First, a caveat: no single food is able to supply all our vitamin needs. “You can only get a complete diet by varying the foods in your diet”, says nutritionist Daniela Silveira, from Unifesp. But, so as not to leave the question unanswered, we can say that, until proven otherwise, the most complete food is the liver (of any animal), which has at least a little bit of all 13 vitamins our bodies need. .
“Thanks to the intense metabolism in the body of any animal, the liver concentrates many nutrients”, says nutrologist Sílvia Cozzolino, from USP. Some nutritional tables point out that the liver is lacking in vitamins C and E, but, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) table, these substances exist in the composition of the liver, although in small amounts – a glass of orange juice has the same amount of vitamin C as 155 steaks of beef liver.
So you must be wondering why it is not healthy to eat only liver until you complete the daily quota of vitamins that we need. The answer is simple: although liver is rich in vitamins, it also has components that are harmful to our health, such as cholesterol – a liver steak has 50% more cholesterol than what is recommended to be consumed in a day. In addition, consuming some vitamins in excess can also be harmful.
Studies suggest, for example, that vitamin A, abundant in meat and especially in the liver, when ingested in excess, accumulates in our liver, which can lead to serious problems, such as cancer. Other vitamins, such as C, are not harmful, but neither do they make you healthier: normally, the excess comes out in the pee.
almighty steak
The 13 vitamins distributed in a beef liver
Vitamin A
Function – Maintains the health of the eyes, skin, hair and mucous membranes
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 9.2 mg
Daily requirement – Between 0.6 and 0.9 mg
Vitamin B1
Function – Acts in the production of energy and in the health of nerves and muscles
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 0.21 mg
Daily requirement – Between 0.9 and 1.2 mg
B12 vitamin
Function – Preserves the health of the nervous system
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 99.76 mg
Daily requirement – Between 1.8 and 2.4 mg
Vitamin B2
Function – Participates in general metabolism, aiding healing
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 4.11 mg
Daily requirement – Between 0.9 and 1.3 mg
Vitamin B6
Function – Helps in the formation of red blood cells
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 1.23 mg
Daily requirement – Between 1 and 1.7 mg
folate
Function – Important in the composition of genetic material and cell division
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 0.31 mg
Daily requirement – Between 0.3 and 0.4 mg
Pantothenic acid
Function – Assists in the production of antibodies
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 8.33 mg
Daily requirement – Between 4 and 5 mg
Biotin
Function – Acts in the metabolism of amino acids and fats
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 0.031 mg*
Daily requirement – Between 0.02 and 0.03 mg
Vitamin C
Function – Aids healing and prevents infections
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 0.8 mg
Daily requirement – Between 45 and 90 mg
Vitamin D
Function – Essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus
Amount in one steak (120g) of beef liver – 0.48 mcg (micrograms)**
Daily requirement – Between 5 and 15 mcg
Vitamin E
Function – Prevents cardiovascular problems and delays aging
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 0.55 mg
Daily requirement – Between 11 and 15 mg
Vitamin K
Function – Helps blood to clot, preventing bleeding
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 4.7 mcg
Daily requirement – Between 60 and 120 mcg
niacin
Function – Aids in digestion and blood circulation
Amount in a steak (120g) of beef liver – 20.97 mg
Daily requirement – Between 12 and 16 mg
Sources: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Institute of Medicine of the United States National Academy of Sciences
* Not listed in the USDA chart. Data provided by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University
** Data referring to 120 grams of raw beef liver. The other numbers are for grilled steak
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