Can products made from offal be part of a healthy diet?

Offals refer to the internal organs of animals that can be used for meal preparation. These organs include heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, brain, oral mucosa, and flaxseed. Typically, offals are sourced from cows, pigs, sheep, ducks, geese, and chickens. The composition of offals depends on several factors, such as the age of the animal, breed, type of breeding, and feeding level. Meat from older animals will contain more fat and less protein than that from younger animals. Offals are classified into 4 categories based on their nutrient content, flavor, and culinary utility: Class I - liver, brain; Class II - heart, kidney, oral mucosa; Class III - stomach, lung, spleen; Class IV - limbs, heads, tails, udders.

Offal is rich in valuable nutrients such as vitamins (particularly B1, B2, B6 and folic acid), minerals (iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus), fat and high-quality protein. These nutrients determine their health and taste values. However, it is important to note that offal, like any other meat, has a high content of saturated fatty acids which should be limited in a healthy diet. Moreover, offal contains high levels of cholesterol, which is another reason why it should only be consumed occasionally. It is also worth mentioning that offal may contain high levels of vitamin A in the form of retinol, which can greatly exceed the recommended daily intake. An excess of retinol can cause liver and bone damage, as well as teratogenic and toxic effects on the fetus, especially in pregnant women. Therefore, pregnant women with iron deficiency are not recommended to consume liver, which is rich in iron. Among offal, liver contains the highest amount of minerals such as potassium, zinc and iron. Additionally, kidneys and ozory contain sufficient amounts of zinc to prevent zinc deficiency in the body. Furthermore, ozory are a rich source of protein and fat, and also contain high levels of choline, vitamin B12 and iron. Studies have shown that a serving of cooked beef ozory increases the level of iron in the body and provides approximately 28% of the daily requirement for men and 12% for women. In addition, studies have found that offal, compared to skeletal muscles of animals such as the shoulder, contain higher amounts of elements such as zinc, iron, copper, calcium, manganese and sodium (W. Biel et al. 2019). Therefore, due to the high content of certain vitamins and minerals, offal can find its place in a healthy diet, but it should be consumed in moderation and not too frequently.

Complementary dishes, prepared in curry, caraway, tomato, mushroom, horseradish, or mustard sauces, perfectly harmonize with vegetables and cheese as well as pasta or rice. Here are several simple recipes whose preparation does not require much time.

Ingredients: 500 grams of chicken liver, 400 grams of asparagus beans, 300 grams of Greek yogurt, 300 grams of penne pasta, 200 grams of onion, 200 grams of bell pepper, 200 grams of carrot, 150 grams of green peas, 10 grams of garlic, 30 grams of rapeseed oil, 30 grams of wheat flour, 20 grams of tarte, 3 grams of dried thyme, salt and pepper to taste. Preparation: 1. Heat a large, deep pan and add the rapeseed oil. 2. Press the garlic through a press, slice the onion and fry it in the oil for about 5 minutes. 3. Wash the asparagus beans and cut them into about 2 centimeter long pieces. 4. Wash the bell pepper and cut it into cubes. 5. Rinse the green peas with cold water. 6. Peel the carrots and cut them into thick slices. 7. Put all the vegetables in the pan, season with thyme and simmer with the onion for about 15-20 minutes. 8. Wash the liver, cut it in half, season with salt and pepper and coat it in flour. 9. Heat a second pan and add two tablespoons of oil, then fry the liver on both sides until it is browned. 10. Cook the pasta al dente. 11. When the liver is done, mix the yogurt with the tarte, pour it into the pan, add the cooked pasta and mix well. Serve with the vegetables.

Ingredients: 500 g of poultry liver, 100 g of onions, 40 g of dried tomatoes, 30 g of olive oil, 5 g of garlic, 4 g of dried thyme, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Preparation: 1. Dice the onion into small cubes and brown in olive oil. 2. Press the garlic through a press, add the thyme and fry everything together with the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Add the poultry liver to the mixture and fry until golden brown on both sides. 4. When the poultry liver is done, blend all ingredients, including the spices, into a smooth paste. 5. Add the dried tomatoes and mix. 6. Pour the paste into a mold and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 50 minutes. 7. After the paste is done, let it cool.

Ingredients: - 1 kilogram of chicken hearts, - 500 milliliters of chicken broth, - 400 milliliters of fresh coconut milk, - 300 grams of carrots, - 200 grams of bell pepper, - 200 grams of onion, - 200 grams of rice, - 30 grams of olive oil, - 15 grams of garlic, - 12 grams of fresh parsley, - 6 milliliters of lemon juice, - 3 grams of turmeric, - 2 grams of curry, - 2 grams of bay leaves, - 2 teaspoons of chili, - 4 pinches of English spices, - salt and pepper to taste. Preparation: 1. Wash the chicken hearts thoroughly and cut them in half, if they are too large. 2. Cut the onion into cubes and fry them on heated olive oil, add garlic pressed through the press. 3. Add the chicken hearts and fry until they turn brown. 4. Cut the vegetables into thin strips and add them to the pan. 5. Add salt, bay leaves, English spices, and lemon juice. 6. Cover with broth and simmer until the chicken hearts are soft, stirring occasionally (about 1 hour). 7. After this time, add fresh coconut milk, turmeric, curry, and chili, stirring if necessary. 8. Cook the rice on the stove according to package instructions. 9. Finally, add fresh parsley and serve with rice.

Ingredients: 1 kg of duck gizzards, 400 ml of cream 12%, 240 g of buckwheat, 200 g of onions, 60 g of copper, 30 g of flour, 3 bay leaves, pepper, salt to taste. Preparation: 1. Clean the gizzards and put them in boiling water, add the bay leaves and cook covered for about an hour. 2. Peel the onions, cut them into strips, put them in a pan, cover with four tablespoons of water and cook until soft. Cook the buckwheat according to the package instructions. 3. Drain the cooked gizzards, cut them into slices and add them to the onions. 4. Mix the cream, flour and a little water in a cup and add to the gizzards with onions. Mix everything. 5. Add salt, pepper, mix and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. 6. Add chopped parsley. Serve with buckwheat.

Components: 1 kg of raw beef intestines, 700 ml of tomato sauce, 300 g of carrots, 160 g of parsley roots, 100 g of celery root, 50 g of celery, 20 g of marjoram, 2 bay leaves, 4 English herb seeds, 6 g of fresh parsley, pepper, salt as desired. Preparation: 1. Wash the intestines and cook until soft. Then let them cool and cut into strips. 2. Wash the vegetables, peel them, cut them into strips and prepare them. 3. Put the vegetables together with the intestines in a pot, add the tomato sauce, bay leaves, English herb seeds and cook for about 30 minutes. 4. Season with marjoram, pepper and salt. Serve with chopped parsley.

Innards are an incredibly rich source of vitamins and minerals, but they are not essential in the diet as they can be obtained from other food products. However, there are certain circumstances in which innards are particularly recommended. One such circumstance is anemia, as iron in innards is much more easily absorbed by the body than iron in plant products. However, innards are not recommended for all individuals with anemia - due to their high retinol content, which can be harmful to the fetus, their consumption is strictly discouraged for pregnant women. Innards also contain significant amounts of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol, making them unsuitable for people with high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, high LDL cholesterol levels, and low HDL levels. They are also not recommended for individuals with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or obesity. Even healthy individuals should not consume an excess of innards - they can be eaten occasionally, but not daily, with caution and moderation.