There are two different opinions on eating "animal offal" these days. One says it is rich in nutrients, not only high in iron, zinc, and protein, and can improve vision, but it also has medicinal value and should be eaten more often. The other view suggests that products raised on industrial feed and hormones are unhealthy. So, should we eat animal offal, and if so, how should we eat it?
Mr. Li has a fondness for animal offal. Whether it's chicken liver, pork liver, pork lung, or lamb kidney, he loves it. Besides ordering these dishes at restaurants, he often buys them at the market to cook at home. He believes that animal offal is the "vital part" of an animal, so it has the highest nutritional value and is therefore a "very good deal." At the same time, some people believe that the offal of livestock and poultry should never be eaten, as it contains the "strongest toxins." This is because livestock and poultry are now fed industrial feed, some even with hormones and other substances they shouldn't have, and many of these harmful substances accumulate in the animal's liver. Therefore, eating it is "absolutely not good for you." So, can we eat animal offal or not?
It is Necessary to Eat Animal Offal
Dr. Lu Quanjun, Vice Dean of the School of Public Health at Zhengzhou University, said in an interview with reporters that animal offal is rich in trace elements such as iron and zinc, as well as vitamins A, B2, and D. Eating it can effectively supplement the body's needs for these substances. Moreover, some offal, like chicken and gizzards, have a protein content comparable to that of chicken and duck meat, but only one-fifth of the fat content, making them a very healthy food that almost everyone can eat. Children who are growing are prone to zinc deficiency, so it is especially important for them to eat animal offal. In addition, people who overuse their eyes can effectively improve their vision by eating animal offal regularly.
Animal offal is not only a delicacy in daily diets but also has certain medicinal value for treating certain diseases. Director of Pharmacy Li Xuelin from the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine told reporters that for patients with palpitations and insomnia, regularly eating pig heart has a certain therapeutic effect. Ox heart can treat hiccups and palpitations, pig stomach can treat fatigue, strengthen the spleen and stomach, and nourish the kidneys, ox stomach can treat weakness of the spleen and stomach, and deficiency of qi and blood, sheep stomach can tonify deficiency and benefit the spleen, pig lung can treat lung deficiency cough and hemoptysis, ox lung can treat vomiting blood and hemoptysis, sheep lung can treat pulmonary tuberculosis cough, pig liver can treat liver weakness and night blindness, pig kidney can treat kidney deficiency backache, spermatorrhea, and night sweats, pig intestine can treat bloody stools and hemorrhoids, and pig spleen can treat deficiency heat in the spleen and stomach and indigestion. Furthermore, because these treatments are done through dietary therapy, their side effects are minimal.
Be Cautious When Eating; It's Best to Eat in Moderation
Although animal offal has significant benefits, it cannot be eaten without caution. Lu Quanjun explains that this is because livestock and poultry are now entirely fed industrial feed, which is of uncertain quality. If unsafe food is consumed by the animals, their livers, which are responsible for metabolism, will accumulate harmful substances like pesticides and heavy metals, thus affecting human health. In addition, excessive consumption of animal offal can easily lead to vitamin A and D poisoning. Therefore, animal offal should not be completely avoided but should be eaten in moderation—twice a week is sufficient, and the portion per person should not exceed 50 grams each time. Also, because animal offal is high in cholesterol, people with high blood lipids should avoid it, and overweight people should preferably avoid eating animal intestines, as they are very high in fat.
Additionally, fish offal should never be eaten because it is easily contaminated and spoiled and contains many harmful microorganisms.
Besides animal offal, animal blood is also a popular food for many. So, what is its nutritional value? Lu Quanjun said that the blood of livestock and poultry is rich in iron and amino acids, so people who need to supplement iron, such as women during their menstrual period, can benefit greatly from eating more animal blood. However, to save costs and help it form, some unscrupulous vendors may add harmful substances like formaldehyde to the blood. Therefore, special care must be taken when consuming animal blood.