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Chicken Liver: Nutrition
Intermittent Feasting
Mind, Body, Smile
Facts and Top 10 & Fasting
Podcast
Keto, Carnivore,
Benefits Nutrition

By Thomas Wrona Updated on January 3, 2022 — Medically

Reviewed and Certified by Dr. Robert Kiltz

Tags: Chicken liver, Organ Meat

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Table of Contents
What is Chicken Liver? Health Concerns

Nutrition Facts How to Include Chicken

Liver in Your Diet
Top 10 Chicken Liver
Nutrition Benefits The Takeaway on Chicken
Liver’s Benefits
Chicken liver Benefits vs.

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Liver is one of the healthiest foods on the planet, Daily Information and Inspiration
and the nutrition packed into chicken liver offers
numerous health benefits.

While organ meats may not be as popular as they

once were, the nose-to-tail diet trend and new
attention given their super-nutrient profile is helping
them make a much-deserved comeback.

Let’s take a closer look at the nutritional content

and top health benefits of chicken liver.
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What is Chicken Liver?

Chicken liver, as you might expect, refers to the liver
ROBERT KILTZ, MD | THE KETO CARNIV…
of a healthy chicken.

Chicken liver’s classification is less obvious. It’s not

considered to be red meat or white meat; it’s simply
organ meat, or offal. Chicken liver might come from
a chicken, but the nutritional difference between it
and, say, a chicken thigh or breast couldn’t be much
greater. [1] [2]

Chicken Liver (1 Chicken Breast (1

Nutrient oz) oz)

Calories 48 calories 55 calories

Fat 1.8 grams 2.2 grams

Vitamin A 81% 0.6%

Vitamin C 1% 0%

Vitamin D 0% 0%

Riboflavin 38% 2%

Folate 39% 0.2%

Vitamin 99% 1.4%

B12

Selenium 35% 10%

Chicken liver is so high in certain nutrients that it’s

best viewed as a supplemental food. Unless you’re
severely anemic, you probably don’t need to be
ingesting it every single day. [3]

Nutrition Facts
Like nearly every other animal liver (besides polar
bear liver), chicken liver is impressively rich in
nutrients. [4] Here are the nutritional highlights
found in just 100 grams of liver.

Chicken Liver Nutrition: Calories

and Macros
Chicken liver has a high protein, zero-carb
macronutrient profile that makes it a perfect
addition to any keto or carnivore diet. 100 grams of
liver contains:

Nutrient Amount % of Recommended Daily

Value (RDV)

Calories 116 6%
calories

Total 0 0%
Carbohydrate grams

Total Protein 16.9 34%

grams

Total Fat 4.8 7%

grams

Chicken Liver Nutrition: Vitamins

Chicken liver is unusually rich in vitamin A and
vitamin C. 100 grams of liver contains:

Nutrient Amount % of Recommended Daily Value

(RDV)

Vitamin 11077 222%

A IU

Vitamin 17.9 mg 30%

C

Vitamin 0 mg 0%
D

Vitamin 0.7 mg 4%
E

Vitamin 0.0 mcg 0%

K

Chicken Liver Nutrition: Minerals

Chicken liver offers a wide spectrum of essential
minerals, especially B12, selenium, and iron. 100
grams of liver contains:

Nutrient Amount % of Recommended Daily

Value (RDV)

Thiamin 0.3 mg 20%

Riboflavin 1.8 mg 105%

Niacin 9.7 mg 49%

Vitamin B6 0.9 mg 43%

Folate 577 mg 147%

Vitamin B12 16.6 276%

mcg

Pantothenic 6.2 mg 62%

Acid

Choline 194 mg –

Betaine 16.9 mg –

Calcium 8.0 mg 1%

Iron 9.0 mg 50%

Magnesium 19.0 mg 5%

Phosphorus 297 mg 30%

Potassium 230 mg 7%

Sodium 71 mg 3%

Zinc 2.7 mg 18%

Manganese 0.3 mg 13%

Selenium 54.6 78%

mcg

Top 10 Chicken Liver Nutrition

Benefits

1. Rich in Iron.
Iron is an essential mineral that helps our bodies
stay oxygenated. [5]

If you don’t eat enough iron, you risk becoming

anemic. Common symptoms of anemia include
fatigue, shortness of breath, cold extremities, and
headaches. [6] Women are especially susceptible to
developing anemia, since menstruation, pregnancy,
and childbirth all increase iron demands.

Chicken liver is rich enough in highly absorbable

heme iron to make a tangible impact on serum iron
levels. [7] If you’re a menstruating woman, pregnant
mother, or hard-training athlete, consider using liver
as a safeguard against anemia.

2. Low in Calories.
While most people are able to reach their ideal
weight just by switching over to a high fat, low carb
diet, calories are still relevant.

Chicken liver is simultaneously high in protein and

low in calories — and that makes it a great choice
for people who want to improve their body
composition. Adding just a small portion of chicken
liver to a meal may increase its overall satiety (that
is, you’ll feel full faster, and you’ll stay full longer)..

3. Rich in Protein.
Chicken liver is 73% protein by calories. 100 grams
of chicken liver contains 116 calories, 85 of which
come directly from protein.

The quality of chicken liver protein is also impressive.

It’s a complete protein that’s especially rich in the
antiviral, anti-inflammatory amino acid lysine. [8]

4. Chicken Liver is Loaded with B

vitamins.
If we had to choose a single metric to best highlight
chicken liver’s nutritional value, we’d probably point
to its B vitamin content.

Chicken liver is rich in some of the most important B

vitamins. This quality makes it helpful to pregnant
mothers, growing children, and anyone else who
needs an extra boost of pro-metabolic energy. [9]
100 grams of liver contains:

Vitamin B12 16.6 mcg 276%

Folate 577 mg 147%

Riboflavin 1.8 mg 105%

Pantothenic Acid 6.2 mg 62%

Niacin 9.7 mg 49%

Vitamin B6 0.9 mg 43%

B1 (Thiamin) 0.36 mg 24%

5. Chicken Liver Supports Dental

Health.
Chicken liver’s dental health benefits were first
discovered nearly a hundred years ago.

It all began when a dentist named Dr. Weston A.

Price traveled around the globe to study the
traditional diets of 14 different groups. Though the
diets of these peoples varied depending on their
respective climates, every diet had one interesting
feature in common: organ meats.

Lab analysis of organ meats like liver found that

they were high in fat-soluble vitamins, including the
yet-to-be-discovered vitamin K2, which Price
dubbed “activator X.” [10]

The full role of vitamin K2 is still being elucidated,

but Price knew enough from his early research to
conclude that it could strengthen bones, foster
development, and remineralize teeth.

If you’d like to improve your dental health, don’t

neglect chicken liver. 3.5 ounces of chicken liver
contains 12 micrograms of K2 — more than 10% of
your RDV.

6. Supports Healthy Blood

Chicken liver also supports your body’s production of
healthy, fully oxygenated blood. Its natural
combination of heme iron and B vitamins is perfect
for people who have anemia or other red blood cell
problems. [11]

Even people with already-healthy blood may benefit

from taking chicken liver as a preventative measure
against future deficiencies.

7. Packed with Vitamin A.

Chicken liver is high enough in vitamin A to be a
boon to anyone interested in improving the health of
their eyes, skin, hair, and nails. That’s because
vitamin A plays a vital role in cellular turnover in
your eyes and skin cells. It’s also a vital precursor
(building block) for important eye pigments like
rhodopsin.

Indeed, good things happen when your body is

replete in vitamin A. Many people notice clearer skin,
stronger hair, and better night vision once they
incorporate chicken liver or beef liver into their diets.

Chicken liver’s ultra-high vitamin A content is also

the primary reason why it shouldn’t be eaten too
often. Vitamin A becomes damaging when your body
has too little or too much, so consider eating liver
just once or twice a week. [12]

8. Supports Organ Health.

One of the most fascinating things about eating
animal organs is their ability to provide health and
vitality to your internal organs. Like attracts like, as
the old saying goes.

In addition to protecting your dental and eye health,

chicken liver’s vitamin A content may strengthen
your immune system’s thymus gland [13] , improve
your brain’s metabolic rate [14] , and help your heart
function properly. [15]

9. A Great Source of Selenium.

Just 100 grams of chicken liver contains over 100%
of your recommended daily value for selenium.

As a pro-thyroid, pro-immunity mineral, selenium

may have an added layer of importance in modern
times. It’s so important for the health of one’s
immune system that some experts believe selenium
deficiency enabled COVID 19’s quick initial spread
throughout Asia. [16]

Selenium is also a vital component of endogenously

produced proteins called selenoproteins. These
special proteins handle everything from reproductive
health to DNA synthesis. [17]

10. Chicken Liver is Unusually

rich in vitamin C.
As a general rule of thumb, most animal products
are low in vitamin C and other antioxidants.

Chicken liver provides a welcome exception to this

rule. Just 100 grams of liver contains nearly a third
of your body’s daily vitamin C needs. This vitamin C
content is yet another way that chicken liver may
boost your immune system and quench
inflammation/oxidation. [18]

Another benefit of vitamin C: improved skin tone.

Vitamin C can boost your skin’s collagen production
and increase its resistance to the damaging aspects
of sunlight. [19] No wonder people who eat liver
consistently report having better skin.

Getting vitamin C from animal products is essential

for people on a carnivore diet, making chicken liver a
vital addition to a well-formulated carnivore diet
meal plan.

Chicken liver Benefits vs.

Health Concerns
The idea that the liver is a ‘detox organ’ has pushed
many health-conscious people away from eating it.

The reality is that an animal’s liver is more of a

processing plant than a detoxing filter. The liver
receives metabolic products, identifies them, and
then reacts in the safest way possible. Far from
collecting toxins, it works to render them inert and
quickly expel them.

Even the livers of unhealthy animals are nutrient-

dense. A 2007 study of liver, kidney, and muscle
meat from randomly selected animals found that all
three types of tissue collected similarly low amounts
of toxins. [20]

Source your chicken liver from a local organic farm if

you can, but keep in mind that even store-bought
liver has far more pros than cons.

Is Chicken Liver safe for

Pregnant Women?
Yes, chicken liver is safe for pregnant women — in
the proper amounts.

While some studies have linked preformed vitamin A

(the kind found in liver) to birth defects, only large
amounts of vitamin A have this effect. [21]

Pregnant women can easily err on the side of

caution by eating no more than an ounce of chicken
or beef liver a week throughout their pregnancy.

Is chicken liver safe for people

with gout?
Chicken liver is also a safe food for people with gout.
Gout is a painful type of arthritis caused by uric acid
buildup in the joints. [22] Since liver is high in the
purine precursors that your body uses to form uric
acid, some experts suggest that people with gout
should limit liver and other animal products. [23]

But the truth is that human biochemistry isn’t so

simple. Much like elevated ‘bad’ cholesterol may be a
signal that something more serious is going on,
elevated uric acid levels likely point to a larger
problem.

This concept is anecdotally confirmed by the fact

that gout is less of a problem — not more of a
problem — when one is following a high-purine
carnivore diet.

Gout may be more likely to begin with a buildup of

toxins in the gut than with a buildup of uric acid in
the joints. [24]

How to Include Chicken Liver in

Your Diet
Though chicken liver’s nutrition profile is pretty
loveable, the same can’t be said of its taste. Here are
some ways to make it more palatable.

Chicken liver recipe ideas

Pan-fry chicken liver with onions, mushrooms, or
other low-antinutrient veggies.

Chop and mince chicken liver together with

tomatoes and pastured chicken/beef to make
bolognese sauce.

Incorporate small amounts of chicken liver into

scrambled eggs.

How to mask the taste of chicken

liver
Use your favorite seasoning blend.

Soak the liver in milk or lemon juice before

cooking; this will reduce the strong flavor.

Make homemade chicken liver pâté.

The Takeaway on Chicken

Liver’s Benefits
Chicken liver’s uniquely rich nutrition profile makes it
a worthy addition to any nourishing diet. It’s rich in
fat-soluble vitamins, B vitamins, complete protein,
heme iron, selenium, and more.

This impressive nutrient profile allows for an equally

impressive set of health benefits.

Just to recap, chicken liver is:

1. Rich in oxygenating iron

2. Low in calories

3. Rich in complete protein

4. Loaded with B vitamins

5. Supports dental health

6. Supports healthy blood

7. Packed with preformed Vitamin A

8. Supports your organ health

9. Rich in selenium

10. Rich in vitamin C

Article Sources

1. Chicken liver nutrition facts & calories

2. George Richards Minot

3. The vitamin A content and toxicity of bear and seal liver

4. Iron biology in immune function, muscle metabolism and

neuronal functioning

5. Measuring fatigue and other anemia-related symptoms

with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT)
measurement system

6. Availability of iron from chicken meat and liver given to

rats

7. Lysine

8. Vitamin B: A Key to Energy

9. On the Trail of the Elusive X-Factor: A Sixty-Two-Year-Old

Mystery Finally Solved

10. The Development of Liver Therapy in Pernicious Anemia

11. Vitamin A

12. Effects of retinoic acid on the immune system:

stimulation of T killer cell induction

13. Molecular and cellular effects of vitamin B12 in brain,

myocardium and liver through its role as co-factor of
methionine synthase

14. The role of B vitamins in the management of heart failure

15. China and COVID-19 Virus: The Selenium Connection

16. Selenium

17. Vitamin C and Immune Function

18. Vitamin C and Skin Health

19. Toxic and essential metals in liver, kidney, and muscle of

pigs at slaughter in Galicia, north-west Spain

20. Teratogenicity of high vitamin A intake

21. Gout

22. Uric acid as a danger signal in gout and its comorbidities

23. Can Microbiomes Treat Gout One Day?

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