Introducing the superfood: Offal
Eating organ meat has mostly gone out of fashion - but it was once a cooked staple in many homes. I remember my grandmother frying sliced calves liver with onions and mushrooms for a quick, easy and nutritious dinner. Organ meats that are traditionally eaten are liver, kidneys, brain, heart and intestines. However the thought of eating an animal’s organ can seem squeamish and many of us in the Western world have never eaten this part of an animal.
Eating an organ of an animal can seem rather barbaric and films like the Revenant where Leonardo DiCaprio chews into a raw bison liver (yes he actually did the real thing!) or the coming of age horror movie Raw where the lead is forced to eat a raw rabbit kidney come to mind. Interestingly, our ancestors would have favoured the organs after a kill and if they had eaten enough from the carcass they would have left the muscle meat that we favour today.
Organ meat is also referred to as offal and is used in delicacies such as foie gras, haggis and pate to name a few. Some countries such as France, China and Mexico use offal regularly in traditional meals. However, with many of us now consuming a very processed Western diet and a reliance on ready meals and takeaways, consumption of offal is pretty rare. Interestingly, consuming offal may have some terrific health benefits and we could even go so far to label it a superfood.
What?!
So why is offal a superfood?
Organ meats are extremely nutrient dense. They are rich in fat soluble vitamins such as A,D,E and K as well as important B vitamins especially B12 and folate. Furthermore, organ meats have excellent amounts of important minerals including zinc, selenium, magnesium and iron. Last but not least, it is also a brilliant source of protein important for cell repair and re-growth. A small amount of organ meat just once a week is like taking a very inexpensive high dose multivitamin.
When consuming offal you should always choose organic. Some people are concerned to eat liver as it may contain toxins, however by choosing organic, grass fed organ meats you reduce your risk of consuming possible toxins. Also the health benefits of eating a little liver would outweigh the risk of a toxic overload.
As organ meats contain fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A you should not eat too much of it. Having a small amount of around 100 grams just 1-2 times per week is probably all you need to reap the benefits. Eating offal is not only good for you but it’s also good for your wallet. As these meats are not so popular they usually cost a lot less compared to other cuts and it helps to reduce any food waste too!
Potential Health Benefits
As liver and kidneys contain iron they can improve a persons blood iron count and reduce the risk of deficiency. One of the main symptoms of having iron deficiency is reduced energy levels and fatigue. This is an easy and natural way to increase iron levels and there is the added benefit of increasing the intake of other important nutrients at the same time.
Many people are deficient in the mineral zinc which can negatively impact our health and can reduce our immune system ability to fight off infections. Zinc is found in every cell and plays many roles in the body including cell growth, the breakdown of carbohydrates and is also needed for our sense of taste and smell. As we don’t store zinc we need to get enough from our diet each day and offal such as liver, kidneys and heart contain good levels of zinc.
Offal contain excellent levels of B12 and folate. This vitamin can support our cardiovascular health as it lowers homocysteine (an amino acid) in the blood. If homocysteine levels are elevated they can put us at risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia. Optimal levels of B12, folate and B6 break down homocysteine and supports our overall health and reduce the risk of disease.
When To Take Care
As already mentioned, you only need to eat organ meats in moderation to get any of the health benefits. We are not all created equally and some people should take care around consuming offal. Although extremely nutritious offal contains cholesterol and although we need some cholesterol in our diet, if levels are already high - this is probably not the food for you to focus on. Gout is a form of arthritis that occurs when too much uric acid crystallises and is deposited in joints. Offal is high in chemical compounds called purines which have been shown to increase pain and inflammation and aggravate the symptoms of gout and progression of joint damage. Lastly, hemochromatosis is a condition where too much iron is in the blood and therefore foods high in iron (organ meats) and supplements containing iron should be avoided.
How to Get Started
If you can’t get your head around eating a plate of cooked liver, here are some ways to get started slowly:
try adding a little chopped liver/kidney/heart to minced beef. You won’t notice 1/2 a cup added into a pot of beef bolognaise but you’ll get the added nutrients
Adding a little, chopped very finely, to a rich tomato sauce with lots of veg added
Indian curry and rich stews or casseroles hold the flavour well
Popping a little in your spicy bean chilli
Sausages such as Braunschweiger, Headcheese and Liverwurst all contain various organ meats
If the idea of eating offal is too ‘off putting’ but you’d still like nature’s superfood, you can chop cooked organ meat such as organic grass-fed beef liver into small swallowable pieces and pop them in the freezer. Every day take one small piece and swallow with a glass of water as you would a multivitamin (but a fraction of the cost).
Offal is extremely nutritious and just a small amount can provide the body with an array of very important vitamins and minerals that many are deficient in. So why not give this superfood a go - as you might just enjoy the flavour and taste, get some brilliant health benefits and not break the bank doing so.
Photo: Becca Tape
