Pork liver is a rich source of protein, B vitamins, iron and other essential nutrients. Eating pork liver occasionally isn't necessarily bad for you, if you're in good health and you eat it only occasionally and watch your portion sizes. However, if you're trying to lower your cholesterol levels or have heart disease or diabetes, this may be one entree to avoid, according to MayoClinic.com.
Organ Meat Problems
You get a lot of dietary cholesterol when you put pork liver on your plate. Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in your bloodstream, along with other fats. Seventy-five percent of the cholesterol in your body is produced by your liver and cells. The rest of it comes from the foods you eat --- namely saturated fats, trans fats and dietary cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, a little bit of cholesterol in your body is good for your health; however, too much can put you at risk for high blood cholesterol and subsequently, heart disease. Organ meats such as pork liver and egg yolks have more dietary cholesterol than other animal foods. Another problem with red meat in general is that some cuts can be higher in fat than others. Pork liver may not be your healthiest protein choice, given leaner options with less cholesterol.
Pork Liver Nutrition
A 3-oz. serving of braised pork liver is abundant in protein and other nutrients. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, it provides 40 percent of your daily value, or DV, for protein. It also contains more than 300 percent of your DV for vitamin A, 270 percent of your DV for vitamin B-12, more than 100 percent of your DV for riboflavin and almost 100 percent of your DV for iron. A 3-oz. serving of pork liver also gives you 20 percent of your DV or more for phosphorous, vitamin B-6, zinc, vitamin C, thiamin, niacin and folate. A 3-oz. serving of braised pork liver gives you 140 calories --- around the same number that you'd get from a portion of skinless chicken breast of the same size.
Cholesterol and Fat
Braised pork liver has 300 mg dietary cholesterol per serving --- this puts you right at 100 percent of your DV if you eat a 2,000-calorie diet. Pork liver has more cholesterol than an egg, which has around 213 mg. MayoClinic.com indicates that healthy adults shouldn't exceed 300 mg cholesterol a day. However, if your low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol is high or if you have diabetes or cardiovascular disease, you should get less than 200 mg cholesterol a day. Pork liver has 5 g total fat, 1 of which is saturated; skinless chicken breast gives you only 3 g total fat and around 1 g saturated fat. Some types of fish such as cod and orange roughy have less than a gram of total fat and negligible amounts of saturated fat. Restricting your saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of your total calories is essential for good heart health, states the AHA. You should also limit the amount of total fat you get each day to less than 25 to 35 percent of your calories.
Better Choices
If you prefer pork, there are leaner, more healthful cuts than organ meats. The National Pork Board cites the tenderloin, boneless top loin, top loin roast, center loin, sirloin roast and rib chop as your leanest options. In addressing how you should select your protein sources, Harvard School of Public Health recommends making pork and other red meats an occasional treat. Stick with a 3-oz. serving, which is about the size of a deck of playing cards. The best sources of animal protein are skinless poultry and fish. Recommended plant-based proteins include beans, whole grain foods and nuts.
References
- NutrientFacts.com: Pork By-Products: Braised Pork Liver
- The National Pork Board: Compare Pork
- American Heart Association: Knowing your Fats; September 2010
- American Heart Association: About Cholesterol; June 2011
- ChooseMyPlate.gov: Protein Foods -- Nutrients and Health Implications
- MayoClinic.com; Eggs: Are They Good or Bad for My Cholesterol?; T. Behrenbeck, M.D.; December 2009
