Liverwurst vs. Braunschweiger — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Summary

Liverwurst is higher in phosphorus, vitamin C, and calcium. It is also lower in cholesterol and sodium. Braunschweiger contains more vitamin D and iron.  

Introduction

This article compares the nutritional composition and health impact of two famous German sausages - liverwurst (1) and braunschweiger (2). You can see the distribution of different nutrients in the charts shown in the corresponding parts. 

Actual differences

Liverwurst can be prepared of pork or beef meat, while braunschweiger is made mainly of pork and rarely of fat or beef. 

Braunschweiger is made of liver, but in the preparation of liverwurst, hearts and kidneys are used additionally. They both contain spices, added onions, and bacon. Liverwurst can additionally contain pieces of mushroom and some berries. 

The texture of these sausages can vary: liverwurst has a more paste-like texture, while braunschweiger is chunkier. 

Liverwurst usually tastes like liver. Braunschweiger has a smoky and peppery taste. 

Braunschweiger is used boiled or smoked, while liverwurst is usually boiled. 

Nutrition

Here we will discuss the macronutrient, mineral, and vitamin composition of liverwurst and braunschweiger. Both of them do not provide any quantities of trans fats.  

Protein

Braunschweiger is higher in protein than liverwurst. Per 100g serving, braunschweiger provides 14.5g of protein, while liverwurst contains 12.4g of it. 

Being processed meat products, both contain many essential amino acids, such as lysine, leucine, and valine. 

Fat

Braunschweiger is three grams higher in fats than liverwurst. It is richer in both saturated and unsaturated fats. 

Surprisingly, liverwurst is 62mg higher in cholesterol than braunschweiger. 

Calories

Liverwurst and braunschweiger are classified as moderate-calorie foods. Due to its higher protein and fat composition, braunschweiger provides more calories than liverwurst. It has 22 more calories per 100g serving. 

Minerals

The winner in this section is liverwurst. 

Liverwurst provides more calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and less sodium than braunschweiger. 

Braunschweiger contains more iron, potassium, and zinc. Braunschweiger is 277mg higher in sodium than liverwurst.

Check the mineral comparison chart below for a visual representation of the distribution of minerals. 

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Liverwurst

3

Braunschweiger

3

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+144.4%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+36.9%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-28.4%

Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+17.1%
Contains more IronIron	+26.6%
Contains more ZincZinc	+22.2%

~equal in Magnesium ~11mg

~equal in Copper ~0.24mg

~equal in Manganese ~0.155mg

~equal in Selenium ~58µg

Vitamins

In general, braunschweiger has a higher vitamin content. It is richer in B-complex vitamins and folate. 

Liverwurst contains vitamin C, which is not present in braunschweiger. In contrast, liverwurst lacks vitamin D, which is present in braunschweiger. 

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Liverwurst

1

Braunschweiger

10

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C

+∞%

Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2	+48.1%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+94.6%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5	+14.6%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+73.7%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+49.3%
Contains more FolateFolate	+46.7%

~equal in Vitamin A ~14051IU

~equal in Vitamin B1 ~0.249mg

Health impact 

Benefits

Liverwurst and braunschweiger are loaded with complete proteins. They are important sources of essential amino acids needed for our organism’s normal functioning (3). 

Braunschweiger contains a lot of B-complex vitamins. Vitamin B12 is important for forming red blood cells and DNA (4). It is also high in retinol or vitamin A, which is essential for eye health and maintains a healthy immune system (5).  

Liverwurst is significantly higher in selenium, which acts as an antioxidant and helps strengthen the immune system (6). Iron, contained in braunschweiger, is essential for hemoglobin production and oxygen transport (7). 

Drawbacks

Liverwurst is high in sodium. This is a concern for people who are salt sensitive. Sodium can cause higher blood pressure (8). People, who have hypertension, should consider consuming foods low in sodium. 

Braunschweiger and liverwurst are high-cholesterol foods. Excess consumption of products like these sausages can be linked with a higher risk of atherosclerosis. 

References

1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174596/nutrients 
2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171621/nutrients 
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905294/ 
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18411381/ 
5. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina-consumer/ 
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2698273/ 
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3999603/ 
8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28485063/