Chicken gizzards may not be your first choice for dinner, but their nutritional value deserves attention. They provide protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. That makes them a useful food, though eating them does not automatically mean you can stop taking supplements.

The protein content is particularly striking. One cup of cooked, chopped gizzards contains about 44 grams of protein and 4.6 milligrams of iron. Those are meaningful contributions to your diet from an ingredient that rarely gets the attention given to chicken breast.

But here is the detail the headline leaves out: eating a nutrient and absorbing enough of it are different things. Some people struggle to absorb vitamin B12 from food and can develop a deficiency despite getting the recommended amount in their diet. For them, changing dinner may not solve the problem.

Enjoy gizzards as part of a varied diet, but do not stop prescribed supplements because of a food claim online. Whether you need supplementation depends on your individual needs, and blood tests can help identify deficiencies. Their nutritional benefits are real without promising they can replace treatment.