar metabolism; and an exceptionally good source of pantothenic acid, needed for the structure of body cells, growth of the nervous system, maintaining proper digestion and circulation, proper fat metabolism, production of antibodies, and healthy skin.

Liver is one of the few animal sources of vitamin C, needed for strengthening connective tissues, blood vessel walls, bones, and teeth, an aid against infection and necessary for proper healing, and generally important in maintaining good health and vigor. Liver is also an important source of mineral nutrients. It is the most effective food source of iron, needed for building blood, thus preventing iron deficiency anemia. Liver also provides a good amount of phosphorus, needed for strong bones and teeth; of potassium, for proper muscle tone, heart action, and enzyme reactions, especially that needed to change sugar to energy; of magnesium, an aid to proper functioning of the muscular and nervous systems and necessary in the production of lecithin and in fat and carbohydrate metabolism; and of copper, needed for proper development of bones, nerves, and connective tissues and an important factor in the function of the brain and the nervous system. Liver is also a good source of lecithin, an emulsifying agent that may help in the body’s assimilation of fats and cholesterol.

The many nutritional benefits in liver recommend this food for a number of health conditions. It has proved extremely effective against many forms of anemia and general fatigue, many nervous conditions, underactivity of the adrenal glands, and allergic reactions such as eczema, asthma, and hives. Liver is especially helpful for women, aiding against the iron deficiency anemia that can be brought on by menstruation, against overproduction of female hormones, deficiencies of B-6 and folic acid that may result from use of oral contraceptives, and especially helpful in meeting the increased requirements for protein, iron, and vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-6, niacin, and C during pregnancy and while breast feeding. Like many organ meats liver is rather high in cholesterol, which is important in the body’s formation of sex and adrenal hormones, bile salts, and vitamin D, but which is also usually supplied in excess in the average American diet. However, liver is so extremely rich in important nutrients that even those with high cholesterol are often permitted one serving a week.