Women who are breastfeeding should be especially careful about their own menu. Potential allergens should not be included in the diet, at the same time, nutrition should be healthy and varied, providing mother and baby with all the necessary microelements. Liver is on the list of the best foods, but to get the most out of it, you need to cook it properly and use it in dosage, carefully monitoring your well-being.
Liver for nursing mothers: useful properties and features
Nutritionists strongly recommend including beef or chicken liver in the diet of pregnant and lactating women. The product is rich in proteins, folic acid, copper, iron and zinc. These elements not only have a positive effect on the development of the baby, but also help the mother recover faster after childbirth. Well-absorbed iron prevents anemia, improves blood flow, and quickly restores the menstrual cycle. The liver is rich in vitamins A, E, B, D, which are not destroyed when properly cooked. Their inclusion in the diet has a positive effect on digestion, improves the condition of the skin, hair and teeth that suffer during pregnancy.
A great advantage of the liver is its low calorie content (140 kcal per 100 g of product). When cooking or stewing, the number of calories increases slightly - up to 165 units. The liver is rich in proteins, in second place are well-absorbed fats, but there are few carbohydrates in the composition. The nutritional value of the product is high: even a small portion without a side dish saturates well, gives strength and energy that a young mother needs.
Another useful product is cod liver. It is sold as canned food, contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins A and E, magnesium, zinc, selenium. The product is eaten without additional culinary processing, the daily portion is 1 tbsp. l. on a slice of whole grain or gray bread. Cod liver is useful for severe anemia, but it can provoke intestinal problems, so it should be included in the diet gradually.
Contraindications and warnings
Despite its obvious benefits, the liver is not for everyone. It is in this organ, responsible for the removal of metabolic products from the animal's body, that toxins, antibiotics and other not very useful substances are concentrated. A healthy woman who does not have digestive problems can eat 100-150 g of finished liver without harm, while consumption should be limited to 1-2 servings per week. Such an amount of the product will not harm the child, provided that he does not have an individual intolerance. Increasing portions can cause short-term indigestion, diarrhea, and nausea.
The liver is rich in vitamin A, so it is better for a nursing mother who regularly includes this product in the menu to refuse ready-made multivitamins. The increased concentration of retinol can negatively affect the health of the baby.
When choosing a liver, you should pay attention to beef and chicken. These types are easy to digest, contain less fat, and are less likely to cause allergies. Pork liver has a bitter taste that not everyone likes.
Some women try to choose only natural, rustic food, avoiding buying liver from the store. Nutritionists warn that products from well-known brands are much safer: they have been tested many times and have the appropriate certificates confirming their quality. It is important to make sure that the liver is fresh, free of impurities and unpleasant odors. A farm product, and especially meat from private traders, does not always meet hygienic requirements and can harm a nursing mother.
How to cook your liver properly: the best homemade recipes
The classic version is beef liver stewed in sour cream. You can cook it in a pan or slow cooker. First you need to fry the thinly chopped onions, then lay out the washed and peeled liver, cut into not too small pieces. After two minutes of frying, the liver is poured with low-fat sour cream and left to simmer until tender. In conclusion, the dish needs to be salted, finely chopped greens are added if desired. The best side dish is wild or brown rice, which is rich in fiber and B vitamins.
Chicken liver is also very useful. The simplest solution is to boil it in boiling salted water with bay leaves and a few black peppercorns. The tender liver will be ready in 10-12 minutes. Serve it immediately after cooking, cooling down, the product will become dry and tough. The best additions are fresh vegetables and green salad.
A more original recipe is chicken liver with fruits: apples and grapes. The dish turns out to be light, but satisfying. For a side dish, you should cook pasta from durum flour or baked potatoes. Cut the washed liver into slices, put in a multicooker bowl, pour in a little water and simmer until half cooked with the lid closed. Add the diced apples without the skin and seeds, and the seedless grapes. Salt to taste, add a little ground paprika. Set the "Extinguishing" program for 10 minutes. If a child has a tendency to allergies, it is better to refuse spices and grapes by preparing a liver with apples of green varieties.
For those who do not like the characteristic taste of the liver, you can soak the product in fresh milk before stewing. After half an hour, the liver is stewed with a small amount of liquid. You can add some greens to the finished dish. Chives, celery and garlic are best avoided; their strong aromas can affect the taste of breast milk.
