Why Lamb?
Sunday, October 3rd, 2010The consumption of lamb meat in the United States as compared to other countries, such as New Zealand and Australia, is very low; however, there are very distinct reasons why eating lamb is a great alternative to the more popular red meats, such as beef – all of which are great reasons to give lamb a try, and while you are at it, why not start with the best, Ranchline All Natural lamb.
- Nutrient-dense: Lamb is a prime source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals. As with other red meats, its protein is nutritionally complete, with all eight essential amino acids in the proper ratios. A 3-ounce serving of lamb provides 43 percent of an adult male’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein. Lamb is high in B vitamins, zinc and iron. Red meats, especially lamb and beef, are amongst the best sources of absorbable iron. For those watching the carbohydrate intake, lamb has zero carbs.
- Lean and mean: Compared to other meats, lamb contains very little marbling (fat in the meat). Since lamb fat is on the edge of the meat, it is easily trimmed off, which means fewer calories, only 175 in an average 3-ounce serving or 7% of the average daily caloric intake. Only about 36% of the fat in lamb is saturated fat. The rest is mono or poly-saturated fat, or the “good” fat in one’s diet.
- Good Fat: Lamb is one of the richest sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA possesses unique and potent antioxidant activity. It is produced naturally from linoleic acid by bacteria in the stomach of herbivores (plant eaters), such as lamb, goats and cows. CLA cannot be manufactured in the human body. The CLA content in milk and meat is affected by many factors: breed, age, diet and management.
- Flavor: Lamb has a great flavor all of its own. The breed used by Ranchline All Natural is called a Hair Sheep breed (http://www.hairsheep.org). Hair sheep have a great flavor that results from the lack of lanolin that is produced within the animal. Most chefs who have compared Ranchline All Natural lamb to other types of lamb, all agree that the flavor is something to be desired.
So why not give lamb a try today – you will be happy that you did!
(Source: http://www.sheep101.info/lamb.html)




