Here are 2 myths I hear about livers from time to time: MYTH 1: you shouldn’t eat too many livers (esp in pregnancy) because of vitamin A toxicity.FACT: vitamin A toxicity can ONLY occur in the absence of vitamin D. In a wholefoods source like livers, there is a perfect balance of vitamins A and D. Taking isolated vitamin A supplementation is risky, but eating a wholefood source where the vitamins are synergistically balanced, is not.Vitamin A is the concertmaster of foetal development, responsible for giving babies a beautiful broad face, high cheekbones, wide dental arch, and perfectly aligned teeth. Livers are THE MOST important food source for expectant and breastfeeding women, and women wanting to fall pregnant.Not only are livers high in vitamins A, D, E, and K2 (the immunity vitamins) they are also the highest food source of bioavailable iron, and all the B group vitamins including FOLATE (so ditch folic acid which is synthetic and there is no need to take folate tablets if you eat the real deal instead). In fact, gram for gram, pastured livers are THE MOST NUTRIENT DENSE FOOD ON THE PLANET (pertinent as our bodies run on vitamins and minerals and babies are grown from vitamins and minerals).
MYTH 2: you shouldn’t eat too many livers as livers store toxins.FACT: in a well-functioning well-reared animal, the liver doesn’t store toxins. Toxins pass through the liver and are expelled from the body or stored in fat or nervous tissue. The liver is not a filter but a storage house for nutrients (not toxins). Obviously, if the animal is not reared and fed in a biologically congruent manner, all major organs of the body will be compromised and not fit for human consumption.I only advocate organic or 100% pasture-raised animals eating a biologically congruent diet. Healthy animals = healthy humans.
How to eat livers:
1. Chicken liver pate is a very palatable way to consume livers. Shop our pate here and team it with vegetable crudities, sourdough bread, or some GF-activated crackers.
2. Sneaky meals are a very innocuous way to consume livers. Simply add a little chicken liver to any meal that includes minced meat e.g. Bolognese, Shepherd's pie, meatballs etc…. and no one will be none the wiser that they are in there. Increase the ratio of livers minced meat over time. You can either add raw livers into the minced meat or add in our frozen beef broth & livers cubes.
3. Add one or two of our frozen beef broth & liver cubes into your smoothies for a nutrient-dense boost.
4. Learn how to make family-friendly liver meals in my online organ meat workshop (sold individually or included in my Food As Medicine digital package). My fav is the livers with a sliver of dates wrapped in bacon with a drizzle of Worcestershire sauce, baked in the oven. This is a nutrient-dense version of the 1970s “Devil on a Horseback” hors d’oeuvre (I am clearly showing my age here!).
5. I also recommend consuming a quality cod liver oil (either in gel or capsule) daily esp during and after pregnancy eg Green Pastures Fermented Cod Liver Oil (sold at Broth Bar & Larder). For more information head to www.westonaprice.org
Love Soulla xx
