Vitamins

You may not think of beef liver as having vitamin C, but it supplies 2 percent of this antioxidant. It's a tremendous source of seven B vitamins, providing 162 percent DV of riboflavin, 72 percent DV of pantothenic acid, 72 percent DV of folate, 66 percent DV of niacin, and 54 percent DV of vitamin B6. With 13 percent DV, liver is also a good source of thiamine. Beef liver has two vitamins in quantities that exceed all the rest. It provides 338 percent of the daily value of vitamin A and a substantial 988 percent of vitamin B12.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that excess amounts are stored in tissues in the body and can become toxic. According to the Merck Manual, chronic toxicity in adults can develop if 150,000 to 350,000 IU are consumed daily, although osteoporosis may develop if more than 4,500 IU are consumed on a daily basis. For comparison, one 100-gram serving of beef liver provides 16,898 IU of vitamin A.

Minerals

Beef liver is a great source of most essential minerals but provides a huge amount of copper (488 percent DV). It also supplies selenium (57 percent DV), phosphorus (39 percent DV), iron and zinc (27 percent DV for both), and manganese (16 percent DV). Beef liver provides smaller amounts of potassium (9 percent DV), magnesium (5 percent DV), sodium (three percent DV), and calcium (one percent DV).

Health Benefit

While beef liver contributes to so many different aspects of overall health, one specific benefit is found from finding such large quantities of vitamins B12, B6, and folate in one source. These vitamins reduce the levels of homocysteine in the blood and that results in improving cardiovascular health.