For millennia, beef liver has been a prized meal among traditional cultures across the globe. Especially grass-fed beef liver. It’s nature’s multivitamin after all, containing more nutrients per calorie than any other part of the animal.
But, before the modern era, people didn’t consume liver based on their knowledge of the nutrient makeup of the organ – people consumed liver because of the way it made them feel. Throughout history, beef liver has been documented as a swift and effective remedy to fight fatigue. But why?
Today, we know that beef liver is chock full of vitamins and minerals; and while we can attribute some of its energy giving properties to a healthy dose iron, amino acids as well as B, A, C & D vitamins – the reality is we don’t know exactly why beef liver is such a powerful antifatigue weapon.
One supposition is liver’s alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) content may have something to do with fighting fatigue. Your body makes its own ALA, though production lessens as you age. ALA is known to protect mitochondria (cell structures that produce energy) from damage, allowing them to produce more energy. In one study of diabetic subjects, ALA was shown to reduce the effects of diabetic induced neuropathy (nerve damage) by allowing the effected neurons to more effectively uptake energy giving glucose molecules. Study Link While this is not definitive proof of beef liver fighting fatigue, it is a powerful indicator that the ALA content of liver can have a direct effect on your body and its ability to use energy.
Covid Fatigue
Unfortunately, fatigue is no stranger to those across the world who suffered from Covid. Covid exhaustion has been a highly documented phenomenon plaguing individuals even long after their bout with the virus (popularly known as long covid). Some have reported that consuming beef liver resolved these symptoms of fatigue and restored their previous strength levels.
Grass-Fed Beef Liver
Although muscle meats have taken the limelight today, this wasn’t always the case. Throughout history, it was the organ meat, and specifically the liver, that was considered a “choice cut”. But there is a distinction that should be made between the prized beef liver of time immemorial, and the grain pumped grocery store shelf liver we encounter today.
The most nutrient-dense and beneficial beef liver can only be found within grass-fed cattle, like the ones we raise at Acabonac Farms. An all-grass diet is the diet that cattle have evolved to eat, and the one that yields the healthiest product. At Acabonac Farms, we use regenerative and sustainable land management practices to raise our cattle and are proud to make the highest quality grass-fed beef liver accessible to everyone. Our farm guarantees fresh, top-notch beef liver free of chemicals and contaminants.
If you are looking to experience the potential benefits of including grass-fed beef liver in your diet, remember that where you source your meats matters, as well as the quality of life of the animal before harvesting.
Not sure if cooking liver is right for you? Try our grass fed Paleo Grind. It contains a blend of grass fed beef, liver, heart and kidney. An easy way to incorporate additional organ meat into your diet!