When it comes to animal protein, you really can’t find any part that is more nutritious than organ meats. I know I probably just made some of you squirm by suggesting the option of eating organ meats, but they are great when prepared correctly and the nutrition can’t be beat.

Organ meats are most popularly used from beef, pork, lamb, or poultry. The different kinds of organ meats that you can eat include:

• Brain
• Heart
• Liver
• Kidney
• Tongue
• Gizzard
• Sweetbread

History of Organ Meats

Each culture has their own opinion of organ meat and each views it slightly differently than the next. In some cultures, organs are consumed daily while in others certain organs are illegal to eat. One thing that stands true for all cultures is that consumption of organ meats has changed over the years.

Centuries ago, not only were organ meats just eaten, they were praised and loved. When food was hunted and gathered there was a lot of effort put into supplying it for families and tribes. Hunters didn’t just walk to the local supermarket to buy meat, they had to fight for it. And when you’re putting that much effort into hunting food for your family, you use every ounce of it that you can. Not only was it eaten just so it wouldn’t go to waste, the organ meat was reserved for the respected society members. Whether it was the political kings and leaders, the hunters, or the elders; the organ meats were regarded as the best and saved for the best.

In today’s world, organ meats are eaten by all, not just the well respected, in almost all countries. In some countries, organ meats are served as common street food and others as appetizers and entrees in expensive restaurants. No matter how common throughout the world though, eating organ meats isn’t a widely loved idea here in the United States, yet.

Why People Avoid Organ Meats

Are organ meats good for humans? I will admit that the taste of organ meats can take some getting used to, but they provide far too many benefits to avoid it. Another reason that organ meats invoke negative perceptions is the rumors of toxins. The misconception in our society is that the animals’ toxins are stored in their organs; and when eaten, the toxins now move into our bodies. This would make sense, however the toxins are not actually stored in an animal’s organs. The organs, the liver in particular, are where the toxins move to get filtered out. Once there, the liver doesn’t store it, but rather decide where it should be moved to. Most times, the liver moves any toxins to the kidneys where it is then expelled through urine. (1) The toxins are removed from the animal’s organs and bodies before it has the chance to enter our bodies. So you can enjoy those organ meats peacefully with the knowledge that they are not in fact toxic.

Benefits of organ meats

The benefits of eating organ meats reach far and wide. Each one acts as a superfood that provides many more nutrients to our bodies than the animal muscle meat that we normally eat.

1. CoQ10

One of the main nutrients that organ meats offer is the Coenzyme Q10, otherwise known as CoQ10. This coenzyme is found in the largest amounts in animal hearts. Like all coenzymes, our bodies naturally produce this nutrient, but only in small amounts and not enough that we need. That’s where organ meat comes in.

CoQ10 is also designed to help other enzymes digest and break down food. When it comes to energy, it isn’t always the same and instead comes in many different forms. The form that our cells use is called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. But when our energy comes in the form of fat or carbohydrates that we eat, how does our body make that change to supply energy to our cells? CoQ10 is crucial for the body to begin and sustain the ATP synthesis process to continually supply (2) our cells with energy each day.

Our brain and cardiovascular systems are also impacted by this coenzyme due to its antioxidant features and its effect on oxidative stress. Although further research is needed, it is recommended to people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease to up their CoQ10 intake along with regular medications. Eating foods high in CoQ10 helps fight (3) the backlash that come with these prescribed medications and keep blood flowing. (4)

When it comes to our brain, it has been shown that those with cognitive disorders have lower levels (5) of CoQ10 that contribute to the issue. As potential agents are looked for to combat the cognitive decline we see on a daily basis, research suggests (6) that CoQ10 has potential to be used medically to fight the decline. If you are looking for a CoQ10 supplement, check out one of my favorites. 

2. Vitamin A

Organ meats also offer one of the largest amounts of the antioxidant Vitamin A. When taken in supplement form Vitamin A in mass amounts can result in toxicity; but, Vitamin A present in food does not lead to any toxic results even in large amounts. When the body breaks down nutrients from food sources it can access how much our individual bodies need and expel any extra, avoiding any issues.

There are two types of Vitamin A: retinol, or active Vitamin A, and beta-carotene. Active Vitamin A is present in organ meats and other

animal meat in smaller quantities. This type can be broken down and used by the body right away, making it a perfect source to get this nutrient from. Beta-carotene, found in many vegetables, cannot be used by the body unless broken down and changed. Even though vegetables are great for you, they are an inefficient source of Vitamin A because of the work and stress it has on our bodies just to use it.

Vitamin A can also do a lot of good when it comes to the immune system. In a recent study of children under 5 in Colombia, they came to the conclusion that increasing the childrens’ Vitamin A intake was the most effective way to protect against disease. Not only was it the most effective, (7) it was also the least expensive way to protect the immune system in the children to ensure health. When Vitamin A is present, the mucosal barriers that become damaged by infection can regenerate and repair themselves to provide immune protection. If your body is lacking this immune-boosting vitamin, (8) then regeneration does not occur and infections become more prevalent and can spread faster.

One of the most noticeable benefits of Vitamin A is the glowing and clear skin it can lead to. Its support of cell regeneration keeps wrinkles away while the anti-inflammatory properties protect against acne and skin irritations.

3. B Vitamins

Organ meats also supply us with important B Vitamins. All of the B Vitamins that are present in organ meats offer some kind of help to our cardiovascular systems. These vitamins can maintain healthy levels of cholesterol, blood pressure, blood triglycerides, and homocysteine. When all of these are at healthy levels, the risk of developing a heart or cardiovascular issue is greatly diminished.

Vitamin B7, also referred to as biotin, is known for its ability to enhance beauty through the positive effects it has on hair, skin, and nails. One thing needed for radiant skin is fatty acid synthesis, and, of course, biotin aids this process and can therefore fight (9) the effects of aging and prevent wrinkles.

Biotin deficiency and thyroid problems can both lead to thinning hair and hair loss. This can be reversed and restored through incorporating more biotin (10) into your diet. The same is true for restoring (11) weak and thinning nails back to full health. For this reason many beauty products and beauty enhancing supplements can be found with biotin. However, biotin is not as effective when use topically compared to when it is when ingested. 3 ounces of beef liver provides 30 mg of biotin, which is the daily recommendation for adults.

The B Vitamins in organ meats also aid in hormonal health and pregnancies. Folate, otherwise known as B9, is one of the most needed vitamins for mothers and babies for a healthy pregnancy. Folate supplements are often recommended by doctors, but I truly believe that when available, food medicines are the best way to get your daily dose of vitamins. Vitamin B6 can also decrease the risk of erectile dysfunction, reduce nausea related to pregnancy, and calm menstrual cycle cramps.

If you are looking for a Vitamin B supplement visit my shop to see my top pick.

Best organ meats for your diet

Beef Tongue

Beef tongue is probably one of the best organ meats to start out with, as it has a similar texture and cooking style as regular meats. Believe it or not beef tongue is actually well known for its taste, and many people prefer it over mainstream muscle meats. They are also rich in choline, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and other B vitamins. 

Heart

Hearts are the best source of CoQ10 out there, which as mentioned above is extremely beneficial to energy levels, stress relief, food digestion, brain health, and cardiovascular function. Hearts are also rich in iron, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. The good news is that this organ has great flavor too!

Liver 

What is the best organ meat to eat? This one hands down. Liver’s nutrient levels cannot be beat. Rich in retinol/vitamin A, the liver is very helpful for those with skin problems. It is also a great source of folate and choline, and vitamin B12 levels that are unmatched. This can be especially beneficial to those on a paleo diet as these nutrients aren’t provided as richly in regular muscle meats. 

While other animal livers aren’t very high in copper, beef liver will give quite a boost to those who are copper deficient. Copper toxicity isn’t a huge worry in this case, as the other nutrients in the liver reduce that risk. 

In an ideal world, we would all be eating liver twice a week, but most of the time liver is not always an easily acquired taste, within budget, or easy to find. If you relate to these hesitations, you can try grinding it in with other ground muscle meats to start out, otherwise cod liver oil is a great supplement. 

Kidney

Kidneys are actually very beneficial to the kidney health of those who partake of it. They are a great source of copper, iron, selenium, zinc, and vitamin B12. The thing that makes kidneys special is their rare amino acids, which is where the kidney benefits kick in. The icing on top? Through those fats and amino acids, kidneys help manage body fat and even boost fertility. 

Brain

Similar to kidneys, brains can greatly benefit a partaker's own brain. As the fattiest of organ meats, brains are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation and support optimal brain function. Pregnant women and their unborn children are great candidates for this brain health support, to the point of those children being better problem solvers during their life.

Tips for incorporating organ meats

When it comes to supplying our bodies with nutrients to work optimally, incorporating organ meats is an easy and efficient way to get thoese nutrients. It is important to find organ meats from good sources where they can be expected to have the richest nutritional value possible. Chain stores are likely to use processes that may decrease the strength of the organ meat’s nutrition levels, so make sure to do your research. If you’re still not sold on the idea of eating organ meats, there are several organ meat supplements out there that can also be extremely beneficial to your health. As always, it is important to consult your functional medicine doctor about the effects of your diet and supplements on your unique individual health.

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.

Read Next: The Top Vitamins and Supplements For Muscle Cramps + Spasms, Are Oxalates Dangerous? Food List + Tips For Reducing Oxalate Content