How Fattening Is Livermush?

Livermush, or liver pudding, is a dish that is popular in some southern states. It usually contains pork liver, salt, additional seasonings, such as black pepper, allspice or cayenne pepper, and it may have a thickener, such as corn meal. This regional delicacy can be fattening if you eat too much of it, but you can fit it into an overall healthy diet without gaining weight.

Calorie Balance and Weight Gain

A 2-ounce serving of livermush contains about 89 calories, so it is not likely to be fattening if you eat it in moderation. The calorie content of a food is important because you gain weight if you eat more calories than you burn. You gain a pound of body fat if you consume 3,500 more calories more than you expend, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The exact calorie content of your livermush depends on its ingredients.

High-Fat Foods and Weight Control

Livermush has 4 grams of total fat in a 2-ounce serving. Fat has nine calories per gram, so 36 out of 89 -- or 40 percent -- of the total calories per serving are from fat. A high-fat diet can increase your risk of gaining weight because high-fat foods are often high in calories. For the best chances of preventing weight gain or losing weight, healthy adults should keep their fat intake to between 20 and 35 percent of their total calories, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Protein Content

The high amount of protein in livermush makes it less fattening than some lower protein options. Each 2-ounce serving of livermush provides 8 grams of protein, or 16 percent of the daily value for a healthy adult on a 2,000-calorie diet. Protein slows down digestion and helps you feel full for longer so that you feel less hungry at the next meal, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. This can help you lower your total caloric intake.

Considerations

Livermush is more likely to be fattening if you eat it with other high-calorie foods. According to Knox News, you can eat livermush as a snack with eggs or cheese on crackers. These snacks can quickly become high in calories if you are not careful to limit your portion sizes. Fried livermush is available at the Livermush Festival in Shelby, North Carolina, according to Kansas State University. This higher-calorie, high-fat version of livermush is more fattening than regular livermush.