The Benefits of Organ Meats
When one thinks of “super foods,” rarely do we think of beef liver or other organ meats. But they are packed full of numerous vitamins and minerals and pound-for-pound are more nutritious than muscle meat.
Besides being an excellent source of protein, they are also high in Vitamin B12, which the body needs to convert food into energy. B12 is not found naturally in fruits and vegetables, including “super foods” like spinach and kale. However, one ounce of beef liver contains 20 mcg of B12, which is over 300% of the daily value for this important vitamin. This makes liver one of the richest sources of B12.
In addition to being a great source of B12 and other B-vitamins, organ meats are also particularly rich in important fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E, and K. These nutrient-dense organ meats that support our same organs are also a great source of many minerals like magnesium, zinc, selenium, copper, and a good usable form of iron, as well as all nine amino acids that our body needs to function properly.
While eating organ meats is common in many countries and at one time used to be a fairly common practice in the US, today you would be hard pressed to find it served on many dinner tables. Its unique taste and texture often make it a hard sell compared to various cuts of beef that are available.
Additionally, concerns about these organs being “filters” that accumulate toxins in the body make them less desirable. But while many of these organs do play a valuable role in helping the body to deal with pollutants, keep in mind that their role is to assist in ridding the body of contaminants and not to make a habit of storing them any more than other parts of the body do. In fact, remember that the body has a waste system in place to excrete toxins through urine and feces, so they don’t remain in the body (or organs), and these organs’ job is to help ensure that happens.
In ancestral times, eating organ meats was considered a privilege and a way of honoring the animal. However, as our eating habits have changed over time, so too has our acceptance for those old customs. As we have eaten more muscle meat, the stronger taste of organ meat has become less desirable.
Now Trace Minerals has a solution to those usual objections and offers two new beef products as a part of their Ancestral Line: Beef Liver and Beef Organs. Both products come from pasture raised New Zealand beef that are grass-fed and finished, and are hormone, pesticide, and GMO free. They are also 100% freeze dried and non-defatted. Trace Minerals’ TMAncestral Line is a great way to put important nutrients from organ meats into your diet in a practical and convenient way.
Dr. Darrin Starkey has been a board certified naturopathic physician since 2000 and is a member of the American Alternative Medical Association (AAMA). He has worked for Trace Minerals Research (TMR) since 1991. He is considered an expert in the field of mineral and trace mineral nutrition, balance, and deficiency and focuses his training and education on the building blocks of a healthy diet and the important role trace minerals play in health and nutrition.
