What Are Organ Meats? A Complete Guide to Their Nutrition and Health Benefits

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in traditional and ancestral eating patterns. As part of this trend, organ meats have been making a comeback in American cuisine.

While muscle meats like chicken breast, steak, and pork chops dominate most dinner plates today, organ meats were once dietary staples in the United States and remain popular in many cultures worldwide.

If you’re curious about what organ meats are and whether they deserve a place in your diet, this comprehensive guide will provide you with everything you need to know about these nutrient-dense foods.

What Are Organ Meats?

Organ meats, also commonly known as “offal” or “variety meats,” refer to the internal organs and entrails of animals that are prepared and consumed as food.

These edible organs come primarily from farm animals such as cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, and other poultry. Unlike muscle meat, which makes up the majority of meat consumed today, organ meats include various internal organs that serve specific biological functions in the animal’s body.

Throughout human history, organ meats were highly valued in traditional diets across cultures. Our ancestors practiced nose-to-tail eating, utilizing every part of the animal for both practical and nutritional reasons. Today, while muscle meat has become the preferred choice in Western diets, many cuisines around the world continue to celebrate organ meats as delicacies.

Common Types of Organ Meats

There are numerous types of organ meats available, each with its own unique texture, flavor, and nutritional profile. Here are the most commonly consumed varieties:

Liver

Liver is perhaps the most well-known organ meat and is often called “nature’s multivitamin” due to its exceptional nutrient density. The liver serves as the body’s detoxification center, filtering toxins from the blood. Beef, chicken, pork, and lamb liver are all commonly consumed. Liver has a distinctive, robust flavor that can be mild or strong depending on the animal source and preparation method.

Heart

Heart is a hardworking muscle that pumps blood throughout the animal’s body. Despite being a muscle rather than a traditional organ, it’s grouped with organ meats and has a texture similar to lean muscle meat. Heart is relatively mild in flavor and is surprisingly tender when properly prepared.

Kidneys

Kidneys filter waste products from the bloodstream and regulate fluid balance. They have a distinctive shape and texture, with a somewhat strong, mineral-like flavor. Beef and lamb kidneys are most commonly consumed in Western cooking.

Tongue

Tongue is technically a muscle but is classified as an organ meat in culinary terms. It’s known for its tender, rich texture due to its high fat content. Beef tongue, in particular, is considered a delicacy in many cultures.

Brain

Brain tissue is soft and creamy in texture and is considered a delicacy in many cuisines worldwide. It’s particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids and has a mild, subtle flavor.

Sweetbreads

Despite their misleading name, sweetbreads are neither sweet nor bread. They consist of the thymus gland and sometimes the pancreas of young animals. Sweetbreads have a delicate flavor and creamy texture, making them popular in fine dining.

Tripe

Tripe refers to the edible lining of animal stomachs, most commonly from cattle. It has a distinctive honeycomb appearance and chewy texture. Tripe is a staple in many international cuisines, including Mexican menudo and Vietnamese pho.

Other Organ Meats

Additional organ meats include testicles (sometimes called Rocky Mountain oysters), intestines (known as chitterlings or chitlins when cleaned and prepared), spleen, and various glands.

Nutritional Profile of Organ Meats

One of the most compelling reasons to consider adding organ meats to your diet is their exceptional nutritional value. In many cases, organ meats are significantly more nutrient-dense than conventional muscle meats.

Protein Content

Organ meats provide high-quality complete protein, containing all nine essential amino acids your body cannot produce on its own. This makes them excellent for muscle maintenance, tissue repair, and overall bodily functions.

Vitamins

Organ meats are particularly rich in B vitamins, especially vitamin B12, which is crucial for nerve function, DNA synthesis, and red blood cell formation. Liver, in particular, contains extraordinarily high levels of vitamin B12, far exceeding most other food sources.

They’re also excellent sources of:

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Niacin (Vitamin B3)
• Vitamin B6
• Folate (Vitamin B9)
• Vitamin A (particularly in liver)
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K

Minerals

Organ meats contain impressive amounts of essential minerals, including:

• Iron: Particularly in the form of heme iron, which is more readily absorbed by the body than plant-based non-heme iron
• Zinc: Important for immune function and wound healing
• Selenium: A powerful antioxidant that supports thyroid function
• Copper: Essential for iron metabolism and nervous system health
• Phosphorus: Critical for bone health and energy production
• Magnesium: Involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions in the body

Nutritional Example: Beef Liver

To illustrate the nutritional powerhouse that organ meats can be, consider a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked beef liver, which provides:

• Approximately 191 calories
• 29 grams of protein
• Over 2,700% of the Daily Value for vitamin B12
• Over 1,000% of the Daily Value for vitamin A
• Over 1,500% of the Daily Value for copper
• Significant amounts of riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, selenium, zinc, and iron

Choline Content

Many organ meats, especially liver and eggs, are among the best dietary sources of choline, an essential nutrient that many Americans don’t consume in adequate amounts. Choline is vital for brain health, liver function, muscle movement, and metabolism.

Health Benefits of Eating Organ Meats

The impressive nutritional profile of organ meats translates into several potential health benefits:

Superior Iron Absorption

Organ meats contain heme iron, the form of iron found in animal products. Heme iron is significantly more bioavailable than non-heme iron from plant sources, meaning your body can absorb and utilize it more efficiently. This makes organ meats particularly beneficial for individuals at risk of iron deficiency, including menstruating women, pregnant individuals, and those following restricted diets.

Support for Muscle Health

The high-quality protein in organ meats provides all the essential amino acids needed for building and maintaining muscle mass. This is particularly important as we age, when muscle loss (sarcopenia) becomes a concern. Regular protein intake from nutrient-dense sources like organ meats can help preserve muscle tissue and strength.

Enhanced Satiety and Weight Management

Protein-rich foods like organ meats can help increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction after meals. High-protein diets have been associated with reduced appetite, decreased calorie intake, and potential weight loss benefits due to their effects on hunger hormones and metabolic rate.

Brain and Cognitive Health

The combination of B vitamins, choline, omega-3 fatty acids (particularly in brain), and other nutrients in organ meats supports cognitive function, memory, and overall brain health. Choline, in particular, is a precursor to acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter involved in memory and learning.

Immune System Support

The zinc, selenium, vitamin A, and other nutrients abundant in organ meats play crucial roles in immune system function, helping your body defend against infections and maintain overall health.

Cost-Effectiveness and Sustainability

From a practical standpoint, organ meats are often significantly less expensive than prime cuts of muscle meat. Additionally, consuming organ meats promotes nose-to-tail eating, which reduces food waste and makes animal agriculture more sustainable and ethical by utilizing more of each animal.

Potential Concerns and Considerations

While organ meats offer numerous benefits, there are some important considerations to keep in mind:

Cholesterol Content

Organ meats contain substantial amounts of cholesterol. For example, 3.5 ounces of beef brain contains approximately 2,000 milligrams of cholesterol, while kidney contains around 716 milligrams, and liver about 381 milligrams.

The relationship between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels is complex and somewhat controversial. For many years, dietary cholesterol was thought to directly raise blood cholesterol and increase heart disease risk. However, more recent research suggests that for most healthy adults, dietary cholesterol has a limited effect on blood cholesterol levels.

Current evidence indicates that saturated and trans fats have a greater impact on blood cholesterol than dietary cholesterol itself. That said, some individuals appear to be more sensitive to dietary cholesterol than others.

If you have high blood cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or other risk factors, it’s advisable to consult with your healthcare provider about appropriate intake levels of high-cholesterol foods, including organ meats.

Vitamin A Considerations During Pregnancy

Liver is exceptionally rich in preformed vitamin A (retinol), which is essential for fetal development during pregnancy. However, excessive intake of preformed vitamin A during pregnancy has been linked to birth defects affecting the heart, nervous system, and other organs.

Health authorities, including the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board, recommend that pregnant individuals limit preformed vitamin A intake to no more than 10,000 IU (3,000 mcg RAE) per day from all sources, including supplements and food.

A single 3-ounce serving of beef liver can contain over 6,500 mcg RAE of preformed vitamin A, which exceeds this limit. For this reason, some health organizations recommend that pregnant individuals avoid liver or consume it only occasionally and in small amounts. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, discuss organ meat consumption with your healthcare provider.

Purine Content and Gout

Organ meats are high in purines, compounds that break down into uric acid in the body. For individuals with gout—a type of arthritis characterized by elevated uric acid levels and painful joint inflammation—consuming high-purine foods can trigger flare-ups.

If you have gout or elevated uric acid levels, it’s important to moderate your intake of organ meats and discuss appropriate dietary restrictions with your healthcare provider.

Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Concerns

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, is a rare neurological disease that can affect cattle. The disease can potentially spread to humans through consumption of contaminated neural tissue, causing variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD).

In response to BSE concerns, the United States implemented strict regulations in 1997, prohibiting the use of certain animal materials in cattle feed. Additionally, high-risk tissues such as brains and spinal cords from cattle over 30 months of age are prohibited from entering the human food supply.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the World Organisation for Animal Health, the risk of BSE in U.S. cattle is currently “negligible,” the lowest risk classification. Only six cases of BSE have been detected in the United States since 2003, and no cases of vCJD acquired in the U.S. have been identified.

While the risk is very low, individuals who are particularly concerned may choose to avoid beef brain and spinal cord products.

Toxin Accumulation Concerns

Some people worry that because organs like the liver and kidneys filter toxins, eating them means consuming concentrated toxins. However, this is a misconception. While these organs do process toxins, they don’t store them. Instead, toxins are neutralized and eliminated from the body. The liver and kidneys store nutrients, not toxins, making them nutrient-dense rather than toxin-dense foods.

That said, choosing organ meats from healthy, well-raised animals (such as grass-fed, organic, or pasture-raised sources) may provide additional peace of mind regarding overall meat quality.

How to Incorporate Organ Meats Into Your Diet

If you’re new to organ meats, the thought of eating them might seem unusual or even unappetizing. However, with the right preparation and gradual introduction, many people find they can develop an appreciation for these nutritious foods.

Start Mild

Begin with milder-flavored organs such as heart or tongue, which have textures more similar to muscle meat. Chicken liver is also generally milder than beef liver and can be a good starting point.

Mix With Familiar Foods

One of the easiest ways to introduce organ meats is to combine them with ground muscle meat in dishes you already enjoy:

• Add finely chopped or ground liver to meatballs, burgers, or meatloaf (start with a 1:4 ratio of organ meat to muscle meat)
• Incorporate ground organ meats into pasta sauces like Bolognese
• Mix them into chili or taco meat
• Blend them into stews where stronger flavors are masked by herbs and spices

Try Traditional Recipes

Many cultures have perfected the art of preparing organ meats. Exploring traditional recipes can provide guidance on how to prepare them deliciously:

• Liver and onions (classic British and American dish)
• Pâté or liver mousse (French cuisine)
• Tacos de lengua (Mexican beef tongue tacos)
• Menudo (Mexican tripe soup)
• Haggis (Scottish dish containing various organs)
• Grilled heart skewers (popular in South American cuisine)

Proper Preparation Techniques

Proper preparation can significantly improve the flavor and texture of organ meats:

• Soaking: Soak liver or kidneys in milk or lemon water for 1-2 hours before cooking to mellow strong flavors
• Trimming: Remove any connective tissue, membranes, or blood vessels
• Don’t overcook: Liver, in particular, becomes tough and grainy when overcooked. Cook it quickly over high heat or low and slow in stews
• Use strong seasonings: Garlic, onions, herbs, and spices can complement or mask strong flavors

Consider Supplements

If you find the taste or texture of organ meats too challenging, desiccated organ meat supplements (typically in capsule form) are available. While whole foods are generally preferable, supplements can provide many of the nutritional benefits of organ meats in a more palatable form.

Sourcing Quality Organ Meats

Look for organ meats from reputable sources:

• Local butchers often carry organ meats or can order them for you
• Farmers markets and farms that practice whole-animal butchering
• Some grocery stores stock frozen organ meats
• Online retailers specializing in pasture-raised or grass-fed meats

When possible, choose organ meats from animals that were pasture-raised, grass-fed, or organic to ensure the highest quality and nutrient density.

How Much Organ Meat Should You Eat?

There’s no official recommended serving size for organ meats, but many nutrition experts and traditional dietary practices suggest consuming organ meats 1-2 times per week as part of a varied diet.

A typical serving size might be 3-4 ounces (85-113 grams). Given their nutrient density—particularly the high vitamin A content in liver—moderate, regular consumption is generally more advisable than large, frequent amounts.

Listen to your body and consider your individual health status, nutritional needs, and any medical conditions when determining appropriate intake levels. When in doubt, consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian.

Organ Meats in Different Dietary Patterns

Paleo and Ancestral Diets

Organ meats are a cornerstone of paleo and ancestral eating approaches, which emphasize foods that humans consumed before modern agriculture. These dietary patterns view organ meats as essential for optimal nutrition.

Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet, which consists exclusively of animal products, often includes organ meats as a way to ensure adequate intake of certain vitamins and minerals that might be less abundant in muscle meat alone.

Ketogenic Diet

Organ meats can fit well into ketogenic diets, providing high-quality protein and fat while remaining low in carbohydrates. They’re particularly valued for their nutrient density in a diet that restricts entire food groups.

Balanced Omnivorous Diets

Even in conventional balanced diets, organ meats can serve as occasional nutrient-dense additions that provide vitamins and minerals that may be less abundant in more commonly consumed foods.

The Cultural Significance of Organ Meats

Organ meats hold special cultural significance in cuisines around the world. In many cultures, certain organ meats are considered delicacies and are featured in celebratory meals or traditional dishes:

• In France, foie gras (duck or goose liver) is a prized delicacy
• Scottish haggis, made from sheep organs, is a national dish
• Chinese cuisine features various organ meats in dishes like spicy intestines and stir-fried kidney
• Filipino cuisine includes dinuguan, a savory stew made with pork blood and organs
• Middle Eastern cuisines often feature grilled liver and kidneys

Understanding this cultural context can provide appreciation for how humans have valued these foods throughout history and across diverse societies.

The Bottom Line

Organ meats are among the most nutrient-dense foods available, providing exceptional amounts of vitamins, minerals, and high-quality protein in relatively small servings. They offer numerous potential health benefits, from supporting muscle mass and cognitive function to providing highly absorbable iron.

While there are some considerations to keep in mind—particularly regarding cholesterol for those with cardiovascular risk factors, vitamin A content for pregnant individuals, and purine content for those with gout—organ meats can be a valuable addition to most people’s diets when consumed in moderation.

If you’re interested in optimizing your nutrition, reducing food costs, supporting sustainable eating practices, or simply exploring new flavors and culinary traditions, organ meats are worth considering. Start slowly with milder varieties, use them in small amounts mixed with familiar foods, and gradually expand your repertoire as your palate adjusts.

As with any significant dietary change, if you have specific health conditions or concerns, consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to determine whether organ meats are appropriate for your individual situation and how much you should consume.

By embracing nose-to-tail eating and incorporating these traditional foods back into modern diets, you can access a wealth of nutrition that previous generations valued and that remains relevant for health-conscious eaters today.

Sources:

• USDA FoodData Central – Nutritional Database
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements
• American Heart Association
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Prion Diseases
• PubMed Central – National Institutes of Health
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• U.S. Department of Agriculture