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Alright, this may sound disgusting for some people, but the truth is, desiccated liver pills can change your life. Liver pills are some of the best whole food dietary supplements there is.
Nutrient dense liver from cows is freeze dried and turned into pure powder that can be taken as a daily dietary supplement. They're usually available in capsule form or the form of desiccated liver tablets. All you need to do is add the powder to your drinks or consume the tablets.
What's So Healthy About Consuming Liver?
You know that beef is a great natural source of quality proteins and amino acids, right? Proteins from cow liver are even better. In fact, they are gram for gram, one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, containing plenty of Vitamins A, D, and K which are all vital in various human body processes. So what exactly are some of the benefits of consuming liver?
Liver is:
- A rich source of high quality protein
- An excellent source of natural vitamin A
- Full of B vitamins, including plenty of vitamin B12
- A natural food source of vitamin B9 or folate
- A first-rate source of bioavailable iron (heme iron)
- Chockful of trace minerals such as chromium, copper and zinc
- A good dietary source of CoQ10 for heart health
Consuming liver may promote the following health benefits:
- Increased muscle mass
- Increased physical performance
- Boost energy levels
- Maintain the health of red blood cells
- Strengthen the nails and hair
- Strengthen bones
- Improve immune function
- Promote collagen synthesis
One study even found that liver contains what researchers call an anti-fatigue factor (cytochrome P-450). It helps the body cope with stress and enables you to maintain higher levels of energy and recover faster.
Despite the impressive nutrient profile and benefits, the taste of liver isn't really for everybody. A lot of people are put off by its taste and texture, and that's common among most organ meats.
The good news is, you can easily include liver in your daily diet by taking desiccated liver pills or powders.
What Is Desiccated Liver?
Desiccated mean dehydrated or dried. So, that means the whole beef liver is dried and then turned into powder. It is sold as a pure liver powder or packed in small liver tablets or liver capsules.
This is a more convenient way to feed your body the essential nutrients from liver. In ground up form, the nutrients are already pre-processed so that the digestive system will have a much easier time digesting and absorbing all the nutrients. That is a better way to consume it on a regular basis than having to eat a whole plate of beef liver.
With non-desiccated liver, it will take some time for the body to digest the tough exterior of the liver. With liver powder, you get to absorb the nutrients faster and experience the benefits sooner.
The Infamous Old School Bodybuilding Supplement
“The Iron Guru”, Vince Gironda was the legendary trainer of bodybuilding greats such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Larry Scott and many more.
One of Gironda’s core principles was that bodybuilding is 85% nutrition. You need to feed your body the proper nutrients in order to grow. He was generally against the use of supplements with the exception of one, liver tablets.
Liver contains all the building blocks to build muscle, and liver tablets was consumed in such large amounts as 3-5 pills every hour to provide a continuous flow of high quality amino acids and other nutrients to muscles.
Gironda promoted liver tablets as the best supplement for bodybuilders. Consumed as a snack in-between meals, they supplied an extra source of high quality protein that made sure to keep the body in a positive nitrogen balance and control catabolism, promoting an anabolic environment inside the body to facilitate growth.
Things to Keep in Mind When Consuming Desiccated Liver Supplements
Liver is an all-natural food and is safe for daily consumption. However, you have to be very careful with choosing the brand you will be taking. The liver is the primary organ responsible for detoxifying the body. This is where all the toxins will end up. If the liver extract is from a cow that has been exposed to artificial hormones and chemicals, they could end up in the liver extract. You could be ingesting all those substances when you take the supplement. Make sure the supplement is made from grass-fed animals and is free of artificial growth hormones.
Following are some of the brands that contain liver obtained from the best and cleanest sources. The following supplements are our top picks when it comes to the best liver supplements:
This grass-fed beef liver powder is obtained from Argentinian cows. This product uses desiccated, non-defatted beef liver. That means all the essential nutrients that can be obtained in liver is present. By retaining the fats, you get the oil-based vitamins that have significant roles for improving health.
The beef source is hormone and pesticide free. These have not been treated with artificial hormones that can upset the balance of your own body's hormones through artificial estrogens.
The cows were raised in by organic method in Argentina's Pampas region. This area is known for its fertile lands, where cows can eat natural, organic, pesticide-free oat grasses, wheat, and alfalfa.
That means that their livers are in superior condition with exceptional amounts of nutrients and the least amount of toxins.
The liver itself has been carefully handled and processed to keep as many nutrients intact as possible. Making sure you get an excellent supply of nutrients with each serving of this product.
This product contains an impressive 908 servings. Each serving measuring in at about 500 mg of beef liver powder. Daily intake is recommended at a ¼ teaspoon of liver powder which is recommended to be mixed in water, protein shakes, tomato juice or vegetable juices. Drink 1-2 times per day. The powder is delivered in safe resealable bags.
The powder tastes fresh and sweet. The taste resembles a cross between top-rate steak and rich dark chocolate, and the powder dissolves quickly in water.
These liver capsules are also obtained from grass-fed Argentinian cows. The liver is non-defatted, keeping as many of the natural nutrients as possible.
This product contains 70% protein by weight. The proteins and amino acids are of high quality, making it ideal as an supplement to help you build more muscle.
The recommended serving is 3 grams of desiccated liver. Each serving includes four capsules, with each capsule containing 750 mg of powdered liver. Each serving contains 2.8 mg of naturally-occurring heme iron, along with 969 IU of naturally-occurring vitamin A.
This naturally-occurring iron is easily digested by the body and readily absorbed because it comes in heme form. This is very important because it enables the body to absorb all the iron supplied in each serving. This product is also an exceptional source of vitamin B12.
Perfect Desiccated Liver claims that it can improve overall health by boosting metabolism, the Immune system, digestion and respiratory strength. It also enables you to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. It promotes hormonal balance and even gives you an energy boost.
One good thing about this product is it comes in veggie capsule form, making it easy to consume without any taste.
The source of the liver for this product is also cows from Argentina. That means top quality beef product from cows that have been raised in the best conditions possible. The liver is non-defatted, desiccated, and processed with low heat.
This helps in keeping most of the livers quality nutrients intact and ready to be absorbed by your body.
This nutrient dense superfood provides exceptional nutrients in a convenient form.
The recommended serving size is one rounded tablespoon or 10 grams. Each container provides 34 servings.
This product offers an alternative way to get the nutrients from beef liver without having to eat liver every single day. Beef liver is high in proteins and minerals. It is an exceptionally good source of high-quality iron that the body can readily absorb and use. It is also a good food for testosterone support since vitamin A is crucial for optimal testosterone production.
There is a slight beefy, livery aftertaste to this powdered supplement. To those who are not fans of this taste, the powder can be mixed with tomato juice or orange juice which will help mask it.
Dried desiccated beef liver contains all-natural vitamins and minerals. It is also an excellent source of easily digested and absorbed proteins. It comes packed with all forms of B vitamins, key minerals, full spectrum amino acids, and vitamin A. it is abundant in micro-nutrients such as copper, zinc, hyaluronic acid, and choline. Beef liver is also an excellent natural food source of CoQ10, which helps improve cardiovascular health. This makes liver a nutrient dense, all-natural food supplement.
This Argentinian cow liver is desiccated and placed in gelatin capsules also containing added silica and stearic acid.
The recommended daily dosage is 1 to 2 capsules per day. You may increase daily dosages to up to 4 capsules a day, as long as you do it gradually, and eventually can take the capsules all at once. Some people prefer to take 1 or 2 capsules in the morning and another 1 or 2 capsules in the evening.
Reasons to Consume Beef Liver
Of all the many food supplements, why should you consume beef liver?
People have been eating liver for centuries. It is one of the best natural sources of protein, amino acids, and many other essential nutrients. It helps promote better stamina and higher energy levels.
Despite its many benefits, organ meats like liver have a unique taste that not everybody likes. It has that metallic, bloody-ish taste and a rather tough and coarse texture. Plus, there aren't many dishes that taste great with beef liver.
Beef liver powder or tablets is a great alternative. It may still retain that unique taste but comes in a form that's easier to swallow. Whether it is in powder form you mix with your drinks, or in capsules or liver pills, you get to eat more beef liver without changing your diet.
You can easily take liver supplements along with you. If you travel, they can provide a good source of slow digested proteins that is easy to consume in-between meals. You do not even have to learn how to cook this food. All you have to do is take a few capsules with you or some pre-measured powder in your protein shake, and you are all set.
Product Image credits: Amazon.com
