Organ Meat Benefits - Should You Be Adding Them to Your Diet?

What are Organ Meats?

Organ meats used to be a popular food source, but nowadays it’s nowhere near as common to eat these parts of an animal. Often referred to as ‘offal’, organ meats are the organs of animals consumed as food, most commonly from cows, pigs, lambs, and chickens. They’re often overlooked in favour of muscle meat like steak, drumsticks, or chops. There is a huge range of organ meats, including liver, heart, kidneys, brain, sweetbreads, and tripe.

Benefits You Didn’t Know Organ Meats Offered

There is a rich variety of organ meats each of which offers its own benefit. Whilst the nutrition profile of specific organ meats varies depending on the animal it was derived from and the organ type, overall, they are highly nutritious, and the majority are packed with many more nutrients than you would find in muscle meat. For instance, liver is brimming with nutrition and is known as ‘nature’s multivitamin’ due to it being a great source of vitamin A. On the whole, organ meats are an amazing source of B vitamins and minerals like magnesium, selenium, and zinc, they are a beneficial addition to your diet and as a way to boost your iron and protein intake. Meat is comprised of high amounts of heme iron which is highly bioavailable, and it is easier to absorb for the body compared to non-heme iron that you can find in plant foods. 

As well as this, animal protein offers all 9 vital amino acids that bodies require to function optimally. The high protein content keeps you fuller for longer and can also help the body to retain muscle mass. Choosing organ meats can often be a more affordable option as they are typically cheaper cuts, and it also reduces food waste.

How to Include More Organ Meats in Your Diet

To many, organ meats have a striking and unique flavour that is often an acquired taste. It can take time to develop a liking for them so it may be more palatable to start off your journey with more mild-flavoured organs such as tongue or heart. It is also useful to combine organ meat supplements with more familiar muscle meats to adjust to the new flavour. To include more organ meats in your everyday diet, you could try grinding up substances like liver or kidneys to add to beef or pork mince when making meals like Bolognese. If you’re eager to acclimatise yourself to the stronger flavours, they make a tasty addition to slow-cooked stew.

Nevertheless, some find organ meats simply impossible to swallow. At GPA Wholefoods, you can avoid this issue with the Thankfully Nourished Organic Organ Blend Powder, a freeze-dried powder that can be added to sauces, smoothies and more without you even knowing it’s there. Your body will thank you for it as you can have all the pros without the cons. This premium product comes from Australian Certified Organic, grass-fed beef cattle and offers an authentic way to make sure you’re getting your Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, Copper, Folate, Iron, Selenium, Zinc, and CoQ10. These products are guaranteed to be free from pesticides, herbicides, and GMO. Or you could try the Thankfully Nourished Organic Organ Blend which contains the same nutrients as the powder but can simply be taken as capsules in a simple-to-use form. You can even get free shipping at GPA Wholefoods on any order over $129!