Many people turn their noses up at the idea of eating liver. After all, the liver's job in both humans and animals is to filter harmful impurities out of the blood and produce cholesterol. Liver is quite safe to eat, however, and when cooked correctly imparts a flavor many people enjoy. You may need to avoid it if you have high cholesterol, but the rich nutritional value of beef liver makes it a good choice for your meal plan.
Calories and Serving Size
A 100 g serving of braised beef liver contains 190 calories, or 9.5 percent of the amount you should include in your diet daily. This serving of beef liver is the equivalent of approximately 3.5 oz., roughly the size a deck of cards or the palm of a woman's hand.
Fat and Cholesterol
Beef liver contains 5.3 g of fat per serving, which accounts for 25 percent of its calories. Nearly 2 g of this fat comes from the "bad" types of fat -- 1.7 g is saturated and 0.2 is trans fat. Ideally, you should eat less than 15 g of saturated fat per day, and avoid eating trans fat as much as possible. You will also ingest 396 mg of cholesterol per serving of beef liver, which exceeds the suggested daily limit of 300 mg per day. Cholesterol and bad types of fat can increase your risk of heart disease.
Protein and Carbohydrates
A serving of beef liver provides 29.1 g of high-quality protein. Complete proteins like those found in beef liver deliver all essential amino acids; they also help you to produce enzymes and hormones. Include 46 to 56 g of protein in your diet each day, although you may need more or less than this, depending on your lifestyle, genetics and fitness goals. Beef liver contains far fewer carbohydrates: 5.1 g per serving. Eating 130 g of carbs per day is necessary for meeting your energy needs.
Vitamins and Minerals
Including beef liver in your diet gives you access to an excellent source of vitamin B-12. Each serving of this liver provides you with 1,176 percent of the daily recommended intake. Although vitamin B-12 is a water-soluble vitamin, your body can store it for when your diet lacks a supply. You will also take in 714 percent of the copper and 634 percent of the vitamin A you require daily. Beef liver is quite high in riboflavin as well, with 201 percent of the suggested daily intake per serving. You will get smaller amounts of potassium, iron, thiamin, vitamin B-6, niacin, magnesium, pantothenic acid and zinc, although a serving of beef liver still contains quite a bit of these nutrients.
Health Risks
Because of the high vitamin A content in a serving of beef liver, it may not be the smartest choice for the diet of a pregnant woman. The March of Dimes website notes that pregnant women who consume high levels of vitamin A have a higher incidence of children born with birth defects, although studies are not conclusive.
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