Liver

Liver from various animals, such as mammals, birds, and fish, is a nutrient-dense food savored globally. It is rich in essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, copper, B vitamins, and vitamin A. However, consumption of excessive amounts of liver, particularly from animals like polar bears, walruses, or bearded seals, can lead to vitamin A toxicity.

There are numerous appetizing ways to prepare liver: it can be baked, boiled, fried, or even consumed raw for the more daring. In Europe, fish liver, particularly cod liver, is highly favored, and it also serves as the basis for the popular dietary supplement, cod liver oil.

Liver also holds cultural significance in various communities. For instance, in Hawaii, it is a custom among immigrant Okinawans to eat pig liver on New Year's Eve. However, care must be taken, as not all types of liver are safe to consume; liver from pufferfish, for example, contains the lethal toxin tetrodotoxin.

Furthermore, the term "liver" carries an intriguing historical background, and there are numerous culinary traditions worldwide that celebrate this nourishing organ.