Organ Meats: Nature’s Multivitamin for Women

Whether you want to hear it or not, organ meats are one of the most nutrient-dense foods women can include in their diets.

For generations, foods like liver, heart, and kidney were valued as foundational nourishment, especially for women during menstruation, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, and periods of stress or depletion. Somewhere along the way, we started prioritizing lean muscle meat and left the most nutrient-rich parts behind.

But organ meats, kind of like what I said about eggs in my last blog, are essentially nature’s multivitamin.

Liver, in particular, is rich in highly bioavailable iron, vitamin B12, folate, choline, vitamin A, copper, and other micronutrients that support energy production, hormone health, fertility, thyroid function, and nervous system health. These are nutrients many women are commonly low in.

One nutrient that deserves more attention is choline. Research shows choline plays a critical role in brain and nervous system development, particularly during pregnancy, yet many women do not consume enough of it. Organ meats, especially liver, are among the richest food sources available. (Korsmo et al., 2019, PMC)

Organ meats are also an exceptional source of heme iron and vitamin B12 , two nutrients essential for healthy red blood cells, oxygen transport, cognitive function, and energy levels. Unlike many plant or supplement sources of iron, the iron found in organ meats is highly absorbable by the body. (Beck et al., 2014, PubMed)

For me personally, adding organ meat into my diet has felt incredibly supportive for my Hashimoto’s.

When you’re dealing with an autoimmune issue, no

urishment matters on a much deeper level. I noticed that focusing on nutrient density from foods rich in iron, B vitamins, selenium, copper, vitamin A, and choline, rather than supplements, helped me feel more grounded, energized, and resilient.

I also think, coming from a sustainable food systems background, that there’s something powerful about reconnecting with ancestral foods that our bodies recognize as truly nourishing. In a world of ultra-processed “health foods,” returning to simple, nutrient-dense foods has felt grounding in the best way. So, beyond personal health, there’s an important food system conversation here too.

Eating “nose to tail” honors the entire animal and reduces unnecessary food waste. In modern food systems, more specifically in the American system, large portions of animals are discarded despite being edible and incredibly nutritious. Choosing organ meats helps create a more sustainable and respectful approach to meat consumption by utilizing more of what is already being raised and produced. 

You don’t need large amounts to benefit. Even a few ounces once or twice a week can provide a meaningful boost of nutrients many women are missing and set standards for food waste higher.

Sometimes the most powerful foods are the ones our grandparents already knew about.

Reference:

Beck KL, Conlon CA, Kruger R, Coad J. Dietary determinants of and possible solutions to iron deficiency for young women living in industrialized countries: a review. Nutrients. 2014 Sep 19;6(9):3747-76. doi: 10.3390/nu6093747

Korsmo, H. W., Jiang, X., & Caudill, M. A. (2019). Choline: Exploring the growing science on its benefits for moms and babies. Nutrients, 11(8), 1823. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11081823