Whether you enjoy your chicken liver as a pate or sauteed with bacon and onions, including it in your diet can help you meet your essential nutrient needs, including protein, vitamin A, iron, folate, riboflavin and niacin. However, chicken liver can also be high in heavy metals and other contaminants, so you should not eat it often. Knowing its nutritional value can help you determine how it fits into your meal plan.
Calories
Chicken liver contains about the same number of calories as a serving of roasted white meat chicken. A 100-g serving -- about 3.3 oz. -- of simmered chicken liver contains 167 calories.
Fat and Cholesterol
In addition to heavy metals and other contaminants, chicken liver is also high in cholesterol. A 100-g serving of simmered chicken liver contains 6.5 g of total fat, 2 g of saturated fat and 563 mg of cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends you limit your intake of dietary cholesterol to less than 300 mg a day. One serving of chicken liver meats nearly two day's worth of your daily cholesterol needs.
Protein
As an organ meat, chicken liver is a high-quality source of protein, providing all the essential amino acids in significant amounts. A 100-g portion of simmered chicken liver contains 24 g of protein. The Institute of Medicine recommends you consume a minimum of 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight, or about 55 g of protein for a 150-lb. adult per day.
Vitamin A
One serving of simmered chicken liver contains 13,328 IU of vitamin A, meeting 266 percent of the daily value of 5,000 IU a day. Vitamin A supports eye health, bone growth and reproduction. Pregnant women are cautioned against consuming liver because of its high vitamin A content, which can be toxic to the fetus.
Iron
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. One serving of simmered chicken liver provides 11.6 mg of iron, meeting more than 60 percent of the daily value need of 18 mg a day. Adequate intake of iron supports oxygen delivery to the cells throughout your body.
B Vitamins
The B vitamins have a number of different roles in your body, including turning the food you eat into energy and synthesizing red blood cells. One serving of simmered chicken liver provides 578 micrograms of folate, 1.99 mg of riboflavin and 11 mg of niacin, meeting more than 100 percent of the daily value for folate and riboflavin and more than 50 percent of the daily value for niacin.
References
- The European Food Information Council; What Is the Nutritional Value of Eating Liver?; Jennifer Stairs
- USDA: Nutrient Database: Chicken, Liver, All Classes, Cooked, Simmered
- USDA: Nutrient Database: Chicken, Broilers or Fryers, Breast, Meat Only, Cooked, Roasted
- American Heart Association: Healthy Diet Goals
- Harvard School of Public Health: Protein
- Office of Dietary Supplements; Vitamin A; April 2006
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