We all know that organ meats are good for you. But incorporating them in your diet is a different story. Maybe you’ve gotten over the initial “ew” factor, but are you preparing offals in a way that’s truly delicious? Or are you just eating a barely-palatable sautéed organ because you know it’s good for you?

Another problem I tend to see is that people only associate organ meats with liver. Organ meats is plural after all. There are so many other types to try that offer different flavor and nutrient profiles. Here’s a chart of different offals and their nutrient value, followed by exclusive LPC recipes for each organ—links below! So talk to the butcher at your farmer’s market or check out U.S. Wellness Meats and shake up your culinary repertoire.

Organ Meat Nutrition Chart

Personally, I hate it when I search online for “organ meat nutrition” and find general claims like “high in protein” or “rich in B-vitamins.” What exactly does that mean?! I decided to make a comparison chart of four different and easily accessible organ meats. While all of these are nutrient dense, now you can actually see that there’s a lot of nutrient diversity between organ meats. All the more reason to change them up for a well-rounded diet.

Nutrition Heart Kidney Sweetbreads Liver
Calories 127 116 267 152
Fat 4g 3g 23g 4g
Protein 20g 19.7g 13.8g 22.8g
Vitamin A 0% 32% 0% 380%
Vitamin C 4% 18% 64% 4%
Vitamin D 0% 9% 0% 4%
Vitamin E 1% 1% 0% 4%
Vitamin K 0% 0% 0% 4%
Thiamin 18% 27% 8% 16%
Riboflavin 60% 189% 23% 180%
Niacin 43% 45% 20% 72%
Vitamin B6 16% 38% 9% 60%
Folate 1% 28% 1% 80%
Vitamin B12 161% 518% 40% 1,108%
Pantothenic Acid 20% 45% 34% 80%
Calcium 1% 1% 1% 0%
Iron 27% 29% 13% 8%
Magnesium 6% 5% 4% 1%
Phosphorous 24% 29% 44% 11%
Potassium 9% 8% 12% 3%
Sodium 5% 9% 5% 1%
Zinc 13% 14% 16% 7%
Copper 22% 24% 3% 137%
Manganese 2% 8% 7% 4%
Selenium 35% 228% 29% 16%

 

Key Takeaways

  • If you’re taking a more ketogenic approach, consume sweetbreads. Don’t be fooled by the name! They’re the highest in fat and lowest in protein (though still packing a protein punch). They’re also substantially higher in calories, so they’ll fuel you for longer.
  • If you’re struggling with anemia (I’m looking at you, female athletes!) or seeking to maximize your body’s ATP production and VO2 max, go for heart and kidney, which are the highest in iron.
  • Kidney rules for selenium, which has been shown through research (on human athletes and rats) to benefit immune function and help repair cellular damage from endurance activity.
  • Liver wins for the complete B-vitamin profile. B-vitamins play a crucial role in converting proteins and sugars into energy, and are also necessary for cellular repair. Researchers have suggested that the DRV of B-vitamins is not sufficient for athletes, though more studies are necessary to give definitive dietary recommendations.
  • Liver and kidney have the most Vitamin A, which is crucial for overall health in the respiratory, urinary, intestinal, and immune systems. Vitamin A plays a key role in mitochondrial function (providing your cells with energy), and new research has also found it plays an important role in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism.
  • Liver and kidney also share the highest amount of folate. Amenorrheic women, this is especially useful for you! Research has shown that amenorrheic female runners have reduced blood vessel dilation, which means they can’t absorb as much oxygen in their blood (so athletic performance suffers). However, a recent study on amenorrheic and menstruating female runners running over 20 miles a week demonstrated that folic acid supplementation normalized the amenorrheic group’s vascular functioning. More research needs to be done to create specific supplementation value recommendations, but eating more folate-rich foods like liver and kidney could be helpful. Note: be cautious of artificial folic acid supplements, as many people carry the MTHFR gene mutation that inhibits folic acid conversion. Play it safe and just get your folate the natural way through real food.

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Organ Meat Menu

Now you know how offal diversity can benefit your health, so are you ready to start experimenting with different organ meats? Check out the recipes below to discover how these new meats can be a delicious flavor experience!

 

Short on Time? Try This Quick Fix:

Liver, sweetbreads, and kidneys can all be prepared quite simply by sautéing in fat/oil of choice (I like ghee best) on medium heat for 4-6 minutes depending on size. Similarly, heart can be thinly sliced and grilled like steak. In all cases, err on the side of less cook time. Organ meats get tough and gamey when overcooked. And especially if you’re getting them from a trusted local source, it’s more nutritious and delicious to eat them on the rare side.

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Supporting Research Studies

  1. Eichner, E. R. 1992. “Sports Anemia, Iron Supplements, and Blood Doping.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 24 (9 Suppl): S315–18.
  2. Hoch, Anne Z, Stacy L Lynch, Jason W Jurva, Jane E Schimke, and David D Gutterman. 2010. “Folic Acid Supplementation Improves Vascular Function in Amenorrheic Runners:” Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 20 (3): 205–10.
  3. Molina-López J, Molina JM, Chirosa LJ, Florea DI, Sáez L, Planells E. 2013. “Effect of folic acid supplementation on homocysteine concentration and association with training in handball players.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 10:10.
  4. Tessier, F., H. Hida, A. Favier, and P. Marconnet. 1995. “Muscle GSH-Px Activity after Prolonged Exercise, Training, and Selenium Supplementation.” Biological Trace Element Research 47 (1-3): 279–85.
  5. Weaver, C. M., and S. Rajaram. 1992. “Exercise and Iron Status.” The Journal of Nutrition 122 (3 Suppl): 782–87.
  6. Zhang, Yan, Yifei Gao, and Guoxun Chen. “Effects of vitamin A deficiency on plasma glucose, insulin and leptin in rats.” The FASEB Journal 23, no. 1 Supplement (2009): 541-6.