People eating a carnivore diet may be missing essential vitamins and nutrients. Overall, beef liver is richer in both retinol (active vitamin A) and carotenoids than steak: the average beef liver has 1398 mcg of retinol per ounce, whereas most commercial steak will contain anywhere from about 0 – 15% that amount [2, 3, 5, 6, 4]. Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. Alpha-iminoglutarate formation by beef liver L-glutamate dehydrogenase. 100 g (3.5 oz) of soft cheese (such as Brie or camembert) contains about 506 mcg [44]. Information is shared for educational purposes only. Plant polyphenols are potent antioxidants that combat cancer, infections, heart disease, and more. Joe Cohen won the genetic lottery of bad genes. Unlike plant foods, meats are low in this mineral. Jonathan Ritter, PharmD, PhD (Pharmacology), helpful for autoimmune and inflammatory problems, 12 IBD (Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s) Contributing Factors, 5 Benefits of CBD Oil for Dogs + Dosage, Safety & Reviews, DMAE Skin & Brain Health Benefits + Dosage & Side Effects, Multivitamin (must contain: vitamin A, B9, Biotin, C, E, K, boron). Some cuts of high-quality, lean beef may contain 17.5 mcg of vitamin K per 100 g of meat [37, 40, 41]. People on the carnivore diet can’t get enough boron without taking a supplement. Long-term vitamin C deficiency will deplete your stores and eventually lead to scurvy, which manifests symptoms like irritability, tooth loss, bone damage, skin lesions, and more. Like chicken liver, most people do not eat much of beef tallow these days. You could get enough vitamin K by consuming chicken and grass-fed beef. Unlike a steak, beef liver is exceptionally high in vitamin A. [2, 3, 4]. You could also try roe (300 mg per 100 g) or snails (250 mg per 100 g) [74, 34]. For example, a 2.5 ounce serving of beef liver provides you with 32 mcg of iodine. 2 of 13 Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Tin and Arsenic in Food TOXICOLOGY FACTSHEET SERIES In addition to the overall responsibility placed on FBOs by the General Food Law (Directive 178/2002) to supply safe food, FBOs must Smidge Beef Liver is in its purest form; grass-fed, full fat and as close to nature as possible. Treats Nutritional Facts Ash 5%, Calories (per 5 g) 20", Carbohydrate 12%, Crude fat 11%, Crude fiber 0.1% If you include dairy in your diet, whole milk and cheese are rich in menaquinones, a form of vitamin K2. Unwrap the beef liver and lay flat on a layer of paper towels. Always check people’s claims against their sources to make sure you have the best information available. Milk has a lot of calcium, but many of the people drawn to the carnivore diet claim that milk causes health problems for them [58, 55, 59]. The following meal scenarios assume that a person eats about 2 pounds of meat per day and use the daily recommended mineral intake for men: One way to increase your magnesium intake might be to eat more salmon and less chicken. The symptoms of biotin deficiency include hair loss, rashes, and neurological disorders; folate deficiency can cause a type of anemia with large, deformed red blood cells [15, 16]. The daily recommended intake of vitamin K is 90 – 120 mcg. In another animal study, female rats consuming water very high in boron (100 mg/L) for 21 d had increased plasma boron concentrations without accumulating boron in liver and brain ( 34 ). People on the carnivore diet can’t get enough boron without taking a supplement. Vitamin C is easy to get from fruits and vegetables but extremely difficult to source from meat [21, 22]. Forrest Harold Nielsen, Boron deprivation decreases liver S-adenosylmethionine and spermidine and increases plasma homocysteine and cysteine in rats, Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 10.1016/j.jtemb.200923 The following meal scenarios assume that a person eats about 2 pounds of meat per day and use the daily recommended vitamin intake for men: If you add 100 g (about 3.5 oz) of beef spleen to the last scenario, you could get 86.6 mg of vitamin C, which is right on the edge. 8. Fiber is also beneficial because the gut bacteria use it to produce short-chain fatty acids such as butyrate, an anti-inflammatory compound that nourishes the lining of the large intestine [96]. SelfHacked © 2013 – 2020 All Rights Reserved. The standard ICP-AES analysis determined the con- centration to be 7.8 _+ 0.3 ~g boron g-~ (n You may not be able to source it on a strict carnivore diet. Vitamin A is important for the function of the eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs. Besides shellfish and beef tripe, substituting some beef for grass–fed bison (11.5 mg in 3.5 oz) may do the trick [85]. Nevertheless, a growing body of research suggests they are necessary for optimal human health and to prevent oxidation of cells that leads to faster cell death. Only eating meat for the rest of your life: for some, it might sound too good to be true. 3 ounces of beef liver provides many times that. Very high-quality, pasture-raised South American beef can contain as much as 2.5 mg of vitamin C per 100 g of meat, but this is the exception, not the rule [22]. Here's how to get enough on a plant-based diet! 100 g of blue mussels contain 3-6 mg of manganese. That’s because its Strict carnivores don’t get dietary fiber. Hence, vitamin C is a very difficult essential nutrient to get in a carnivore diet. Meat liver is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the earth packed with B vitamins, iron and vitamin A. Liver has been shown to prevent anaemia, aid detoxification and support fertility. You would have to eat a variety of organ meats, raw or lightly cooked. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health. If you do not eat butter or lard, then grass-fed beef tallow would be a great You must consult your doctor before acting on any content on this website, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition. Octopus and salmon are decent sources. The daily recommended intake of calcium is 1,000 – 1,200 mg for an adult. 12 This makes nuts another easy way to ramp up the intake of boron. Soak the liver in a dish or bowl of milk for 30-60 minutes. Most research on vitamin A toxicity concerns oral supplements of retinol; however, to reduce the risk of long-term vitamin A toxicity, you may consider eating liver on some days and replacing it with other organ meats, mollusks, and fish on others [13, 14]. These vitamins aren’t the most difficult to get from meat sources, but organs are richer than muscle meat cuts. Some proponents use low-sodium, high-potassium salt substitutes. Grass-fed steak may have as much as 740 mcg of beta-carotene per kilogram of meat! Note, however, that many potassium salt products have additives such as MSG and MSG-like derivatives. SelfHacked has the strictest sourcing guidelines in the health industry and we almost exclusively link to medically peer-reviewed studies, usually on PubMed. In the meal scenarios below, we don’t count the nutrients that you would get from Himalayan salt. The following meal scenarios assume that a person eats about 2 pounds of meat per day and compare to the minimum “normal” nutrient intake of 0.8 mg per day [47]: Calcium is vital for bone formation, blood pressure regulation, muscle contraction, nerve function, and hormone signaling [52]. However, some strict carnivores may think of these compounds as “plant toxins” they are trying to avoid. Boron is not considered an “essential nutrient,” but low boron intake has been linked to problems with immune function, bone health, brain health, and hormone production [45]. The carnivore diet may increase your risk of vitamin A deficiency unless you consume liver (beef, chicken or pork). All of the studies on an animal-based diet were either very short (a few days), case studies of Antarctic explorers or victims of scurvy, or reviews of cultural practices which always involve at least some plants. However, no side effects are expected with up to 350 mg per day of supplemental magnesium [78, 79]. Most meal plans are severely deficient. If you drink milk, fortified plant-based milks, or eat dairy products like yogurt, you won’t need to worry about calcium. In studies with yearling beef heifers, the percentage of filtered boron that was reabsorbed decreased as the amount of filtered boron increased (). Fiber feeds your gut bacteria, which are essential for immunity, nutrient digestion, reducing inflammation, and more. Meat contains no fiber [94, 93]. It’s very hard to get these foods on a steady basis, so you will likely need to supplement with manganese on a carnivore diet. Different liver meats, especially fowl and beef liver, are rich in these vitamins. It is crucial to get enough vitamin C in your diet, so consider supplementing to reach your daily recommended intake. However, even if you eat the best quality beef steaks, it may be difficult to get enough vitamin E without looking to other sources [2, 3]. Note that each number in parentheses [1, 2, 3, etc.] I like to cook it and serve it sliced up. Very high doses of magnesium have been linked to diarrhea and decreased blood pressure. Vitamins E and C help protect against skin damage and skin cancer from the sun [103, 104, 105]. These products replace a portion of sodium chloride (NaCl) in table salt with potassium chloride (KCl) [65]. Adding dairy (whole milk or cheese) would greatly up your intake. Very high doses of copper (over 30 mg per day) may cause liver and nerve damage over a long period of time [67]. Some of these compounds — such as curcumin, lycopene, and pterostilbene — are available as commercial supplements. Start your journey to optimal health with SelfDecode today! The most prevalent source of calcium in the Western diet is dairy. A single goose liver contains almost twice the daily recommended intake of folate [15, 16, 17]. Bone broth can also be a good source of magnesium (120 mg/L), but only if it’s properly prepared. The daily recommended intake of fiber is around 25 g per day for women and 38 g per day for men. Boron is an important, little-known trace mineral for health maintenance. Manganese is important for metabolism and bone formation. It is most abundant in nuts and beans, and it is difficult to source from meat. Milk and coffee account for about 12% of the total boron consumed by Americans. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. These substances build up when meat is cooked at high temperatures (at 150 – 200 °C), such as by barbecuing, grilling and pan-frying. Diets rich in these foods can provide 1,500 mg of myo-inositol a day, whereas a meat-based diet (2 pounds of meat) will contain less than 300 mg a day [97]. Boron and vitamins are vital for optimal health. Deficiency may cause bleeding and osteoporosis. The daily recommended intake of manganese is 1.8 – 2.3 mg for adults. Lithium is a trace mineral that isn’t essential but has a lot of benefits in small amounts. Might Give You All Day Clean Energy (without the crash) Forget the Starbucks run. Cooking methods that don’t brown the meat, such as slow-cooking, could potentially prevent these compounds from accumulating [98]. In multiple studies, people who got less of these compounds in their diet developed more age-related diseases [89]. People who eat a carnivore diet should aim to reduce oxidative stress. It’s important to remember that we just do not know enough about the long term risks posed by the carnivore diet, so speak with your doctor before deciding to give this a try. The following meal scenarios assume that a person eats about 2 pounds of meat per day and use the daily recommended vitamin intake for adults: Add 100 g (about 3.5 oz) of fish eggs (roe) to the last scenario gets 19 mg of vitamin E. Adding more salmon or olive oil or supplementing with vitamin E may also help. To prevent oxidative stress, consider using supplements [106]. However, the risks of eating raw meat cannot be overstated. Severe deficiency is rare, but low intakes of vitamin E have been linked to high oxidative stress and tissue damage [32]. Consuming bones may supply small amounts of this micronutrient. Over time, low magnesium intake can lead to nausea, vomiting, fatigue, numbness, muscle cramps, seizures, and even personality changes [73]. Liver, in general, is a great source of preformed (active) vitamin A or retinol [1]. Read on to learn more about the 9 beef liver benefits you may get from eating it. A similar portion of hazelnuts contains 0.79 mg, Brazil nuts 0.49 mg, walnuts 0.46 mg, and cashews 0.33 mg of the mineral. 100 g of canned tuna contains up to 44 mcg of vitamin K, but may also contain vegetable oils. Grass-fed beef contains significantly more beta-carotene (a compound that is converted to vitamin A in the human body) than grain-fed beef. Grass Fed Beef Organs (liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, spleen) Grass Fed Bone Marrow On the other hand, if you're looking for targeted organ support, you may be interested in our GRASS FED BEEF HEART to support heart health (or) our GRASS FED THYROID to support a struggling thyroid (or) our GRASS FED SPLEEN to support spleen and immune health... you get the picture. Eating liver (5 oz) on some days would fill the gap. We need it to make some hormones and collagen. The primary sources of lithium are grains and vegetables — in other words, plant-based sources [86]. Enzymic reduction of thiosulphate in preparations from beef liver. When a person’s diet is deficient in calcium, the body “steals” calcium from the bones, leading to osteoporosis. What Diet Is Best for Your Body? Muscle meats alone may not provide enough copper unless you’re eating only beef. Diets high in red meat have been linked to heart disease and cancer, perhaps because cooking meat releases substances (heterocyclic amines) that increase oxidative stress [98]. Those taking the boron supplement felt less pain when their stone(s) passed — often in a matter of hours to 2–3 days. 1. If you make your own bone broth at home, keep this in mind: bones that have been boiled for less than twelve hours do not produce magnesium-rich bone broth [77]. The recommendations rise for pregnant and lactating women (35 and 600 mcg respectively) [15, 16]. Vitamin K2 regulates Calcium and Phosphorus metabolism, and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. While all-meat diets are problematic from a nutrition standpoint, most of the nutrients listed here can be found in organ meats: liver, kidney, sweetbreads, lungs, brain, and so on. According to several studies, gut bacteria composition is sensitive to changes in a diet [93]. The cows that help make this supplement graze only on vibrant green grass that sprouts from fertile soil in New Zealand. The vast majority of Himalayan salt, like any salt, is made up of sodium chloride. Some scientists consider them essential to human health [87, 88, 89, 90]. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects tissues while fat is burned for energy. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The boron concentration in the beef liver was again determined by both the standard ICP-AES and the methoxyborate techniques. 2H2O, and 75 mg MgSO4 per liter of boron-free (<0.1 μg B/L) deionized water (Dawson and Bantle 1987b). Adult Xenopus laevis were fed a nonpurified beef liver and lung (BLL) diet (310 μg B/kg), a purified diet supplemented with boron (+B; 1850 μg B/kg), or a purified diet low in boron (-B; 45 μg B/kg) for 120 d. Frogs fed the BLL and +B * Manganese is important for metabolism and bone formation. It’s possible to get most nutrients from a carnivore diet if it includes organs (especially liver and sweetbreads) and seafood (especially salmon and mollusks). 1. Decent sources include roe (fish eggs), salmon, cod, and mollusks. An ounce of almonds has 0.8 mg of boron. Boron is not considered an essential nutrient, but it’s important for the brain, bones, and immunity. PMID: 5345034 There have been multiple cases of people developing scurvy as a result of eating only meat [28, 23]. Our Vitamin K2 Forte provides both forms of this vitamin, and it is synergistically associated with the minerals Boron and Manganese as well as Vitamin … Symptoms of deficiency include slow growth and poor bone health; manganese deficiency may resemble vitamin K deficiency [80]. Meat-only meal plans could be deficient in vitamin A in the long run. The best meat sources are blue mussels (shellfish), beef tripe, bass, and trout. Further Food Facts and Bones – looking beyond calcium and vitamin D Most people know that calcium and vitamin D are essential for our bones, but these alone cannot keep them healthy and strong. You can increase magnesium intake by eating more salmon and roe, but you may still want to supplement for optimal levels. Our science team must pass long technical science tests, difficult logical reasoning and reading comprehension tests. Case studies should never be used to generalize a health claim to a broader population. According to many studies, moderate sun exposure is broadly beneficial. Folate and biotin deficiencies are linked to nerve and blood disorders. Welcome to the nutritional iron content in 3 different types of beef liver, ranging from 6.54 mg to 4.9 mg per 100g. 1969 Nov 5;91(23):6530-1. Hochreiter MC, Schellenberg KA. But before you embark on this diet, you should be fully aware of the deficiencies it can cause — and how to avoid them. Boron is a trace mineral which is important for improving conditions such as menopausal symptoms, allergies, Candida albicans, arthritis, osteoarthritis, aging and lupus. Selfhacked LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant that’s extremely difficult to get from a strict carnivore diet. Talk to your doctor before adding any new supplement to your regimen, as some may have unexpected interactions. Some case studies of Antarctic explorers suggest that human bodies can adapt to eating only (freshly killed, sometimes raw) meat over a long period of time. Other cases of people with scurvy suggest that a healthy carnivore diet is almost impossible for a modern, city-dwelling person. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium, while meat is not a great source. These bacteria are collectively called the gut flora or gut microbiota, and they help digest our food, produce beneficial chemical compounds, and boost immunity. As a kid, he suffered from inflammation, brain fog, fatigue, digestive problems, anxiety, depression, and other issues that were poorly understood in both conventional and alternative medicine. 100 g of fish eggs (roe) contains about 7 mg of vitamin E. Other good sources include snails and salmon [32, 33, 34, 35]. Stay Healthy During Coronavirus Outbreak! This link is even more important on a carnivore diet because of the bad bacteria that grows on meats, such as E. coli [91, 92]. There is no daily recommended intake of boron; the recommended upper limit is 20 mg per day. This is an important step in removing the bitter flavor from the liver. Align your health hacks with your genes for optimal health & cognitive function. Copper supports the enzymes that manage oxygen and energy production in the body. Beef, liver, pan fried (3 ounces) 104 231 Lima beans, boiled, ½ cup 104 231 Yogurt, plain, low-fat, 1 cup 26 58 Milk, 2% milkfat, 1 cup 22 49 Potato, baked, flesh and skin, 1 medium 16 36 Cheerios cereal, ½ cup 15 33 15 33 15 Join SelfHacked today and start the journey of improving your life. Beef liver is extremely rich in copper, with about 15 mg of copper per 100 g. Other good sources include mollusks and sweetbreads (thymus and pancreas) [66, 68, 69, 70, 71]. Take a look at your personal genetic data to find the root cause of your health issues and find the diet that is right for you. Sun exposure can be beneficial but also increases oxidative stress. Canned fish that includes bones (such as sardines) contains up to 455 mg per 100 g. A similar amount of high-quality beef tripe contains about 158 mg of calcium [52, 53, 54, 55]. It’s easy to get from dairy and plant foods but not from meat. Thus, the key may be that many people eating a carnivore diet do not eat enough organs. Beef Tallow Beef tallow is a rendered cooking fat made from the fat of a cow. Most people eating an omnivorous diet don’t have to worry about boron deficiency because this micronutrient is plentiful in fruits and nuts. Deficiency in this vitamin can cause night blindness [1]. Strict adherents to the carnivore diet may consider supplementing with boron, especially those at risk for certain chronic diseases [48, 47].