Liver, heart, tongue, and kidneys should become staples for Brits if we want to save the planet.
That’s according to scientists from Aberystwyth University, who claim these ‘forgotten meats’ could be Britain’s next big superfood.
Offal – which is both cheap and dense in vitamins and minerals – was once a regular part of people’s diets in the UK.
Traditional dishes include a terrine made from pig’s head, known as ‘brawn’, and ‘chitterlings’ – pigs’ intestines that are plaited before cooking.
However, in recent decades, these dishes have fallen out of favour.
‘Where they are not being used, these nutrient-dense “forgotten meats” represent a significant loss of nutrients from our food chain and could instead be used to support human dietary health when incorporated as part of a balanced diet,’ explained Dr Siân MacKintosh, one of the researchers involved in the project.
‘There could also be environmental benefits and less food waste if these meats were eaten more regularly.’
So, could you be tempted by an offal Bolognese?
Liver, heart, tongue, and kidneys should become staples for Brits if we want to save the planet. Pictured: an offal Bolognese, made by a Daily Mail journalist
The researchers have been working with Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) to understand why offal has fallen out of favour – and what can be done to increase its popularity.
As part of their work, the team gauged people’s reactions to the taste of dishes made with lamb’s liver, including a stroganoff, faggots, and pate.
‘Consumers liked the flavour and were keen to find out more about recipes and cooking methods, as well as the value that it can offer,’ said Dr Eleri Thomas, Future Policy and Project Development Executive at HCC.
‘By exploring ways of optimising the use of nutrient-rich undervalued lamb cuts, the aim is to increase the sustainability of the supply chain, reduce waste and guide new marketing opportunities.’
While offal was once popular, meat-eaters in the UK today typically only eat muscle tissue.
However, there are several positive impacts associated with reintroducing these forgotten meats – including environmental and health benefits.
‘Eating more offal could lower the number of animals that are killed for food and so the greenhouse gases produced by the meat industry,’ explained Tennessee Randall, a PhD candidate in social psychology at Swansea University in a recent article for The Conversation.
‘Offal also has potential health benefits.
While offal was once popular, meat-eaters in the UK today typically only eat muscle tissue. However, there are several positive impacts associated with reintroducing these forgotten meats – including environmental and health benefits
‘It’s packed with protein, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids and often contains more nutrients than the meat that we would usually eat.
‘For example, 100 grams of liver provides around 36% of your recommended daily iron but eating the same amount of minced meat would provide around 12%.’
While there are clear benefits, persuading people to eat offal isn’t easy.
‘Typically, people who haven’t tried offal are disgusted by the thought of eating it and often consider it to be contaminated,’ Ms Randall explained.
‘Others are put off because they just don’t know how to make a tasty meal that their children will also eat.’
Rather than offering up straight tongues, kidneys, or hearts, the solution may be to use offal in familiar meals.
In a recent study of 390 meat eaters in the UK, offal-enriched mince proved popular in dishes like spaghetti Bolognese, meatballs, burgers, and shepherd’s pie.
One of the other key benefits to eating offal is the price.
Forgotten meats often cost significantly less than more popular cuts.
However, Ms Randall points out that this could fuel misperceptions about offal being lower quality.
‘In reality, eating more of the animal could support a healthy diet and could be a more achievable recommendation for sustainable eating, especially for the men who love their meat,’ she added.
