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Weston A Price

Why You Should Eat Liver and How to Enjoy It

March 10, 2014 by KimiHarris 24 Comments

Liver is PACKED with nutrients. Learn how to enjoy it here.
When I first read Nourishing Traditions, I was a little shocked and definitely grossed out at the strong suggestion to put offal (such as liver, sweetbreads, and kidney) back on our table. I was sure that wasn’t going to happen. But two things changed my mind. First, I read the work that inspired Nourishing Traditions, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration by Dr. Weston A. Price. This convinced me that not only was this a traditional practice but that it had significant nutritional benefits that weren’t too be ignored simply because I was squeamish. The second thing that happened to me was having children. I cared about giving them the best nutritional boost I could, and feeding them liver was a wonderful way to do it.

Liver is a superfood (some even call it the ultimate superfood) with many important nutrients. As you will remember from my post on supplements, I am not personally opposed to taking supplements, though there are some cautions there. But primarily we should be concerned with the nutrition in our food, not in our vitamins. For those wanting to eat a traditional diet, eating liver can be an important part of it. In fact, it can offer you many nutrients that we typically look to supplement pills to fill.

If eating liver grosses you out as much as it did me, don’t worry. It can be easier and more enjoyable than you think.

Why Liver is Important

If you remember from my previous writings, Dr. Price was a dentist who studied 14 people groups consuming traditional foods. He found that they had superior general and dental health. When he sent food back to the lab for a nutritional analysis, he found that their diets were higher in many important nutrients, such as calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, D, and K2.

In fact, on average, the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K2 were ten times higher in their diets! Liver happens to be an excellent source of vitamin A.

Vitamin A

According to Mary Enig and Sally Fallon “Vitamin A: This all-important vitamin is a catalyst on which innumerable biochemical processes depend. According to Dr. Price, neither protein, minerals nor water-soluble vitamins can be utilized by the body without vitamin A from animal sources.6 Vitamin A also acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body against pollutants and free radicals, hence against cancer. Vitamin A stimulates the secretion of gastric juices needed for protein digestion, plays a vital role in building strong bones and rich blood, contributes to the production of RNA and is needed for the formation of visual purple. Sources of preformed vitamin A (called retinol) include butterfat, egg yolks, liver and other organ meats, seafood and fish liver oils.” (If you have read about the toxic effects of too high of vitamin A, it is their position that this only refers to synthetic vitamin A.) Source

It’s important to note that this is vitamin from animal sources, called retinal – not the weaker beta-carotene that is converted to vitamin A in the body (not everybody can make that conversion easily).

Liver is an important source of MANY important nutrients

But liver isn’t just high in vitamin A, as great as that is. It’s also high in calcium, phosphorus, selenium, the vitamin B complex, and iron. To check out the nutritional facts of liver, check out Chris’s comparison chart of beef liver to other food items, and be impressed.

What about toxins since liver is the cleansing organ of the body? Chris answers that issue well when he says, “While it is true that one of the liver’s role is to neutralize toxins (such as drugs, chemical agents and poisons), it does not store these toxins. Toxins the body cannot eliminate are likely to accumulate in the body’s fatty tissues and nervous systems. On the other hand, the liver is a storage organ for many important nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron). These nutrients provide the body with some of the tools it needs to get rid of toxins.” However, all recommend buying liver from organic or grassfed animals for better nutrition and less chance of any toxins.

To get that beautiful synergy of nutrition into our diet, we need good food sources of important nutrients like vitamin A, and liver is a great way to get it(with a beneficial boost of other important nutrients along with it).

Tips and Recipes for Enjoying Liver

But I know the question many have is how in the world to serve it. For years, I tried to serve liver on a consistent basis. I got to the point of being able to bear it. But enjoy it? It was rare. That is, until I was able to discover some recipes and tips that really helped me enjoy it thoroughly.

Fresh, fresh, fresh is best:Liver that has been hanging out behind the butcher counter is going to taste a lot stronger. I’m not sure why that is, but it’s just true. Getting the freshest liver possible is best for taste (frozen is fine, as long as it was frozen very quickly after butchering).

Soaking in lemon water: It helps the texture and taste. I do this when making liver and onions, which leaves the liver not much to hide behind.

Use strong flavors: Liver is a strong flavor, so cooking it in dishes with other strong flavors will really mellow it out. Think garlic, rosemary, wine, etc. My husband has found memories of his mom’s sautéed chicken livers with garlic, for example.

Liver pate: This is what first helped me enjoy eating liver. Served with yummy crackers (and homemade pickled onions), this is enjoyed not only by myself, but my children as well. This is a great way to enjoy chicken liver, which has it’s own benefits, slightly different than beef.

Grind-and-hide method: This is certainly one of the grossest things I do in my kitchen, but I promise it’s worth it! I cut up my huge beef liver into big chunks and drop it in my food processor. I then grind it until it’s chopped into small pieces (while staring at the ceiling and avoiding looking at the food processor). Once it’s ground, I can mix it with my grassfed ground beef, and no one knows the difference. (If you are really sensitive to the taste, start small, and work yourself up – we do ¼ pound of liver to one pound of ground beef). I freeze any leftovers in an ice cube tray, then pop them out, and put them in a freezer baggie. I just pull out so many cubes to defrost as needed.

Suddenly your Mini  Meatloaves, Paleo Italian Meatballs, Mexican Quinoa bowls, your Paleo Seven Layer Dip, and any other recipes you use ground beef, have a lot more nutritional oomph to them! I do find that flavoring your beef well helps hide that liver flavor even more. I went over this method step-by-step, plus shared the pasta sauce featured in the photo above (really, there is liver there!), and a very nutrient-dense, liver-hiding, lip-licking, Paleo Chili recipe here. My kids don’t even know that there is any liver in these recipes and my liver-hating sister actually enjoys these dishes!

Consider using liver powder: If grinding beef liver is just a little out of your comfort zone still, you can buy a dried liver powder. I recommend buying ones specifically from 100% grassfed cows. I’ve been using this recently, with happy results. The first thing we noticed is that it has an almost faint seaweed-like smell, which is really interested, as we know that grassfed beef has a higher omega-3 fatty acid ratio. I wondered if there could be a connection there. Regardless, it seems pretty concentrated, and I use only a small amount as it can overwhelm other flavors quickly. Truthfully, the nondried form is an easier taste to hide in ground beef, but the powder can be used in gravies, soups, and other dishes easily, which the regular ground liver can’t do. I love the convenience of having it on hand dried, so I use both. I definitely recommend starting small though when experimenting with adding it.

The wimp-out/heavy hitter option: For those wanting to get a lot of liver (to restore iron levels, for example) without having to eat it all the time, this same liver power in capsule form is an excellent option. I’ve been taking them myself. For those who just (literally) can’t stomach liver, this is also a great option. Most of us can swallow capsules, and this allows us to get the benefits in an easy, painless way. I’ve heard that these are really popular in some bodybuilding circles!

I got my liver capsules and powder here, an affiliate, as it’s a really good brand and is at a great price right now.

My only caution with liver is that anything can be overdone, even food. Liver should probably be part of most of our diets, but that doesn’t mean we should be gorging ourselves on it everyday or taking tons of liver pills for long lengths of time, as we can imbalance our diets. And of course, taking to your health care provider about any dietary concerns is your responsibility. Many of our great grandmothers were fed liver once a week. That is a pretty good blueprint for us to follow.

Filed Under: Health, Nourishing Practices, Nutrient Dense Foods Tagged With: Liver, Liver Powder, Superfood, Weston A Price

The Diet that Supports Teeth Remineralization

January 7, 2013 by KimiHarris 72 Comments

Picture of a bowl of soup with text, our experience working with a holistic dentist, supporting remineralization with diet and dental products.

Updated: March 1, 2020

Is it possible that our dietary choices, beyond the basic question of how much sugar we consume, can impact our dental health? Today, I will be sharing our experience working with a holistic dentist who had a three-pronged approach to dental health: diet, using remineralization products, and regular dental cleanings. Let’s talk about why she chose that approach. 

Dr. Weston A Price

I was first interested in this topic when I was introduced to Dr. Weston A Price’s book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration. He was a dentist at the turn of the century who focused on the correlation between diet and cavities. Price traveled the world, studying the nutritional value of traditional diets and the dental health of those who ate said diets. He found two things: traditional diets were much higher in nutrients than the typical diet in industrialized nations, and the people who ate these traditional diets had less dental decay and better teeth and jaw formations. It’s important to note that these were not studies, and his observations don’t prove anything more than a correlational link. 

That said, he wrote about his own experience of feeding malnourished children a nutrient-dense diet and seeing if it made an impact on cavities. Before the trial, the children’s diet consisted “of highly sweetened strong coffee and white bread, vegetable fat, pancakes made of white flour and eaten with syrup and doughnuts fried in vegetable fat.” 

The diet he fed them at their mid-day meal (they were still eating at home for breakfast and dinner) was: 

  • 4 ounces of tomato juice or orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon of equal parts of very high vitamin natural cod liver oil and an especially high vitamin butter (at the beginning of the meal)
  • 1 pint of stew, full of nutrient-dense homemade stock, made with plenty of bone marrow bones, meat, and vegetables. 
  • Cooked fruit with very little sweetening 
  • Rolls made out of freshly ground whole wheat and lots of pastured butter. 
  • Plus, each child was given two glasses of fresh whole milk. 

Each child had seconds if they wanted it (and many did). This menu regularly varied to include fish chowder or organ meats.

Before the program, Price had carefully examined and taken x-rays of all of the children’s teeth. He reported that, after being in his program, 90% of the children showed signs of arrested cavities. Their cavities weren’t getting worse, and new ones weren’t forming. He also showed through x-rays that some of the children had cavities remineralized. (You can see the x-rays in his book). He also noted improved nutrient levels in their salvia (more on saliva below). 

He found that if they stopped eating his food, they would often start having rapid decay again. 

What’s happening here? First, we should note that this was certainly not a low-sugar or low-carbohydrate diet. They were still eating highly sweetened food in the morning and evening, though this meal would likely help them reduce simple sugars for one meal. But he argues that it was not simply taking out sugary foods but rather adding in nutrient-dense foods. 

What does modern research show us? Here is a sample of what research is showing: 

Vitamin D and Cavities 

Dr. Price noted higher amounts of vitamin D (alongside other nutrients) among traditional diets. He fed children foods high in vitamin D for that reason. Recent research does show a link between vitamin D and dental health. “This systematic review…suggests that supplemental vitamin D was associated with a 47% reduced risk of caries.” Source (PDF) 

Malnutrition and Cavities 

Recent research has shown a connection between malnutrition and cavities. One study shows a relationship between cavities, mouth pain, and malnutrition. Another study found that early malnutrition resulted in more cavities. Other research shows, interestingly, that children who were obese or underweight had more cavities. 

Impacts of sugars and carbohydrates 

There is a dynamic relationship between both simple sugars, and other fermentable carbohydrates, as they “affect the integrity of the teeth, quantity, pH, and composition of the saliva, and plaque pH…” Source 

Furthermore, “The relation between diet and nutrition and oral health and disease can best be described as a synergistic 2-way street. Diet has a local effect on oral health, primarily on the integrity of the teeth, pH, and composition of the saliva and plaque. Nutrition, however, has a systemic effect on the integrity of the oral cavity, including teeth, periodontium (supporting structure of the teeth), oral mucosa, and alveolar bone. Alterations in nutrient intake secondary to changes in diet intake, absorption, metabolism, or excretion can affect the integrity of the teeth, surrounding tissues, and bone as well as the response to wound healing.” 

In short, what we eat does matter. 

One food item Dr. Price added was dairy. Here are two related studies. 

Yogurt is linked to Lower Cavities: 

Research shows that “a high consumption of yogurt may be associated with a lower prevalence of dental caries in young children.” Source 

Cheese linked to Lower Cavities 

Cheese may help prevent cavities because it helps increase saliva (more on that below), it could help inhibit “plaque bacteria,” and “thereby reducing acid production”, and because it increases “alkaline substances, calcium, inorganic phosphate, and casein, which decrease mineralization and enhance remineralization.”

What is Remineralization? 

Dr. Price claims to have seen remineralization in children who were eating a better diet. What does that mean? 

“Tooth remineralization is a reparative process, which occurs naturally and daily inside the mouth. This process repairs the lost enamel (outermost part of the tooth) and helps in preventing cavities.” Source 

Here are two factors that relate to remineralization: 

pH of saliva (impacted by the calcium and phosphate it contains) 

Bacteria in the mouth 

Bacteria 

According to research, cavities are caused “by the interaction of bacteria, mostly Streptococcus mutans, and sugar on tooth enamel surfaces.” Bacteria breaks down carbohydrates and then causes an acidic environment that “leads to demineralization and resultant carious lesions.” 

Saliva’s Role in Remineralization 

Saliva is “one of the most important biological factors” in neutralizing acid exposure. Dental erosion is “directly related to the buffering capacity and rate” of saliva. Saliva helps because it has  a“cleaning and antibacterial action” but also because it is a “constant source of calcium and phosphate.” This is helpful because those minerals “helps in maintaining supersaturation with respect to tooth minerals, therefore inhibiting tooth demineralization during periods of low pH.” 

Do you remember how Dr. Price noted higher nutrients in the saliva of kids eating a better diet? Calcium and phosphate in your saliva are known to help remineralize teeth. I couldn’t find research backing his claims that a more nutrient-dense diet increased minerals in saliva, but it’s an interesting note. 

Because saliva is so important for your dental health, if you have dry mouth (and therefore less saliva), you are much more prone to cavities. Those who sleep with their mouth open, also causing dry mouth, are also more prone to decay. 

Our Experience Working with a Holistic Dentist. 

Besides the typical encouragement to get regular dental cleanings, our dentist also recommended a low sugar and high nutrient diet. Many holistic dentists also discourage eating and drinking all day long, as the constant influx of foods and beverages reduces the pH in your mouth, and therefore prevents teeth from remineralizing. 

She recommended several different avenues to help teeth in their regular remineralization process. One was using both toothpaste and a mouthwash that specifically helps with three things, 1) pH, 2) remineralization substances 3) xylitol (which research has linked to lower amounts of bacteria in the mouth). 

The other rule was to chew xylitol gum after drinking or eating, when not brushing. (I link to the brand recommended by many dentists because it not only has xylitol, but it also keeps the mouth at a better pH). 

Fluoride is the most common remineralization addition to toothpaste, and the products she recommends contain them. Her stance was that research shows the most benefit from using fluoride orally, rather than drinking fluoridated water. If you are looking for an alternative to fluoride that also promotes remineralization, in Japan, they use hydroxyapatite, a mineral that constitutes 90% of our tooth enamel, and that many studies show protects and helps remineralize with similar results as fluoride. Specific brands suggested below.

Products: 

Apagard Premio: Well respected Japanese brand that uses hydroxyapatite (mineralization) and xylitol (anti-bacterial). Boka offers a similar toothpaste, with added essential oils (flavor and anti-bacterial).

Ctx4: This is the system that our dentist recommends. It helps with pH neutralization, uses xylitol (anti-bacterial), fluoride and nano hydroxyapatite for remineralization. 

Coral Nano Silver Toothpaste: Uses xylitol (anti-bacterial), nanosilver solution (antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal) coral calcium (restores proper pH, offers trace minerals for remineralization), and essential oils (antibacterial, anti-inflammatory)

Zellies Xylitol Gum

Mouthwatchers Toothbrushes: The fine bristles cleans teeth better than a typical toothbrush, and the silver in it helps prevent bacterial growth

Probiotics for the Mouth: Because good bacteria is just as important as not having bad bacteria in the mouth.

Filed Under: For the Love of Food and Books, Health, Nutrient Dense Foods Tagged With: Causes Tooth Decay, Cure Tooth Decay, Dental Caries, Malnutrition, Nutrient Dense, Nutrient Dense Foods, Teeth, Teeth Health, Tooth Decay, Traditional Dieting, Vitamin, Weston A Price

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The information you find here at The Nourishing Gourmet is meant to help you become a better cook! This site is primarily for sharing family friendly recipes. It's not meant to give medical advice or to make any health claims on the prevention or curing of diseases.This site is only for informational and educational purposes. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding in supplements or making any changes in your diet. Also, any links to sponsors or affiliates (including Amazon) may give me a percentage of the sale or a pay per click. Thank you for supporting this site.

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