Beef liver is one of the most nutrient-rich foods there is. Even so, it hardly ever ends up on your plate today.
Yet 100 grams contain more vitamin A, vitamin B12 and copper than almost any other food. No vegetable and no muscle meat comes close to this density.
Here you will learn which nutrients it contains, how healthy beef liver is and how much per person makes sense.
Why beef liver is so nutrient-rich
The liver is the metabolic centre of the body. Vitamin A, vitamin B12, folate and copper are stored right here. That is why liver is not ordinary meat but a concentrated store of nutrients.
A common misconception: the liver is a filter that stores toxins. It converts harmful substances so that the body can excrete them. What can accumulate with the age of the animal are heavy metals such as cadmium. That is exactly why the source matters.
Nutrients in 100 grams of beef liver
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g | Share of daily requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 135 kcal | - |
| Protein | approx. 20 g | approx. 40% |
| Vitamin A (retinol) | approx. 4,970 µg | approx. 620% |
| Vitamin B12 | approx. 59 µg | approx. 2,400% |
| Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) | approx. 2.8 mg | approx. 200% |
| Folate | approx. 290 µg | approx. 145% |
| Copper | approx. 9.8 mg | approx. 980% |
| Iron | approx. 4.9 mg | approx. 35% |
| Zinc | approx. 4 mg | approx. 40% |
| Selenium | approx. 40 µg | approx. 72% |
| Choline | approx. 333 mg | - |
Which vitamins does beef liver contain?
Vitamin A as retinol
Beef liver is the densest natural source of vitamin A. The form is what matters: in liver, vitamin A is present as retinol, ready to use. Plant sources provide beta-carotene, which the body first has to convert, and how well that works differs from person to person.
Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision, normal skin and mucous membranes and to normal iron metabolism.
Vitamin B12 and the B vitamins
Vitamin B12 occurs practically only in animal foods, and beef liver is the richest source. B12 contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to the normal function of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
On top of that come riboflavin and folate. Both are involved in energy production in the mitochondria, the place where your body actually produces energy.
Beef liver and iron: how high is the iron content?
The iron content is around 4.9 mg per 100 grams. The point is not the amount but the form: liver provides haem iron, which the body absorbs much better than iron from legumes or grains. Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
Copper and vitamin A are both needed for iron metabolism, and beef liver brings all three together. Copper contributes to normal iron transport in the body.
Is beef liver healthy?
Yes. Beef liver provides exactly the nutrients that often fall short in today's diet, and in a form your body can use well.
The difference from a multivitamin lies in the matrix. In liver, the nutrients come together with their co-factors, just as they occur in nature. Your body recognises them as food.
There is one limitation: liver is so dense that it is not an everyday food in large portions. Vitamin A in particular has a clear upper limit.
How much beef liver per person?
For preformed vitamin A, a tolerable upper intake level of 3,000 µg per day applies to adults. A 100 gram portion of beef liver is above that. That is why the recommendation is to limit liver and offal to about once a month.
As a guide:
- 100 to 150 grams, once or twice a month
- Not as a daily side dish
- Children need considerably less
- Or: 5 capsules per day
The upper limit refers to long-term daily intake. A single portion is not a problem; what would be problematic is a regular excess over months.
Organic grass-fed beef liver: why the source matters
Because the liver processes metabolic products, it reflects how the animal lived and what it ate. Residues from feed and heavy metals are more of an issue in intensive farming.
What you can rely on:
- Organic certification and controlled feeding
- Grass-fed animals raised on pasture
- Traceable origin instead of anonymous pooled goods
- Young animals, since heavy metals accumulate with age
Organic grass-fed beef liver costs more than conventional liver. For an organ that reflects exactly these differences, this is the wrong place to save.
If you don't like liver: the simpler alternative
The most common argument against liver is the taste. Then there is the effort of buying, preparing and eating it promptly. That is exactly why very few people eat liver regularly, even though they plan to.
Our organic beef liver capsules are made from organic beef liver from Estonian pasture-raised cattle, with no additives, taste-neutral in the capsule.
What are beef liver capsules good for?
For people who want the nutrient density of liver but neither the taste nor the preparation. They provide iron, vitamin B12, vitamin A, choline and copper as they occur in the food.
Then there is regularity. Instead of one large portion every few weeks, you get a small, consistent amount spread over the day.
Conclusion
Beef liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods we know. Vitamin A as retinol, vitamin B12, copper and haem iron in a combination hardly any other food offers.
Just not as an everyday food in large portions. If you don't like the taste, dried beef liver is an uncomplicated alternative.
Frequently asked questions
Which vitamins does beef liver contain?
Above all vitamin A as retinol, vitamin B12, riboflavin (B2), folate and vitamin B6. In addition there are copper, iron, zinc, selenium, choline and coenzyme Q10.
How much beef liver per person?
100 to 150 grams, once or twice a month. The reason is the high content of preformed vitamin A, for which an upper limit of 3,000 µg per day applies.
How high is the iron content of beef liver?
Around 4.9 mg per 100 grams, in the form of haem iron. The body absorbs it much better than plant-based iron.