Have you heard that organ meats are some of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat? Its true! They are the real super foods that not only have been an integral part of traditional diets around the globe for centuries, but also were commonly consumed as part of the Western diet just a few generations ago.
Have you been wanting to incorporate these ancestral health foods into your diet but don’t know where to start, or are pondering the tolerability of their taste? Don’t worry, We’ve got you covered.
I am a big proponent of organ meats and recommends everyone eat them on a regular basis. Thus they need to be desireable and enjoyable! They most certainly can be when prepared to suit your taste. Organ meats are a must due to their unique nutrient profile and far reaching health benefits, and they are also economical and sustainable. Why Americans have become finicky and somewhat resistant to this healthful habit is quite curious.
With potent concentrations of both fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, organ meats are the richest source of the full B vitamin complex, including B12 and choline as well as vitamin A in its most bioavailable form (retinol). They also contain large quantities of mineral “activators,” a term coined by the renowned Weston A. Price.
Dr. Price found that the key to unlocking the body’s ability to absorb and utilize minerals was dependent on these essential activator nutrients, now known as vitamins A, D, E, and K. B vitamins such as folate, support energy production, immune function, and overall health. The high content of bioavailable iron found in organ meat helps combat anemia, while their abundance of omega-3s and various fatty acids contributes to brain health, mood stability, cell membrane integrity and much more.
Additionally, organ meats are uber rich in minerals themselves that are crucial for bone health and detoxification. In fact, they are some of the best sources of copper, zinc, magnesium, phosphorous, and trace minerals. Copper along with choline, biotin, and vitamin K2 are critical nutrients often overlooked because they are not part of the mainstream narrative. But without them you will likely suffer from imbalances that can lead to some of the most common chronic illnesses we see today such as heart disease and neurodegenerative conditions. Before getting too high and mighty about your MTHFR status and rushing to supplement with methylated B vitamins, consider the role of choline in the methylation cycle and that 90% of the population is deficient in this critical nutrient! So, you can see even from this short list why choosing to eat organs is a powerful dietary choice if you want to function optimally and feel your best.
Move over liver and onions, we’ve got some truly delicious ways to get some organs up in ya that you just might truly enjoy!
Before we get into it, let’s go over a few helpful tips:
- Always make sure to choose organs from HEALTHY animals that are raised on pasture. Get to know your local farmers! If there aren’t any in your area, US Wellness Meats is a great online resource.
- If you really don’t like the taste of liver, try soaking it in milk or buttermilk in the refrigerator at least 2 hours before cooking. Rinse before using. This trick will remove some of the gamey taste.
- While usually lumped in with organs, heart and tongue are both technically muscle meats. Their taste and texture may seem more familiar and mild so they are often a good place to start. Bonus: Heart is the absolute best source of naturally occurring coenzyme Q10.
- A fantastic way to supercharge your organ meat recipes is to add sea vegetables such as kelp seasoning or dulse flakes. This will boost the trace mineral content while adding natural sea salt and flavor.
- Be careful not to overcook organ meat. It can easily become tough and chewy. A light searing is really nice and keeps the meat tender.
Ok now on to some great recipes and ideas that that will have you eating organs in no time!
- Perhaps our favorite way to eat organs here at The Path is this delicious meatloaf recipe. You may not even be able to tell the difference from regular meatloaf and it’s also quite easy to make. It involves mixing ground organs into your ground beef. If you don’t have access to good organs or don’t want to grind and mix your own, you can purchase ground beef pre-mixed with organ meats in an optimal ratio here.
- You can also simply grate some organ meat into hot soups. This makes it very easy to add in at any time. It is also a way to gently heat the organs by using the warm soup broth which keeps the meat tender as well as more of the nutrients intact. Just store a large chunk of any organ you’d like in the freezer and use a microplane for finer pieces or a box grater to add it right into your prepared, hot soup.
- You can really “sneak” organs into any dish without hardly knowing. Try blending a few small chunks of your favorite organ with a little water to make a “slurry” then add it to some chili for example.
- Pâté is an excellent, versatile, and delicious source of organs. Almost everyone is familiar with liver pâté, but you can really make it with any organs you wish. There’s no shortage of recipes online. Some of our recommended recipe sources include the GAPS Diet cookbooks, The Wahls Protocol, and The Weston A. Price Foundation website.
- Running a close second to our meatloaf, is our favorite liverwurst! Not just any liverwurst but the one offered by US Wellness Meats. It is a perfect blend of organs and spices that is outright delicious. It can be enjoyed simply on a healthy cracker or toasted sourdough. If you want to get a little fancy, try it mixed with cream cheese and onions like in this recipe for quicker version of tasty pâté. Don’t forget the organic, raw milk cheese for added variety!
- Don’t be afraid to try some different recipes.You may be shocked at what your taste buds report back to you.
Some notes worthy of mention:
Organ meats complement muscle meats by balancing the amino acid, fatty acid and vitamin / mineral profile. To maintain a healthy, balanced biochemistry, I recommend 8-12oz of organ meats per week as part of your protein intake.
The liver is not a filter or storage space for toxins. Rather, it biotransforms toxins rendering them inactive and ready for elimination from the body. So the notion that the liver is full of toxins is grossly inaccurate.
By including moderate amounts of organ meats into your weekly diet regimen, profound health benefits are sure to ensue!
References:
Scribner, J. (2024, July 2). Six ways to eat organ meat on the GAPS diet. Body Wisdom Nutrition. https://bodywisdomnutrition.com/six-ways-to-eat-organ-meat-on-the-gaps-diet/
Saladino, P. (2022). The carnivore code cookbook: reclaim your health, strength, and vitality with 100+ delicious recipes. Harvest.
Wahls, Terry. (2014). The Wahls protocol: a radical new way to treat all chronic autoimmune conditions using paleo principles. Avery.
The Weston A. Price Foundation. (2016, August 18). Home – the Weston A. Price Foundation. The Weston a. Price Foundation. https://westonaprice.org/
