Traditional kitchen practice
Nose-to-tail eating: organ meats, nutrients and the limits
Eating the whole animal is an old habit with a real nutritional case: organ meats carry more of several vitamins and minerals than muscle meat. Liver also carries enough vitamin A that portion size matters.
By the editors of Alimentotherapy Last reviewed 3 min read Not medical advice
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The short answer
By USDA figures, a 100 g portion of cooked beef liver holds about 83 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 7,740 micrograms of vitamin A, against roughly 2 micrograms of B12 and none of the vitamin A in the same weight of sirloin steakUSDA; USDA. That density is the case for organ meats and also the reason for limits: the preformed vitamin A in one portion of liver is above the adult upper limit of 3,000 micrograms a day, and high intakes in pregnancy are linked to birth defects NIH ODS.
What organ meats contain, by the numbers
All figures below are per 100 g of cooked food from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), compared with lean sirloin steak USDA; USDA; USDA; USDA; USDA.
Selected nutrients per 100 g cooked (USDA FoodData Central)
| Food | Vitamin A (mcg RAE) | Vitamin B12 (mcg) | Iron (mg) | Copper (mg) | Folate (mcg DFE) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef liver, pan-fried | 7,740 | 83.1 | 6.2 | 14.6 | 260 |
| Chicken liver, simmered | 3,980 | 16.8 | 11.6 | 0.5 | 578 |
| Beef heart, simmered | 0 | 10.8 | 6.4 | 0.6 | 5 |
| Beef kidney, simmered | 0 | 24.9 | 5.8 | 0.6 | 83 |
| Beef top sirloin, broiled | 0 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 0.1 | 9 |
For scale, the adult RDA for vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms a day, so heart and kidney supply several days’ worth in one portion NIH ODS. Heart is the easiest place to start: it cooks like steak and carries none of liver’s vitamin A load.
Why liver needs a portion limit
Liver stores vitamin A as retinol, the preformed kind that the body does not regulate the way it handles beta-carotene from plants. NIH’s Office of Dietary Supplements sets the adult upper limit for preformed vitamin A at 3,000 micrograms RAE a day and warns that high intakes during pregnancy can cause birth defectsNIH ODS. One 100 g portion of beef liver, at about 7,740 micrograms, is more than twice that limit USDA.
Beef liver is also very high in copper: 14.6 mg per 100 g against an adult upper limit of 10 mg a dayUSDA; NIH ODS. Occasional portions are how liver has traditionally been eaten; daily liver is a different matter.
Safety
If you are pregnant or trying to conceive, talk to your midwife or doctor before eating liver or liver products such as pâté, and do not combine them with vitamin A supplements or cod liver oil.
Purines and gout
Organ meats are high in purines, which the body turns into uric acid. In a 12-year study of 47,150 men, those eating the most meat had about a 41% higher risk of developing gout than those eating the least, and seafood showed a similar pattern; purine-rich vegetables did not Choi 2004. If you have gout or kidney stones, ask your clinician before adding organ meats regularly.
Buying and cooking safely
Organ meats spoil faster than muscle cuts, so buy them fresh from a butcher with good turnover, keep them cold, and cook or freeze them within a day or two. Cook to the USDA safe minimum internal temperatures: 145°F (63°C) with a three-minute rest for whole beef, pork, veal and lamb cuts, 160°F (71°C) for ground meat, and 165°F (74°C) for all poultry USDA.
Chicken liver is the item that most often goes wrong. Pâté cooked pink in the middle has caused repeated Campylobacter outbreaks in the US and the UK Scott 2015; Edwards 2014. Cook chicken livers to 165°F before blending them.
If you want to see how an occasional portion of liver or heart changes your weekly vitamin A, B12 and iron intake, a nutrient-tracking food diary such as Cronometer will show it against the upper limits.
Food safety
- One 100 g portion of beef liver exceeds the adult upper limit for preformed vitamin A; eat it occasionally, not daily.
- Pregnant or planning pregnancy: talk to your clinician before eating liver or pâté, and avoid stacking it with vitamin A supplements.
- Cook chicken livers to 165°F (74°C); pink-centered pâté has caused Campylobacter outbreaks.
- People with gout or uric acid kidney stones should ask their clinician before eating organ meats regularly.
- Organ meats are perishable: refrigerate promptly and cook or freeze within a day or two of purchase.
Common questions
How often is it safe to eat beef liver?
Occasionally rather than daily. By USDA data, 100 g of cooked beef liver has about 7,740 micrograms of vitamin A, more than twice the adult upper limit of 3,000 micrograms of preformed vitamin A a day set by NIH. Many people eat a small portion once a week or less; pregnant women should ask their clinician first.
Which organ meat has the most nutrients?
Liver is the most concentrated: per 100 g cooked, beef liver has about 83 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 14.6 mg of copper, according to USDA FoodData Central. Heart and kidney are rich in B12 and iron without liver's vitamin A load, which makes heart an easier everyday choice.
Is chicken liver pâté safe?
Only if the livers are fully cooked. Undercooked chicken liver pâté has caused Campylobacter outbreaks, including one in Ohio and Oregon reported by CDC in 2015. USDA's safe minimum internal temperature for all poultry is 165°F (74°C).
Sources
Primary research and government sources, each checked on the date this page was reviewed.
- SourceUSDA FoodData Central. Beef, variety meats and by-products, liver, cooked, pan-fried (SR Legacy, FDC ID 168627).
- SourceUSDA FoodData Central. Chicken, liver, all classes, cooked, simmered (SR Legacy, FDC ID 171061).
- SourceUSDA FoodData Central. Beef, variety meats and by-products, heart, cooked, simmered (SR Legacy, FDC ID 169448).
- SourceUSDA FoodData Central. Beef, variety meats and by-products, kidneys, cooked, simmered (SR Legacy, FDC ID 169450).
- SourceUSDA FoodData Central. Beef, top sirloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, cooked, broiled (SR Legacy, FDC ID 169458).
- NIH ODSNIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin A and Carotenoids: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
- NIH ODSNIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
- NIH ODSNIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Copper: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
- PubMedChoi HK, et al. Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men. N Engl J Med. 2004. PMID 15014182.
- GuidelineUSDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart.
- PubMedScott MK, et al. Notes from the field: campylobacteriosis outbreak associated with consuming undercooked chicken liver pâté, Ohio and Oregon, December 2013 to January 2014. MMWR. 2015. PMID 25879900.
- PubMedEdwards DS, et al. Campylobacteriosis outbreak associated with consumption of undercooked chicken liver pâté in the East of England, September 2011. Epidemiol Infect. 2014. PMID 23711104.
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