Liver is an organ meat. It comes from the bodys largest internal organ, found in the bellies of all animals with backbones. Among hundreds of other functions, the liver filters blood and removes toxins. It also makes bile, a substance that helps digest fats and get rid of waste.
Like all types of liver, beef liver has health benefits but also some drawbacks. Photo Credit: iStock/Getty s
Livers from many different animals are eaten around the world. Your grocery store, butcher shop, or seafood store might have beef, calf, chicken, pork, lamb, goose, and cod livers. Liver has a strong flavor and unique texture that can be polarizing. Some people love it, while others hate it.
There are some big health benefits to eating liver, but you should also think about some problems before you start eating it.
Beef liver. This intensely flavored variety is one of the most widely eaten types of liver in the U. S. Its often used in the classic liver-and-onions dish. It comes from cows that are over a year old.
Calf liver. Also called veal liver, it comes from young cows (under 1 year old). Its similar to beef liver and can be cooked in similar ways. But it has a more tender texture.
Pork liver. This liver comes from pigs, and some people think it tastes more bitter than beef liver. Pork liver is an ingredient in liverwurst in Germany and livermush in the American South. Youll also find it in Chinese cuisine.
Lamb liver. This is the liver of a sheep that is less than 1 year old. In New Zealand and Australia, it is often fried with other organ meats. It is also used in some Indian and Lebanese dishes.
Chicken liver. Â Chopped liver, a traditional Jewish dish, is made from chicken liver. Youll find deep-fried chicken liver in the Southern U. S. Their flavor is considered milder than that of beef or pork liver.
Goose liver. This liver type is best known for being used in the French dish foie gras, which is made from the liver of fattened geese or ducks. You can also prepare it more simply by frying or pan-searing it.
Cod liver. Â Its claim to fame is as the main ingredient in the dietary supplement cod liver oil. You can eat it, too. Cod livers are sold canned, and many Europeans eat them spread on bread or crackers. Â You can cook fresh ones, too. (Even Martha Stewart has a recipe. ).
All types of liver are richer in vitamins and minerals than muscle meats and many fruits and vegetables. They dont have fiber like produce does, though.
Liver contains plenty of protein, iron, and B vitamins. Its also one of the best animal-based sources of vitamin A. One serving of beef liver, for example, provides more than 100% of your daily vitamin A requirement. Getting enough vitamin A has been linked to a lower risk of conditions like cataracts and breast cancer.
Beef liver nutrition. A 3-ounce serving of beef liver (4 ounces or 110 grams uncooked) contains:
Calves liver (veal liver) nutrition. A 112-gram serving of calf liver (about 4 ounces uncooked) contains:
Beef liver is one of those divisive foods that people tend to love or hate But whether you enjoy the taste and texture or not, there’s no denying that liver is incredibly nutritious Packed with protein, iron, B vitamins, and other essential nutrients, fans of liver tout it as a superfood.
But there’s also a lot of debate around whether liver should be classified as a red meat or not, And does that even matter from a health perspective?
As a long-time liver lover myself, I wanted to get to the bottom of this question once and for all. Read on as I clear up the confusion around whether beef liver is considered a red meat, and if that changes how healthy it is.
What Qualifies a Meat as “Red Meat” Anyway?
Before we can determine where beef liver fits, it helps to define what actually makes a red meat. Here are the key defining characteristics:
- It comes from a mammalian muscle (skeletal muscle or tongue)
- It has a reddish color from a higher myoglobin content
- It’s derived from livestock like cattle, sheep, or goats
Common examples include beef, pork lamb veal, venison, bison, etc. So red meats come from the muscles and flesh of various mammals.
Poultry (like chicken or turkey) and fish are considered “white meats” since they contain less myoglobin and appear lighter in color.
How Does Beef Liver Fit These Criteria?
Beef liver comes from cattle, so it meets that qualification for red meat. But it’s not skeletal muscle tissue.
Instead, liver is an organ meat that filters toxins from the blood. It has an even darker red-brown hue than “regular” red meats from a very high iron content needed for its metabolic functions.
So while liver does have a distinctly red color, it doesn’t quite fit the other criteria that define red meat.
Nutritional Profile: How Liver Compares to Red Meat
Aside from color, do the nutritional differences between liver and red meat mean that liver shouldn’t be lumped into the same category? Let’s compare:
Beef Liver
-
Excellent source of vitamin A, B vitamins, iron, copper, choline, and purines
-
Much higher in vitamin/mineral density than regular cuts of meat
-
High quality complete protein
-
Low in fat, moderate calories
Red Meat (beef, lamb, pork, etc.)
-
Good source of protein, iron, zinc, B12
-
More varied fat composition (some cuts very fatty, some leaner)
-
Generally more calorie-dense than liver
So while both supply great protein, iron, and B vitamins, liver simply offers a much more concentrated nutritional profile. It can’t really be considered interchangeable with regular red meats from a dietary standpoint.
Potential Health Effects of Red Meat vs Liver
There are some documented potential health concerns linked to high red meat intake, such as:
- Increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes
- Higher LDL cholesterol levels
- Increased cancer risk (colorectal, prostate, etc.)
- Higher TMAO levels linked to atherosclerosis
- Heme iron overload
But does liver consumption come with the same drawbacks as red meat? Here’s what research indicates:
- No observed link between liver intake and increased cancer or heart disease risk
- Liver may lower LDL and raise HDL cholesterol
- Liver is high in folate which may deter cancer growth
- Contains compounds that exhibit anti-cancer properties
- No indication that liver raises TMAO levels like red meat
While both supply beneficial nutrients, regular red meat may come with some adverse effects that don’t seem to apply to occasional liver intake.
So Is Beef Liver Considered Red Meat? The Final Verdict
While beef liver shares a similar color to red meat, it doesn’t quite fit the anatomical definition of where red meats come from. And nutritionally, liver offers an entirely different and superior vitamin/mineral profile compared to skeletal muscle meats.
This might lead some to argue that beef liver (or other organ meats) deserve an entirely separate classification from red or white meats.
However, most nutrition authorities still group liver under the red meat umbrella due to its color and animal source. But they often distinguish it as an “organ meat” to note its unique attributes.
So the final verdict is yes – beef liver is considered a red meat, albeit a special subset with its own merits. The “red meat” label doesn’t negate the fact that moderate liver intake as part of a healthy diet provides powerful nutritional benefits.
At the end of the day, focusing too much on classifying liver as red or not red misses the bigger picture. Liver is simply an incredibly healthy, vitamin-dense superfood that offers its own advantages apart from other meats.
Benefits of Eating Liver
Research has found a number of potential health benefits to eating liver:
Rich source of nutrients. Liver is one of the healthiest foods you can eat because it has a lot of iron, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and copper. Eating one serving of liver can help you get most of these vitamins and minerals every day, which lowers your risk of not getting enough of them.
Also, liver has a lot of protein, which is important for building and maintaining healthy tissues like bone, muscle, and skin. Protein-rich foods also make you feel full for longer, which can help you keep a healthy weight.
Lower risk of anemia. Â Iron is one of the most common mineral deficiencies in the U. S. Some types of anemia can be caused by not getting enough iron, which can make you tired, weak, and unable to concentrate. Liver is a great place to get iron and vitamin B12. These two vitamins work together to keep your blood cells healthy. In fact, one of the earliest treatments for pernicious anemia was to regularly eat beef liver. Today, adding a few servings of iron to your weekly diet can help ease or prevent anemia.
Improved bone health.  Liver contains some vitamin K, which is critical to bone health. Vitamin K helps your body process calcium and add it to your bones. As a result, it helps maintain the strength of your skeletal system. A lower risk of long-term diseases like osteoporosis has been linked to getting enough vitamin K in your food. Vitamin K is also important to maintaining the health of your circulatory system.
Your daily value for vitamin K is 120 micrograms. In three ounces of beef liver, there are three micrograms of vitamin K. In the same amount of chicken liver, there are three micrograms.
Improved energy, brain function, and mood. Vitamin B12 is critical for the healthy function of your nervous system. You might feel tired all the time and not have enough energy for daily tasks if you don’t get enough.  You may also have problems with memory and understanding and feel depressed, confused, or irritable. Beef and lamb liver is one of the best foods to eat for getting vitamin B12. A 3-ounce serving of beef liver has 59 micrograms, while 4 ounces of chicken liver has 18. 8.  This more than satisfies your daily value of 2. 4 micrograms.
Dangers of Eating Liver
The vitamins and minerals that make liver so healthy can also make things worse for people with certain health problems. Thats why you should check with your doctor before you start eating a lot more of it.
Here are some possible drawbacks of eating large amounts of liver:
High cholesterol. Â Liver is high in dietary cholesterol. There are many healthy people who can eat high-cholesterol foods. However, people who are trying to lower their cholesterol or who take cholesterol-lowering drugs should limit the amount they eat. Getting too much cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease.
Vitamin A toxicity.  Its possible, and dangerous, to get too much vitamin A. Vitamin A toxicity can happen if you eat a lot of liver. This happens when your liver can’t get rid of the extra vitamin A fast enough. Most doctors recommend that people without vitamin deficiencies eat just one serving of liver per week.
Symptoms of vitamin A toxicity include nausea and vomiting, headache, irritability, and sleepiness. Over time, getting a lot of vitamin A can also weaken your bones and make it more likely that you’ll break them.
Copper toxicity. Beef liver contains more copper than any other food. A 3-ounce serving has 12,400 micrograms or more than 1,300% of your recommended daily intake. Copper is a mineral that your body usually gets rid of quickly, so it’s not common to have too much of it in your body. But it can happen if:
- Over time, you eat a lot of it and take it in.
- Copper gets into your drinking water through the pipes that bring it to you.
- Wilson disease means that your liver stores copper instead of releasing it.
Symptoms of copper toxicity include nausea, belly pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe cases can cause liver damage and death.
Because it has so much vitamin A and copper, most doctors say that healthy people should only eat one serving of liver a week.
Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Different antibiotics are given to livestock animals to both treat and prevent bacterial infections. Even though there are rules about how they can be used, people can get some of these antibiotics from eating meat or eggs from animals that use them. Since the liver filters and gets rid of substances in the blood, it is more likely that these drugs will build up in this type of meat.
Antibiotics present in food may cause:
- Allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis
- Heart problems
- Sensitivity to light
- Developmental issues in unborn babies
Medication interactions. Â Some medications are known to interact with vitamin A. Because it has a lot of vitamin A, people who take orlistat or some psoriasis medicines should talk to their doctor before adding liver to their diet.