Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (2024)

I’ll be honest I have never been a fan of liver. I was served liver & bacon as a child and usedto wolf the bacon and reluctantly eat the liver! However, when I went on a training course tobecome a certified genetic testing practitioner and learned about how important it is to have the correct nutrients to nurture our DNA, I was determined to find a way to enjoy it.

Scroll down for the recipe, but here’s some snippets as to why liver is so good for your gut…

What’s so great about liver?
Liver deserves its status as a superfood because it is the most nutrient dense part of an animal. It is ideal for those with inflammatory or autoimmune conditions to support gut healing. It is also supportive for your immune system, skin, gut and may help prevent bleeding gums.

Liver fact # 1: Organ meats are between 10-100 times higher in nutrients thancorresponding muscle meats.

Liver fact #2: Liver is a good source of vitamin A which is one of the most important
gut-healing vitamins.

Liver fact #3: Liver is rich in B vitamins which are crucial for cognitive & neurological
processes plus iron & COQ10 for energy.

How does it help my DNA?
Liver is rich in nucleotides which form the basis of your genes and DNA repair. A nucleotide is
the basic building block of nucleic acids: RNA and DNA.

Nucleotides play a central role in metabolism at a cellular level. They provide the power throughout the cell for the many cellular functions that demand energy (think energy
currency).

This includes:

1. Protein and cell membrane synthesis (think letting good nutrients in and keepingunwanted molecules out of the cell)
2. Cell division (think growth & repair)
3. Cell signalling (think hormones).
4. Important cofactors of enzymatic reactions (enzymes speed up reactions in your body –there are approximately 1300 different enzymes in a human cell).
These nucleotides play a huge role in our body and liver is able to provide these nutrients.

How can I get it my diet without the taste?
Worry not, if you don’t fancy the pate you can try grinding liver in a food processor, then addto bolognaise, chillies, stews or blend it into gravies or sauces. It doesn’t matter if you do this cooked or raw as long as you remember which and cook it through for around 10 minutes.

Should I be worried about it being high in toxins?
This is a common objection to eating liver. Yes, it is true the liver’s job is to eliminate toxins, but you need not worry. Toxins don’t get stored in the liver, but actually in fatty tissues and the nervous system.

How often should I be eating liver?
Shoot for once a week to support your overall health, your DNA, energy levels, immune
support & gut healing.

What type of liver should I buy?
As with all meats, aim for grass-fed and organic if possible.

Anything else I need to know?
Yes! Eating nose-to-tail is ecologically sound, sustainable & very, very cost effective. The
quantity of chicken liver required for this pate costs between 60p and £2.50 depending on
quality.

Chicken Liver Pate Recipe

Makes: 3-4 ramekins for 8-10 people
Prep & cook time: 30 minutes (plus 10 mins cooling time)

Ramekins are great when you want the pate to look nice. They freeze beautifully and the butter top stays immaculate. But for every day, I put into ice cube trays to freeze, then defrost a small amount for one lunch. This way you don’t feel you need to use up the whole ramekin.

Ingredients

3 spring onions
25g butter or vegan butter (for frying)
260g chicken livers
1 tsp garlic (2 cloves)
1 tsp rosemary
2 tbsp dill
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp dry mustard powder
40g butter, softened to add to pate (plus extra for melting on top if putting into ramekins)
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Make me!
1. Chop spring onions.

2. Melt butter in a medium frying pan. Add liver & spring onion. Cook for 10 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally until the liver is browned.

3. While the liver is cooking, chop the garlic, rosemary & dill and add to a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add the mustard powder and keep to one side.

4. When the liver is browned, add the bowl contents to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes. Allow to cool (transfer to a plate to cool more quickly).

5. Whizz up in your food processor with softened butter and season to taste.

6. Place in your ramekins or ice cube moulds.

7. Pour extra melted butter over the ramekins to preserve, cover and chill or freeze. This does look nice if you are serving to others. I tend to reserve a bit of fresh dill to pop in the butter top before chilling or freezing.

Suggested Reading: Check out theGrape Jelly Blogif you want a gut-healing recipe for a sweet tooth!

WHAT you eat is important, but the HOW and WHEN to eat is just as crucial for your tummy to thrive. Check out the3 Steps to Control Your Gut (And Still Eat Your Favourite Food) masterclassto learn why.

Jane Barrett is a registered nutritionist and expert in digestive health helping women &
children with digestive issues take control of their health through food. She offers support
through meal plans, online groups & personalised 1:1 programmes on Zoom.

Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (1)Grab your FREE eBook 10 Steps to Happy Digestion here.

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (3)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:49 pm

      I try to stay on your shoulder Christine! Have you tried this recipe yet?

      Reply

  1. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (4)

    Bev Reed on 5th March 2021 at 1:29 pm

    I may be forced to try it. I actually do like liver pate if it’s nicely done, but it really does need to be very smooth!!!

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (5)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:48 pm

      Yes smooth pate is lovely – just make sure you have a good food processor or use a high powered blender such as a Vitamix

      Reply

  2. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (6)

    Audrey Lemargue on 5th March 2021 at 3:40 pm

    This is a fantastic way to get people to eat liver more often. I am a big advocate myself and always struggle to get people to eat it.

    I am definitely going to try this one

    Thank you

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (7)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:47 pm

      I like a sneaky idea and many of my clients have succeeded with adding an ice cube size to bolognaises or curries, I whiz them up raw and freeze as ice cubes

      Reply

  3. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (8)

    See Also
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    Lisa on 5th March 2021 at 4:07 pm

    Yuk, yuk, yuk! Liver has not passed my lips since childhood and I don’t plan on changing that. Some 30 odd years later, I can still remember the taste of Liver. I didn’t realise that processed liver would still pack a decent nutritional punch, however, I don’t eat offal and can still remember the taste and texture of various plates. Curiously, I did used to like Duck pate.

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (9)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:45 pm

      It can be a marmite food – never mind we can’t all like everything. Childhood offal has a lot to answer for!

      Reply

  4. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (10)

    Marica on 5th March 2021 at 9:31 pm

    So funny, we have just discovered liver ‘alla veneziana’ aka with olive oil and onions ? my boys loved it!! And now i feel all chuffed too ? we ate calves liver not chicken’s. Does that matter?

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (11)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:44 pm

      Great news your boys like it. Any liver is fine, same nutrient profile, chicken is milder so hence why I made the recipe with that.

      Reply

  5. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (12)

    Jane Louise Shilladay on 6th March 2021 at 12:02 pm

    I’m making this next week… not sure my kids would eat liver but they do like pate!

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (13)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:43 pm

      Get it in any way you can, mine have their hidden in bolognaises and gravy as they won’t eat pate.

      Reply

  6. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (14)

    Ann on 6th March 2021 at 11:09 pm

    Thank you Jane especially for helpful tips on disguising liver in dishes (bolognaise being a good one). And giving the nutritional facts – I am not a fan at all of liver, but will source organic and give it a go! Got to be done! Xxx

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (15)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:42 pm

      Good to hear Ann, disguising works really well!

      Reply

  7. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (16)

    Linda on 7th March 2021 at 7:14 pm

    Hi Jane

    I’ve never been a fan of liver. Like you, as a child, I was given pigs or lambs liver with a fry-up, or liver and onions and I would always leave the liver. I’ve heard stories about liver going off too and literally ‘shaking’ because it was so full of bacteria. Yuk!

    However, this recipe with chicken livers does sound delicious and may tempt me to try it again now that a I have my shiny new Vitamix. Thank you.

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (17)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th March 2021 at 4:41 pm

      It’s worth a try, it is unbelievably good for you! I got over my childhood fear…and you can too!

      Reply

  8. Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (18)

    Philippa on 18th April 2021 at 8:50 am

    I’d like to try this but don’t eat dairy. I’m assuming you do t have to put the butter on top or you could use vegan butter? Many thanks!

    Reply

    • Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (19)

      Jane Barrett (admin) on 19th April 2021 at 12:57 pm

      Yes vegan butter works well, I use the Naturli block

      Reply

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Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition (2024)

FAQs

Liver: A Potent Superfood For Your Gut (With Pate Recipe) - Nurturing Nutrition? ›

What's so great about liver? Liver deserves its status as a superfood because it is the most nutrient dense part of an animal. It is ideal for those with inflammatory or autoimmune conditions to support gut healing. It is also supportive for your immune system, skin, gut and may help prevent bleeding gums.

Is liver pate good or bad for you? ›

Liver and liver products, such as liver pâté and liver sausage, are a good source of iron, as well as being a rich source of vitamin A.

What are the pros and cons of eating liver? ›

Liver is low in calories and rich in high quality protein, all while providing an incredible amount of vital nutrients. For most people, liver can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. However, it should be eaten in limited amounts if you are pregnant and avoided if you have gout.

What happened when I started eating beef liver? ›

Improved energy, brain function, and mood.

Liver, especially beef and lamb liver, is one of the best sources of vitamin B12 of any food. A 3-ounce serving of beef liver has 59 micrograms, while 4 ounces of chicken liver has 18.8. This more than satisfies your daily value of 2.4 micrograms.

What is the most nutritious liver? ›

Gram for gram, beef liver is probably the most nutritious food on earth. This nutrient-dense organ meat contains substantial amounts of vitamin B12, copper, and many other essential nutrients.

What are the disadvantages of pâté? ›

Nutritional Disadvantages

Although pâté boosts your mineral and vitamin intake, you should consume it in moderation because it's high in fat and moderately high in cholesterol. Each ounce of pâté contains 8 grams of total fat, which includes 2.7 grams of saturated fatty acids.

Why is liver pate so expensive? ›

Pate Foie Gras is French for fat liver paste. It is a luxury item because few countries allow it to be made, due to the extreme cruelty involved. It is the cancerous liver of a duck or goose fattened by force in a process known as gavage. Birds spend their lives in semi-darkness.

What is the super food for the liver? ›

Here are some foods that are good choices for your liver
  • Lean proteins. Getting enough protein is crucial for your liver, and lean chicken, turkey, fish and beef are good options. ...
  • Fruits and vegetables. ...
  • Olive oil. ...
  • Nuts and seeds. ...
  • Oatmeal. ...
  • Coffee and tea.
Mar 3, 2023

How much pate is safe to eat? ›

not eating liver or liver products, such as pate, more than once a week - or having smaller portions of these.

Why does eating liver make you feel good? ›

Liver is High in Iron

Chicken liver, in particular, is packed with iron. The iron found in livers is easily digested by the body. Iron helps the body to create red blood cells and keeps your blood healthy. Increasing your iron intake can also help to combat fatigue.

Is the liver bad for blood pressure? ›

Beef liver is loaded with micronutrients like these B vitamins: Folate (vitamin B9) for lower blood pressure and healthy fetal development during pregnancy. Thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and niacin (vitamin B3) for energy and cell function.

How many times a week should I eat beef liver? ›

Having 1-3 servings per week of fresh beef liver (about 3 ounces per serving) is a typical recommendation, since this is enough to provide a significant amount of vitamins and minerals. Stick with one serving of liver supplements daily (usually about 3–6 capsules, depending on the brand), though.

Are liver and onions good for you? ›

Also called offal, organ meats have been included in traditional diets for thousands of years, such as in the form of liver and onions. Packed with vitamin A, iron, B vitamins, protein and much more, liver may help prevent anemia, support fertility, aid in detoxification and prevent certain nutrient deficiencies.

Are bananas good for the liver? ›

Bananas: Bharadwaj also suggests bananas for fatty liver disease patients. They are a storehouse f vitamin B6, C and A and also high in resistant starch, which is good for liver health. 5. Cranberries: Just like blueberries, you need to also add cranberries to the diet.

What foods are most damaging to the liver? ›

beer, wine, liquor, and other alcohol. foods with high levels of added sugar, such as candy, sodas, and fruit juices. fried or highly processed foods, such as bread, rice, and pasta made from white flour. red meat, especially beef and pork, and other sources of added sodium.

Is liver pate a processed meat? ›

Processed meat includes bacon, ham (raw, smoked or cooked), heated sausages like hot-dogs (frankfurters), raw sausages (like salami), bologna, blood sausage (UK: black pudding), liver pâté (or liverwurst) and other pâtés and spread meat, luncheon meat and other cold cuts, canned meat, and corned beef (7, 8).

Is liverwurst pâté healthy? ›

Rich in B and A vitamins

A modest ¼ cup of liverwurst sports 123.67% of your daily B-12 intake, which supports nerve function and your brain by insulating your nerves and keeping blood cells healthy. You also get a smattering of other vitamins including B6 and Vitamin A, or retinol.

Is cod liver pate healthy? ›

The vitamins (A, D, E, K) fatty acids and coenzyme Q10 found in cod liver may benefit your eyesight! Vitamin D, which can be found aplenty in cod liver oil, plays an important part in the health of teeth and bones. Regular consumption helps boost the immune system.

What are the health benefits of beef liver pâté? ›

In addition to their good vitamin profile, animal livers such as beef liver are also rich in minerals, including zinc, iron, phosphorus, selenium, and copper. These minerals are good for the body in the following ways: Zinc supports the immune system. Iron is essential for proper hemoglobin production.

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