If you swap out part of the fish in gourami dim sum for chicken liver, the dish ends up with more iron and vitamin A — it’s like giving your meal a nutritional boost.

We analyzed the available evidence on substituting chicken liver for part of the fish in gourami dim sum, and what we’ve found so far suggests that this swap increases the dish’s iron and vitamin A content. All 20.0 supporting assertions point to this outcome, with no evidence contradicting it [1]. Chicken liver is naturally rich in these nutrients—iron helps carry oxygen in the blood, and vitamin A supports vision and immune function—so replacing a portion of the fish with liver adds more of them to the final dish. This isn’t about changing flavor or texture, but about shifting the nutrient profile. The evidence doesn’t say how much the levels rise, or whether the change is meaningful for daily needs, but it consistently shows an increase. We don’t know if this applies to all recipes or cooking methods, or whether the body absorbs these added nutrients the same way. Still, based on what we’ve reviewed so far, swapping in chicken liver appears to boost iron and vitamin A in gourami dim sum. If you’re looking to add more of these nutrients to your meal, this substitution is one way to consider doing it.