Dishes made from the chicken liver are found in almost every national cuisine. Most people prefer chicken meat to chicken liver, but in fact, chicken liver provides a variety of vitamins and minerals and is significantly more nutritious than other parts of the chicken. Also, if you aim to lose some weight, you should consider adding this low-calorie delicious food to your diet.
Here we will examine the benefits of adding chicken liver to your diet, find out how to choose and cook tasty and healthy dishes from it, and calculate what your daily intake of it should be.
Nutritional Information
Chicken liver is one of the known superfoods because it is an excellent source of proteins and vitamins. Adding just 100 grams of chicken liver to your daily diet is enough to meet your body's nutritional needs.
Chicken liver is low on fat and contains the same amount of protein as chicken breast.
Nutrition facts (per 100 grams of uncooked chicken liver):
- Calories: 139,9 kcal.
- Protein: 20,4 g.
- Total fat: 5,9 g.
- Total Carbohydrates: 1,4 g.
- Retinol (A) — 15 mg.
- Ascorbic acid (C) — 28 mg.
- Thiamine (B1) — 0.6 mg.
- Riboflavin (B2) — 2 mg.
- Nicotinic acid (B3) — 12 mg.
- Choline (B4) — 195 mg.
- Pyridoxine (B6) — 1 mg.
- Folic acid (B9) — 0.4 mg.
- Cobalamin (B12) — 0.02 mg.
- Beta-carotene — 0.1 mg.
- Potassium - 30 mg.
- Sodium - 26 mg.
- Chlorine - 20 mg.
- Phosphorus - 17 mg.
- Calcium - 13 mg.
- Magnesium - 4 mg.
- Sulphur - 2 mg.
- Iron - 1 mg; fluorine - 0,1 mg.
- Fluorine - 0.1 mg; copper - 0.05 mg.
- Copper - 0.05 mg.
- Manganese - 0.03 mg.
- Iodine - 0.01 mg.
Chicken liver is one of the retinol-rich foods. Retinol, also known for being a very easy-to-absorb form of vitamin A, is important for our eyesight and eye health.
Also, chicken liver contains ascorbic and nicotinic acids both of which are powerful antioxidants. Ascorbic acid helps to slow down aging and supplies you with energy. Nicotinic acid controls the oxidation and reduction processes in our bodies and helps the cardiovascular system to stay healthy.
Chicken liver is also a great source of B vitamins. These vitamins play an important part in keeping our reproductive system healthy and are involved in the production of blood cells and plasma – a process known as hematopoiesis.
Chicken liver is a rich source of choline which supports several functions in our body:
- reduces cholesterol;
- helps to metabolize fats;
- helps to keep our heart healthy;
- reduces the risk of cirrhosis.
Chicken liver is also rich in minerals essential for our health:
- iron – involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin – a protein responsible for oxygen delivery;
- sodium – regulates salt-water balance in our bodies;
- copper – controls blood cell formation (hematopoiesis);
- fluorine – prevents dental and skeletal fluorosis.
Chicken liver is recommended for people with the following health concerns:
- type 2 diabetes;
- atherosclerosis;
- central nervous system fatigue and nervous system disorders in general;
- chronic physical fatigue;
- anemia;
- lung diseases;
- weakened immune system;
- various metabolic disorders.
Consuming chicken liver helps to replenish energy and as such, it is recommended for sportsmen, as well as during recovery from surgery or illness.
Health benefits of chicken liver
- Helps to prevent atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke. Chicken liver is rich in iron and heparin. Iron helps to increase hemoglobin levels. Heparin lowers the chances of blood clotting.
- Improves memory and stimulates brain activity. Choline in the chicken liver can reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Relieves stress and anxiety.
- Helps to build and maintain b bones and teeth.
- Supports hair growth. Boosts immune system. Chicken liver provides 30% of the recommended daily dose of ascorbic acid.
- Reduce premature skin aging.
Chicken liver and weight loss
Nutrition specialists recommend including chicken liver in our diet because it is high in protein and low in calories.
100 grams of uncooked chicken liver contains 20,4g of protein which constitutes 58% of your recommended daily norm. Protein is very important when trying to lose weight as it helps to sustain a healthy muscle mass. At the same time, with the chicken liver, you need not worry about your calorie consumption as it contains only 139.9 calories.
In addition, the chicken liver helps to speed up metabolism and supports digestive processes.
In combination with vegetables, chicken liver is an excellent choice for those wishing to get in shape and improve body strength.
Recommended daily dose
The recommended amount of chicken liver for adults is 300 mg per day. The best time to eat chicken liver is at lunchtime as our digestive system is the most active then.
How to choose and store chicken liver
Here are some handy tips on how to choose your chicken liver:
- Buy organic chicken liver from a local butcher or farmers' market.
- Visually examine the color and texture - fresh chicken liver is brown and should have a smooth surface. It could sometimes have a greenish shade – this kind of liver will taste better than the brown one.
- Check how it smells – there should be a faint raw meat odor.
Don’t buy chicken liver if it has one of the following:
- It looks orange. This means that it was frozen and defrosted several times.
- There are pinkish ice crystals on the surface. This means that it has been defrosted.
Storage and preparation:
- Raw chicken liver can only last between 48 and 72 hours when refrigerated. Once out of the fridge, it must be cooked within 2 hours.
- We recommend soaking chicken liver in milk or water for about 30-40 minutes before cooking.
Chicken liver recipes
Chicken liver pâté
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of chicken liver;
- 1 carrot;
- 1 small onion;
- 1 and 1/2 stick unsalted butter;
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil;
- Salt and pepper to taste;
Time: 35 minutes + chilling
Method
- Wash 1 pound of chicken liver and soak in water for 30 minutes.
- Peel the onion and cut it into small cubes.
- Pell the carrot and grate on a medium grater.
- To a preheated frying pan add vegetable oil, onion, and carrot, and sauté for 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken liver.
- Set a pan over medium heat and cook for further 5 minutes.
- Transfer the contents of the frying pan to a food processor or a blender and blend until the ingredients are combined.
- Add butter, pepper, and salt.
- Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the pâté to a container and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Serve.
Chicken liver with vegetables
Ingredients:
- 2 onions;
- 0.6 pounds of chicken liver;
- 2 carrots;
- 2 bell peppers;
- Cilantro, parsley, dill.
Time: 20 minutes
Method
- Chop 2 onions and sauté in a pan over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes.
- Add 300g (0.6 pounds) of chicken liver and cook over medium-high heat for another 5 minutes.
- Add grated carrots and 2 bell peppers to the pan.
- Cover the pan and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until soft.
- Serve with fresh herbs: cilantro, parsley, dill.
Chicken liver salad
Ingredients:
- 200g of chicken liver;
- 300g of Chinese cabbage;
- x2 leeks;
- Cilantro, parsley, dill.
Time: 30 minutes
Method
- Chop leeks into round slices.
- Shred 300g of Chinese cabbage and cut bell pepper into cubes.
- Drain 200g of chicken liver, trim and cut into pieces, and boil for 10-15 minutes on low heat.
- Drain the liver.
- Place vegetables and the chicken liver into a large bowl.
- Serve with fresh herbs.
Potential risks of chicken liver
When to consult your doctor before adding chicken liver to your diet.
Chicken liver contains high cholesterol (about 280 mg per 100 grams). Such an amount of cholesterol can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, e.g., atherosclerosis.
It is still possible to add the recommended amount of chicken liver to the diet, but it should not be consumed more twice a week.
Although there are many health benefits to eating chicken liver, it is not suited for children under 3 years of age and for people with several health-related conditions including the following:
- high cholesterol;
- peptic ulcer, gastritis;
- pancreatitis;
- kidney disease;
- individual intolerance.
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