Benefits of eating liver
The nutritional facts show that liver is a good source of protein, various vitamins and minerals. Protein from the liver strengthens your muscles and offers you strong nails, shiny hair and supple skin. The liver provides you sufficient amount of fat. It contains a small amount of saturated fat. The most important factor regarding nutritional […]
The nutritional facts show that liver is a good source of protein, various vitamins and minerals. Protein from the liver strengthens your muscles and offers you strong nails, shiny hair and supple skin. The liver provides you sufficient amount of fat. It contains a small amount of saturated fat.
The most important factor regarding nutritional benefits of liver is that it is an excellent source of various B vitamins. Health experts say liver is a very good source of vitamin B12 and folate. Folate promotes fertility in women and helps avoid structural defects in the foetus. B12 and other B vitamins enhance the function of the nervous system, boost your energy levels and improve your physical and mental health. They help prevent memory problems, depression and insomnia. They also promote cycling of proteins; and metabolism of carbohydrates and fat. B12 also prevents anaemia and blood clotting problems.
Testosterone is an important hormone which is crucial for a man’s overall health. Body builders require more testosterone. Chicken liver, being a good source of essential cholesterol (HDL) enhances the production of testosterone in men. Pantothenic acid, along with other vitamins and minerals boosts the endurance and helps you fight against stress. Niacin helps avoid pellagra while riboflavin promotes strong tissues. Niacin and selenium also help prevent cancer. Vitamin B6 helps maintain cardiovascular health. You must have noticed that chicken liver is an excellent sources of vitamin A. various forms of vitamin A like retinol, alpha and beta-carotene and lycopene ensure strong vision.
But experts are quick to say excessive consumption of chicken liver can prove to be harmful for some as it also has some level of bad cholesterol. Those who are overweight should not consume liver regularly.
Mrs Serah Abagai Head Dietetics Department at the National Hospital agrees with this. “Kidney has nutrients but they also have cholesterol and the same goes for liver. We advise those that have cholesterol problems to choose other meats than organ meat or what we call offal than liver.”
Again, Abagai says because liver is an infiltration organ like kidneys, it tends to trap some poisonous substance. So for those who must eat liver, try to cook liver and kidney thoroughly. Abagai puts it succinctly. Cook them very well to kill the diseases. Cooking them very well does not remove the vitamin A folic acid, iron or folic acid. These things are stable they don’t get easily destroyed.”