Liver

The liver is an organ in vertebrates, including humans. It plays a major role in metabolism and has a number of functions in the body including detoxification, glycogen storage and plasma protein synthesis. It also produces bile, which is important for digestion. Medical terms related to the liver often start in hepato- or hepatic from the Greek word for liver, hepar.

Liver as food

Mammal and bird livers are commonly eaten as food: products include liver paté, Leberwurst, Braunschweiger and foie gras. Both animal and fish livers are rich in Vitamin A, cod liver oil being commonly used as a supplement. Vitamin A levels can be toxic, particularly in polar animals; the Antarctic explorers Douglas Mawson and Xavier Mertz were both poisoned, the latter fatally, from eating husky liver.

Related Topics:
Liver paté - Leberwurst - Braunschweiger - Foie gras - Vitamin A - Cod liver oil - Toxic - Antarctic - Douglas Mawson - Xavier Mertz - Husky

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