Eating a nutrient rich diet is essential to living a healthy & happy life but is even more so during (and post) pregnancy where nutrient needs are amplified to nourish not only your own body, but that of the little life you are growing.

Not only is nutrition essential in aiding proper growth and development of your baby, but there is an increasing body of evidence indicating that nutrition during pregnancy can have an ongoing impact on the health of your child throughout their life.

Although many women understand the importance of additional nutrients whilst pregnant or breastfeeding (often choosing to integrate a pre-natal supplement), there is much that can be said for the power of nutrition from nutrient-dense, wholefood sources.

This blog will specifically explore some of the key nutrients found in beef liver and their important contribution to healthy growth and development during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding.  

We’ll also discuss the recommended dosage of beef liver for pregnancy and breastfeeding (including freeze-dried Beef Liver Capsules and Beef Liver Powder) and how often to integrate it.

Key Vitamins for growth and development

We get asked multiple times a week if beef liver is safe to consume for pregnancy, and although beef liver is incredibly nutritious, this still seems to be a question shrouded in controversy.

We’ll begin by firstly acknowledging that beef liver is one of the MOST nutritionally dense foods on the planet, containing a combination of nearly all vitamins and minerals in their perfect ratios. Beef liver contains vital nutrients that are necessary for growth and development during pregnancy including Folate, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, Iron,& Selenium to name a few.  

Let’s review some of these key beneficial nutrients to include during pregnancy and breastfeeding and the many benefits of eating liver during pregnancy.

Vitamin A

Beef liver is the MOST abundant source of Vitamin A found in nature! The vitamin A found in beef liver is a natural form of Vitamin A called ‘preformed Vitamin A’, or ‘Retinol’. This is the active form of Vitamin A that is bioavailable and ready for your body to use.

This active form of Vitamin A is ONLY found in animal sources of food and plays an essential role in growth and development, making this a crucial nutrient whilst pregnant or breastfeeding. Vitamin A plays a role in:

• Building your developing baby’s immune system

• Developing healthy skin & good vision

• Assisting with developing the millions of tiny air sacs, called alveoli, in your baby’s lungs

Not all vitamin A is created equal, and most supplements contain synthetic vitamin A. It is in fact the synthetic form of Vitamin A that has earned Vitamin A’s controversial reputation for use during pregnancy, specifically resulting from studies that used extremely high doses of synthetic vitamin A with negative results.

The Australian Reference Values (Vitamin A | Nutrient Reference Values (nrv.gov.au)) state the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A to be:

• 800mcg whilst pregnant

• 1100mcg whilst breastfeeding

Verified nutritional testing has shown that each serve (6 capsules or 1 tsp of powder) of Cell Squared Freeze-Dried Beef Liver contains:

• 960mcg (3200IU) of Vitamin A (Retinol)

The Australian Reference Values notes the upper limit of Vitamin A daily intake to be 3000mcg whilst pregnant or breastfeeding, however it is worth noting that this is based on the intake of synthetic vitamin A and not that from natural food-based sources (such as beef liver) where studies are lacking. Even based on this upper limit, it is possible to consume fresh liver during pregnancy a few times a week, or to integrate a daily serving of freeze-dried beef liver capsules or powder.

Consuming high doses of vitamin A retinol during pregnancy can be unsafe. Beef Liver has a high vitamin A content, so it is important to understand the Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) and MOST importantly the Tolerable Upper Intake Limit (UL) which is 3000 mcg of preformed vitamin A (retinol).To not exceed the nutritional Upper Intake Limit during pregnancy, beef liver during pregnancy should be consumed cautiously by weighing portion sizes. Using nutritional data, we suggest eating no more than 55g raw liver or 80g of cooked liver per day.

Quality fresh liver is not always easily sourced, and neither does everyone enjoy consuming fresh liver during pregnancy. That’s why we created our freeze-dried beef liver capsules and powder supplements, so that you can conveniently access the benefits of this true superfood!

Also taking our beef liver capsules or powder makes it so easy to monitor and stay below the Vitamin A Tolerable Upper Intake Limit by taking our recommended dosage per serve/day. 

Our liver supplements are a 100% wholefood with nothing added, freeze-dried to preserve nutrients, and sourced from ACO certified organic beef, regeneratively raised in the heart of Australia.  

A general daily serving size is 6 capsules or 1 tsp (3g) of powder and has anutritional value equivalent to eating 18g of raw liver or up to 34g of cooked liver.

Some of the key nutrient values in each serving are:

• Vitamin A (Retinol):960mcg (3200IU)
• Folate:68.1mcg/ug
• Vitamin B12:10.8 mcg
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin):0.27 mg
• Bioavailable Iron:1.02 mg
• Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid):0.4mg
• Vitamin B3 (Niacin):0.93 mg

Our recommended serving sizes have been informed through independent nutritional testing, where we work with one of Australia’s leading labs to verify the nutritional content in our freeze-dried liver. When compared with fresh beef liver, our beef liver capsule supplements are much easier and a more convenient way to measure out your daily beef liver intake. 

We always recommend speaking with your health practitioner for specific nutrition advice and to ensure the nutrients in the liver are complimenting the rest of your diet & supplement intake, as well as individual nutritional requirements.

There are so many benefits to eating liver during pregnancy and breastfeeding including getting many of the nutrients your body needs during your pregnancy.

Conclusion

Wholefood sources should always be considered in the first instance to support nutritional intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Beef liver for pregnancy is undeniably a naturally bioavailable source of nutrients to support growing life, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B12, & Folate, each in their perfect form. 

Liver is important to purchase from a quality source, so whether you are eating it fresh or freeze-dried, always look for a reputable, 100% grass fed, and certified organic source to ensure the best nutrients available for yourself and growing bub. Cell Squared liver powder has attained full ACO organic certification and our liver capsules used the same certified organic powder in them!

Learn more about our liver capsules and powder.

++ DISCLAIMER:  The information in this blog is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content is for general informational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional 

References And Resources:

1.  Vitamin A in pregnancy: requirements and safety limits | The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

2.  Vitamin B12 - Health Professional Fact Sheet (nih.gov)

3. Vitamin B12 | Nutrient Reference Values (nrv.gov.au)

4. Vitamin A | Nutrient Reference Values (nrv.gov.au)

5. Folate | Nutrient Reference Values (nrv.gov.au)

6. Maternal Vitamin B12 Status During Pregnancy and Its Association With Outcomes of Pregnancy and Health of the Offspring: A Systematic Review and Implications for Policy in India - PMC (nih.gov)