Offal - Not As Awful As You Might Think

It is quite understandable that a lot of people may be a little squeamish when it comes to the thought of eating offal, but there is really nothing to be afraid of! With the right preparation, offal can serve as a tasty, nutrient packed meal that your body will be grateful for.

So what is offal?

The term ‘offal’, is said to mean the “off-fall” or whatever is left after butchering an animal and refers to the organ meats of the animal such as the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs etc. Offal is packed with an incredibly high amount of nutrients and is said to be one of the healthiest foods available to us. In Australia, offal has become popular among those following keto and paleo diets, yet its benefits are still greatly unknown amongst the remainder of the population. Because of this, offal is considered one of the cheapest parts of an animal, making it a very cost effective way to boost your nutrients.

Offal Benefits

1. High in Vitamin A

2. Good Source of B Vitamins

3. Supplies CoQ10

4. Protects Against Anemia

5. Supports Healthy Pregnancy

6. Promotes Muscle-Building

What sort of Offal should I be sourcing?

Although organ meat is incredibly healthy, you need to be mindful where you are sourcing your offal from, to ensure it is clean and beneficial to your health. It is important that the offal you are eating is from a grass fed, grass finished animal. Factory farmed and lot fed animals have been exposed to an unnatural diet, veterinary drugs and unhealthy living conditions, resulting in unhealthy organs and meat.

Here is a quick breakdown of some of the most popular types of offal!

Liver

Often hailed as a nutritious superfood, chicken liver has only 116 calories but contains  more than double the daily recommended value for vitamin A and vitamin B12 in each serving.

In addition, the folate and riboflavin in chicken liver equal out to over 100 percent of what the average person needs each day.

Chicken liver also contains high amounts of vitamin B6, niacin, pantothenic acid, iron, phosphorus, selenium and copper.

Heart

While it may not contain as many nutrients as liver, the heart (and especially cow heart) provides you with the most CoQ10 of any of the offal meats.

It still has a ton of important vitamins too — over 100 percent daily value of the vitamin B12 you need and over half the riboflavin, along with significant amounts of niacin, iron, phosphorus, copper and selenium.

Kidneys

Eating kidneys is a concept you may need a bit of time to wrap your head around, but a cow kidney has over five times the amount of B12 you need each day, as well as almost two times your value for riboflavin.

Cow kidney also contains 228 percent of the daily value recommended for selenium. This trace mineral is associated with a number of powerful health benefits, including the prevention of certain cancer types, decreased oxidative stress and enhanced immune function.

Tongue

As variety meats in the offal family go, tongue is a popular but slightly less nutritious option than other organ meats.

This tough-surfaced organ is rich in vitamin B12, along with other micronutrients like niacin, riboflavin and zinc. Credit: Dr Axe  https://draxe.com/nutrition/offal/

If you are a little scared to dive straight into the world of offal, why not try one of our nutrient enriched products like our Beef & Liver Mince or our Pure Beef & Liver Sausages. They are an excellent way to introduce offal into your diet and taste delicious!