Generality
"Kidneys" is the term commonly used to indicate the renal apparatus of the slaughtered animal (the most common are bovine); the kidneys are therefore offal, that is a fraction of the beast that can be grouped in the "fifth quarter".
Kidneys have a characteristic flavor proportional to the old age of the animal of origin. The kidneys of the veal, for example, are those with the most delicate taste, while the kidneys of beef or horse have a particularly strong flavor.
This distinction originates from the fact that the kidneys are organs responsible for the filtration of blood and the concentration of urine, therefore, the level of urea and other nitrogen groups contained in them is extremely high but variable with the diet; a young animal that feeds mainly milk has a greater renal filtration than that of an adult animal, which results in a lower concentration of urine and the urea contained in them.
Nutritional values (per 100 g of edible portion)
Nutritional characteristics
Kidneys are foods with excellent nutritional value, but it is also necessary to specify immediately that their use almost always involves an excessive intake of cholesterol. Obviously, for subjects suffering from pathologies related to the metabolism of this steroid lipid, eating kidneys systematically but periodically would not lead to any blood decompensation; on the other hand, in the event that an excess of total or LDL cholesterol is present in the blood, kidneys are not an advisable food.
Kidneys are offal that contain few fatty acids (even if predominantly saturated), many proteins with a high biological value and traces of sugars; the result is an extremely limited energy intake, comparable to that of lean meats.
The kidneys bring almost all the mineral salts in excellent quantities to say the least; iron (lacking in anemic people), selenium and zinc (the latter boast a high antioxidant power) are particularly appreciated. Kidneys DO NOT contain good doses of calcium, while phosphorus is appreciable; this is not a positive aspect since a "chronic alteration of the ratio of calcium and phosphorus in the diet could lead to a worsening of bone metabolism.
From a vitamin point of view, kidneys are rich in water-soluble and fat-soluble molecules; among the fat-soluble ones, vitamin A (retinol) and vitamin D (calciferol, very rare) stand out, while among the water-soluble ones there are excellent quantities of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin etc. (i.e. almost all the molecules belonging to group B).
Kidneys are foods with a medium purine content and therefore must be introduced in moderation in the diet against hyperuricemia.
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