“Superfood” is a term that gets thrown around a lot in the fitness industry, but nutritionally speaking there is really no such thing.
This term has been adopted as a common marketing phrase, typically to sell products. While some foods are particularly nutrient dense, there is no one “superfood” that serves to be the holy grail of health and disease prevention for every single human being on this planet.
However, there is a food group that provides extremely high quantities of digestible nutrients in a relatively small portion size. These foods and their benefits are often overlooked when it comes to nutritional recommendations, but that’s changing.
In addition, many of these nutrients are essential for optimal performance and hard to come buy from other sources.
If nature packaged and sold a powerhouse multi-vitamin, this would be it.
Alright, alright, I won’t make you wait any longer. I’m talking about organ meats.
Yup, that’s liver, heart, kidneys, etc.
Perhaps you’ve tried some of these foods already. The taste profile certainly isn’t everyone's cup of tea, but if you haven’t experimented with cooking them to your taste I would urge you to consider it.
Why?
Let’s look at the nutrient RDA’s contained in a 100g serving of beef liver.
3,460% Vitamin B12, 1100% Vitamin A, 260% Riboflavin, 65% Folate, 80% Iron, 1,620% Copper, 90% Choline. Not to mention, 20g of protein(2).
Liver, that’s responsible for removing toxins right? Correct, but the liver itself doesn’t store toxins, it only processes them for removal from the body. This should not be a concern for anyone looking to include it in their diet(2).
Lambs kidneys contain 202% of your daily selenium, a nutrient many people have a deficiency in, along with many other essential micronutrients(1).
While the nutrient content varies considerably by the organ and the animal, most are more nutrient dense than muscle meat, not to mention considerably cheaper to buy. Furthermore, eating these parts of the animal are an important consideration for sustainability and reducing food waste.
How much, how often? Given the nutrient density, these are not foods you need to eat every day. I like to think of including them as nutritional insurance. Consider adding 100-200g of organ means into your diet 1-2 times a week and see how you feel.
References
Dr. Robert Kiltz. 2022. Lamb Kidney: Nutrition, Benefits, and Low-Carb Recipes. [online] Available at: <https://www.doctorkiltz.com/lamb-kidney/> [Accessed 27 January 2022].
Healthline. 2022. Why Liver Is a Nutrient-Dense Superfood. [online] Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-liver-is-a-superfood> [Accessed 27 January 2022].