Liver (food)

liver, pork, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	561 kJ (134 kcal)
Carbohydrates	2.5 g
Fat	3.7 g
Protein	21 g
Vitamins and minerals Vitamins Quantity %DV† Vitamin A equiv. 722% 6500 μg Riboflavin (B2) 231% 3 mg Niacin (B3) 94% 15 mg Pantothenic acid (B5) 134% 6.7 mg Vitamin B6 41% 0.7 mg Folate (B9) 53% 212 μg Vitamin B12 1083% 26 μg Vitamin C 26% 23 mg Minerals Quantity %DV† Iron 128% 23 mg Sodium 4% 87 mg
This nutritional data is from 1992 and refers to raw pork liver only. Liver nutrients vary among species.
†Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults.

Liver is a food that humans can eat. It is offal, which means it is not muscle tissue. The flavor of liver can be strong, and some people may find it too intense.

The liver stores vitamin A and other nutrients. Vitamin A is important because it helps the body produce rhodopsin, a molecule that absorbs light and is needed for low-light vision and color vision. Vitamin A also plays a key role in gene transcription (the process by which the information in a gene is used to make proteins) and helps the immune system work properly.

Since vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, the body does not easily get rid of any excess. If too much is eaten, it can build up in the liver and lead to toxic levels, which is harmful to the body.

It is important not to eat too much liver, especially from carnivorous animals, because this can lead to hypervitaminosis A (too much vitamin A).

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  Slice of pig's liver and onions
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  Mămăligă (cornmeal mush) with chicken liver, cuisine of Moldova
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  Canned cod liver (see also: cod liver oil)