Beef brain is tremendously nutritious and surprisingly tasty.
From Morocco to South America, beef brain is a popular organ meat. It contains omega 3 fatty acids and nutrients such as phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine.These are very beneficial for your nervous system.
The antioxidants that you obtain by eating brain meat are also very helpful in keeping your brain and spinal cord safe from damage.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Beef Brain Nutrition Facts
The normal serving size of the beef brain is 100 g. The per-serving calorie value is 140 calories. Here is a breakdown of the nutrients that are present in one serving.
Nutrient | Amount | % Daily Value |
Saturated Fat | 2g | 15 % |
Sodium | 126 mg | 8 % |
Calcium | 43 mg | 3 % |
Iron | 2.5 mg | 14 % |
Potassium | 274 mg | 7 % |
Phosphorus | 326 mg | 36 % |
Vitamin B1 – Thiamin | 0.1 mg | 8 % |
Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin | 0.2 mg | 15 % |
Vitamin E | 1 mg | 7 % |
Vitamin B3 – Niacin | 3.6 mg | 22 % |
Vitamin B5 – Pantothenic Acid | 2.0 mg | 40 % |
Vitamin B12 | 9.5µg | 396 % |
Selenium | 21.3µg | 39 % |
Choline | 491 mg | 89 % |
Omega 3 | 1.23 g | 77 % |
DHA | 0.85 g | 426 % |
Macros of Beef Brain
The beef brain is a zero-carb food with high content of protein and healthy fat. Here is a breakdown of the macros present in beef brain per 100g.
Nutrients | Amount | Daily Value |
Protein | 11 g | 22 % |
Fat | 10 g | 15 % |
Carbs | 0 | 0 % |
Choline
Choline is an important nutrient that benefits your brain, liver, and muscles. With 89 % of the RDV of choline, the beef brain is one of the best natural sources of choline. Choline helps with cell maintenance, and DNA synthesis improves metabolism and regulates automatic bodily functions.
It improves memory and cognition. Moreover, choline also protects your heart and improves your heart health. Apart from this, choline also reduces the risk of pregnancy complications.
Vitamin B12
Another important nutrient that you get from beef brain is Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is crucial when it comes to a healthy pregnancy. Moreover, it supports bone health and prevents osteoporosis. It improves your mood and helps in fighting depression.
DHA
DHA is an essential fatty acid. Beef brain is a great source of DHA, giving you 426 % of RDV. DHA reduces the risk of heart diseases by increasing omega-3, which is linked with improving your heart health. It also reduces the risk of preterm births.
Moreover, DHA is anti-inflammatory and improves auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Beef Brain Benefits
Beef brain is full of crucial nutrients and is a great addition to your diet. Here are some benefits that you derive from eating beef brain.
- Improves brain health: Eating beef brain is beneficial for children and adults as it improves their cognitive functioning. It has ample amounts of choline, which helps the brain to function correctly.
- Supports bone health: Beef brain contains Vit B12 which helps with osteoporosis and other bone defects. Eating beef brain will give you strong, healthy bones. Moreover, the DHA in the beef brain helps with rheumatoid arthritis.
- Alleviates mood: Moreover, Vit B12 also helps in fighting depression, thereby improving and alleviating your mood.
- Reduces the risk of heart diseases: As mentioned above, beef brain contains DHA which is very beneficial for your heart and reduces the risk of diseases.
Because of these benefits, you may also notice beef brain helps with depression and improves your metabolism
How to Cook Beef Brain
There are many ways of cooking the beef brain. You can fry it, you can cook it with spices, onions, and tomatoes, or you can marinate it in sour cream and then cook over medium heat.
There are endless ways for creating a delicious meal out of your beef brain. You can use it as fillings for your tacos, eat it in sandwiches, or enjoy delicious beef brain curry.
Here are some common dishes that you can make with the beef brain.
Eating Raw Beef Brain & Safety
It is a common myth that by not cooking meat, you will preserve the nutrients. However, this is wrong. By cooking organ meat, you convert the protein in it into a form that can be easily absorbed. Don’t consume organ meat raw as it comes with a lot of health risks.
You can easily contract foodborne illnesses and get sick.
Where to Buy Quality Grass-Fed Beef Brain
For beef brains, keep two things in mind: the farmer, and the freshness. When it comes to buying and sourcing beef brain, the fresher it is, the better. Most of the nutrients and fats in the brain start to degrade in sunlight and air.
Mad cow disease takes very long to develop and is virtually non-existent in young animals. Therefore, it is better if you source the beef brain from young cows to remove the risk of mad cow disease. Buy beef brain from your local farmer’s market to ensure that you are getting the best quality organ meat.
There are many online stores as well from where you can buy beef brain, but you will not be sure about the freshness of the brain.
Beef Brain Supplements
If you’re squeemish about eating brain, or can’t source good quality meat, you could use a supplement. Here are some things that you need to look for in a beef brain supplement before you spend your hard-earned money.
- Grass-Fed animals
- GMO-Free
- Cattle grown without Hormones
- No Fillers
- Third-party Tested
- Non-Defatted
- Freeze Dried
Other Beef Organ Meats
Exploring a range of beef organ meats and their health benefits:
Rocio Torres-Quevedo says
Where can I get fresh/frozen beef brain for eating?
Live Ancestral Team says
We recommend contacting your local butcher. They should be able to help you get quality meat, and you can support small businesses. Eating beef brain isn’t common — so many people choose a supplement instead. Good luck!