The Health Benefits of Organ Meats

For most people, the thought of eating meat conjures the image of a perfectly cooked ribeye, a roasted chicken, or braised leg of lamb. For millennia though, our ancestors did not just eat muscle meats, which is what most of us consume today. They would often waste no part of the animal, which means they consumed the organs of animals too. Though many people overlook them, organ meats, such as liver, heart, kidney, and others are great sources of nutrition. These were often prized cuts of meat, and today we know that these foods are rich in nutrition not found in other cuts cuts that are more regularly enjoyed. 

Meat is encouraged on The Kaufmann Diet. Preferably, it is best to opt for grass-fed and organic if possible. This is because foods like grass-fed beef are fed their natural diet, resulting in healthier meat. They are also not fed foods like corn and wheat, which are often contaminated with fungal poisons, which can subsequently contaminate the meat and find their way to our plates, negatively affecting our health. 

Similarly, The Kaufmann Diet excludes foods known to be contaminated with mold poisons or foods that would feed a yeast infection in the body. High in protein, healthy fats and other nutrients, meat is a good candidate for inclusion on the diet. And, organ meats in particular contain some added benefits. 

Organ meats include liver, tongue, heart, kidneys, tripe, and even brain. These commonly come from cows, pigs, lambs, goats, chickens, and ducks. Some, such as liver, are more common, and were even more commonly served a generation or two ago. Some, such as tongue, are common in certain cuisines, like Mexica cuisine (lengua, if you are at a taqueria). Many of these you would likely need to get from a butcher or a specialty meat shop as they are uncommon in grocery market meat sections. 

There plenty of reasons why you want may want to include these in your diet. 

Organ meats are much richer in nutrition than muscle meat. Organ meats differ depending on the organ and the source, but generally they are rich in B vitamins, particularly B12 and folate. They are rich in vitamins A, D, E, and K. They are also good sources of minerals like iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. Typically, you would need to consume plenty of plant foods to get the kind of nutrition gleaned from organ meats. 

Some people may want to be cautious of including these foods into their diet; these include people with gout and pregnant women. Otherwise, organ meats can be good sources of nutrition for many people, including people on The Kaufmann Diet. These are often cheaper cuts of meat as they are less desirable. There are many ways of preparing these foods that make them seem like less “adventurous” fare. Tongue and heart are more mildly flavored, but often foods like liver and kidney do have a stronger flavor that some people must develop a taste for. 

Regardless, these foods can be a valuable nutritional addition to your diet.

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