Composition of lamb, its benefits and harm to the body. The benefits and harms of lamb for the human body The benefits of lamb for the human body

Anna Belousova is a famous Russian practicing nutritionist, member of an international team of developers of popular weight loss products.Modelforms invites her to understand the myths about lamb and why it is not necessary to exclude this meat from your diet.

When a nutritionist tells his patients that they can also eat lamb, among other types of meat, in most cases they are perplexed: “How? It’s too greasy, heavy, and smells!” Meanwhile, lamb is a very healthy and tasty meat, which greatly helps to diversify the diet during a diet.

So, let's immediately deal with the issue of fat content and calorie content. Fatty lamb contains 16.3% fat, lean lamb contains 9.6%, which corresponds to 209 or 166 kcal per 100 g. Let’s consider beef for comparison, in fatty meat which contains 16% fat, lean - 9.8%, and in terms of calorie content, beef is even ahead of lamb, albeit slightly: 218 or 168 kcal per 100 g, depending on the category. Lamb remains far behind when compared in terms of fat content with turkey, broiler chicken, not to mention sausages and mayonnaise.

And yet, lamb fat has its own peculiarity. It is more refractory, that is, it collapses at higher temperatures. high temperature than beef or pork fat. Although, temperatures of 37 0 C or slightly higher, which are typical for our digestive system, and lamb fat is quite enough. The main thing is that lamb dishes should not be washed down with very cold drinks.

The opinion about the “heaviness” of lamb is also a little erroneous: the protein of this meat is digested no worse than others. But the refractoriness of fat matters. People with liver, pancreas, or gallbladder disease may not tolerate lamb well. Although, its tolerance greatly depends on the method of cooking the meat.

In fact, the opinion about the fat content and heaviness of lamb is more subjective. Where do we most often encounter this meat? That's right, in the national cuisines of Central Asia, China, and the Caucasus. For example, pilaf simply cannot be low-fat, otherwise it is no longer pilaf! Traditional lamb in a frying pan in Chinese restaurants is prepared with the obligatory addition of pork, goose or duck fat and starch. And in the Caucasus, even fatty lamb is excellently cooked over coals, but usually they serve it with so much greenery and vegetables that the fat simply does not have time to be absorbed!

Just let's not forget that lamb is actively present in the cooking of other countries. It is readily eaten in Italy and Spain, Turkey and Greece (by the way, food in the Mediterranean countries is considered one of the healthiest), in Albania and Bulgaria, Hungary, Australia and the UK. Where does this worldwide prevalence come from? Everything is very simple: in those times when peoples led a nomadic or semi-sedentary lifestyle, it was flocks of sheep that accompanied them. There are numerous references to this even in Old Testament. By the way, sheep farmers joke that you can never drive a cow or a pig like sheep. Therefore, our lambs are fitness enthusiasts.

And, if we touch on the field of livestock farming, then we need to mention one more important point. Sheep and rams are much more difficult to feed with combined food than other animals; they prefer natural food. And, therefore, the meat is more environmentally friendly.

In terms of the content of protein, vitamins and minerals, lamb is not inferior, but not much ahead of other types of meat.

Another important fact that requires discussion is the smell of lamb. In fact, all types of meat differ in smell from each other. A person with a good sense of smell will never confuse the smell of raw pork, beef, lamb, chicken or rabbit, even blindfolded. If, of course, the meat is fresh. So, lamb is the meat that stays fresh the longest, even in the heat. According to one legend, the choice of the capital of present-day Uzbekistan depended on lamb during the time of Tamerlane. The formidable ruler ordered that a lamb be slaughtered and skinned in each of the cities and monitor where the carcass would remain fresh longer. The choice fell on Samarkand.

It was in Uzbekistan that I was taught how to choose and cut lamb correctly. Of course, I am far from the chefs there, but I will share my knowledge!

If you really want to “make friends” with lamb, go to the market or farm store to buy meat, where you will be offered not just chopped pieces, but will be given a look at the whole carcass, or at least its large parts. This is where the smell problem is solved! The fact is that sheep farmers know many breeds of lamb, but culinary specialists distinguish only two features: fat-tailed and non-tail-tailed lamb. Not fat-tailed lamb, indeed, has more Strong smell, which many people don't like. In addition, instead of it, they may well sell you goat meat, which is much cheaper (but this will not be reflected in the price tag, of course). In principle, goat meat is also quite edible meat, but it actually has a specific smell.

In general, look for fat-tailed lamb. Fat tail is an accumulation of fat around the tail, sometimes quite abundant, which makes fat-tailed lambs and sheep look like a lady dressed in a dress with a bustle. In markets they usually display half a carcass or back leg with a fat tail, so that it can be seen: the lamb is correct. The total percentage of fat content of such lamb is slightly higher, precisely because of the presence of the fat tail, but don’t let this scare you - we will not take either the fat tail or the hind leg! Ask the seller to separate the front leg or shoulder blade from the same carcass: there is very little fat in it. Smell, press with your finger, assessing the depth of the hole, thereby checking the meat for freshness. Good fresh lamb has a not pungent smell, just a little sweet.

And then they will offer you to chop the piece into smaller pieces, so, under no circumstances agree! Otherwise, you will have to wash the lamb before further cutting, and not for experienced housewives this should not be done. It’s better to tinker a little yourself, but then the meat will be more dietary. I can imagine how after these lines real cooks from Central Asia and experienced butchers will curse me, but believe me, we simply have different tasks. For the chef it is important to cook tasty and “correctly”, for us it is as low in calories as possible. So we proceed to further cutting the meat “dry”; in extreme cases, you can remove external contamination with a paper towel. The fact is that all visible fat is separated from lamb that has not been pre-washed much easier than from other types of meat. It is best to do this with your hands, but you can also help yourself with a knife. Once all the external fat has been removed, the piece can be thoroughly washed cool water, dry with a paper towel, let air dry a little more so that your hands do not slip, and then cut further into pieces convenient for your culinary purposes.


Well, what lamb dishes does the world culinary offer us, read in the section “ Healthy recipes" Online modelform. ru!
Be healthy, beautiful and happy!

Your Anna Belousova, nutritionist, member of the international team of developers of popular weight loss products
Modelforms .

Mutton is the meat of sheep, rams. The most valuable meat is the meat of young (up to 18 months) castrated rams or sheep that are unsuitable for breeding.

The meat of well-fed sheep, no older than 3 years, is also tasty. It is distinguished by a light red hue, the fat is elastic and white. The meat of old or poorly fed sheep has a dark red tint and yellow fat. This meat is stringy, and therefore it is best consumed in the form of minced meat.. Favorite meat of the peoples of the East

The advantage of this type of meat is that lamb fat contains 2.5 times less cholesterol than beef fat and 4 times less cholesterol than pork fat.

Calorie content of lamb

The calorie content of boiled lamb is 291 kcal per 100 g. In 100 g of stewed lamb there are 268 kcal, and the calorie content of fried lamb is 320 kcal per 100 g. This product is characterized by quite high content proteins and fats and can lead to obesity if consumed in large quantities.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Beneficial properties of lamb

Lamb is well suited for feeding the elderly and children. It contains a lot of fluoride, which protects teeth from caries. Lamb fat is low in cholesterol. Moreover, lecithin contained in lamb helps prevent diabetes by stimulating the pancreas, and also has anti-sclerotic properties and normalizes cholesterol metabolism.

Flavoring and nutritional value lamb is exceptionally large. In terms of protein content, essential amino acids and minerals it is not inferior to beef, and even exceeds it in calorie content (beef - 1838 kcal/kg, lamb - 2256 kcal/kg). Also because its fat contains relatively little a large number of cholesterol. Some scientists believe that atherosclerosis is less common among peoples who eat mainly lamb.

But you still need to take a break from meat, which is why all major religions of the world provide for fasting. After fasting, when the body has rested from eating meat, we become calmer and smarter. True, it is impossible to completely give up meat food, since our nutrition must be complete and balanced.

Meat broths will benefit people suffering from gastritis with low acidity. But they will have to be completely excluded for those who have a stomach ulcer or gastritis with high acidity. Meat also has an adverse effect on diseased kidneys. After all, in any meat there is a lot toxic substances In addition, animals are fed antibiotics and hormonal stimulants, and these substances are very destructive to the kidneys and liver.

Burnt lamb meat is useful against the bite of snakes, black and yellow scorpions. With wine it helps against a mad dog bite

Dangerous properties of lamb

Lamb has the same set harmful properties like other types of meat. Its consumption in large quantities can lead to the development of obesity and sclerosis. Elderly people and those who suffer from arthritis should not get carried away with lamb. The reason for this restriction is the bacteria that is found on the bones of meat, due to which arthritis can begin to progress.

Also, one of the main disadvantages of lamb is the high content of lipids, which are dangerous and contribute to the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system. In addition, lamb meat is not recommended for people who have problems with the liver, kidneys, gallbladder, available

Most people are only familiar with beef and pork. Lamb, popular in eastern countries, is not in particular demand in Russia and raises many questions: about preparation, options for use, taste qualities and impact on health. What are the benefits and harms of lamb for the body, who is it recommended for, and how to serve it correctly?

Lamb meat: general characteristics

In order to fully understand the health benefits and harms of lamb, it is worth turning to its chemical composition. Average energy value such meat is about 190 kcal in 100 g of young lamb meat and more than 210 kcal in the meat of an adult animal. Some parts can reach 290 kcal in calorie content, and these are the numbers for raw product. They increase when frying or baking. The amount of proteins (proteins) is approximately 16 g, and fats - 17 g. There are no carbohydrates here, which is welcomed by everyone who follows low-carb diets.

First of all, you can find a large amount of vitamin B12 in lamb: if you eat 100 g of this product, you will make up daily requirement(and even exceed it by 8%), and only seafood and beef liver will give the same effect. This already indicates the benefits of lamb during pregnancy, since a woman carrying a child experiences a serious deficiency of B vitamins. In addition, the chemical composition of this product contains:

  • selenium;
  • niacin;
  • calcium;
  • magnesium;
  • iron;
  • vitamins B1, B2, B5, B6, B9.

One more important element nutritionists call vitamin K, which is present in the same large quantities only in veal (if we consider meat). In addition, taurine, creatine, and glutathione are present here. But what is most surprising to most people is this complete absence cholesterol with a high percentage of fat content, so the harm of lamb to the body lies not in negative impact on vessels that do not exist.

The main advantage of this product is its high nutritional value - lamb is superior to other types of meat in this parameter, so it is necessary for those recovering from an illness, as well as pregnant women and athletes. In addition, as mentioned above, it contains many vitamins and microelements, thanks to which nutritionists were able to determine the benefits of lamb meat for the body:

  • regulates production gastric juice;
  • provides prevention diabetes mellitus;
  • improves chemical composition blood, stimulates the process of hematopoiesis;
  • replenishes iron deficiency no worse than beef;
  • increases hemoglobin levels;
  • normalizes metabolic processes;
  • stabilizes blood pressure;
  • improves mental activity;
  • helps accelerate fat burning (thanks to linoleic acid);
  • has a beneficial effect on the condition of teeth, reducing the risk of caries.

The specific benefits of lamb for men are also interesting - with regular consumption, it reduces the likelihood of problems with potency. To a greater extent this effect due to the high content of vitamin K. At the same time, its fat content is still lower than the fat content of pork, and the cholesterol level here is also significantly lower, so lamb can be considered a relatively dietary product.

Separately, doctors mention the benefits and harms of lamb broth: if it is not too rich, made with 2 waters and not from old meat, it will have a beneficial effect on the gastric mucosa, therefore it is indicated for gastritis, as well as low acidity. True, such a dish can be difficult for the liver if you overdo it with its strength.

Often the danger is not so much the product itself as its quality. It is important to choose fresh meat that has an even color and is free from unpleasant odor(rotten, sour). Its surface should be smooth and equally elastic at all points. Experts advise buying lamb meat because it is more tender, less fatty, lower in calories, and is better digestible, especially if you need to prepare a dish for a child. As for the specific smell and taste that the meat of an adult animal has, they are not dangerous, although they do not attract everyone.

Other potentially negative aspects:

  • The high lipid content in lamb meat can negatively affect the condition of people with severe cardiovascular diseases, so it is worth monitoring the amount of product eaten and the frequency of its introduction into the diet.
  • Lamb may be dangerous for people with arthritis and gout, as well as pathologies gastrointestinal tract, liver failure.
  • You should not overuse lamb if you have problems with your kidneys, since the removal of breakdown products will slow down and the body may become poisoned from the inside.

Dried lamb, the benefits and harms of which are approximately the same as fresh ones, can be a good snack if it is prepared at home. It is not so dangerous for the liver and digestive tract, like fried, can replace sausage and ham in sandwiches. The only caveat is that dried lamb is prepared with a lot of salt, so it is not recommended for heart and kidney diseases.

Today everyone is arguing about whether lamb is good or bad. The benefits and harms to the body when eating this type of meat are discussed in this article. Mutton is the name given to meat taken from the properly slaughtered body of a ram, sheep or lamb. The meat of lambs fed exclusively mother's milk. Conscientious producers slaughter adults up to two years of age to supply markets with nutritional and delicious product. You can eat them without fear. Individuals older than two years often produce meat products with a tougher structure and a specific odor.

Useful qualities of lamb

The spectrum of positive properties of meat

The product supplies the body with huge portions of valuable and highly digestible protein, which has a beneficial effect on the entire human body. The dietary product fits organically into the system healthy eating. Lamb lovers usually strong teeth with a minimal risk of developing caries, it’s all about the fluoride content in the product, which can strengthen tooth enamel.

Benefits of lamb for blood and blood vessels

The meat of rams and lambs has a positive effect on the human body, as it predisposes to an improvement in blood composition. Lamb contains a maximum of iron, which makes it different from other varieties. With regular consumption of the product, iron deficiency is compensated, which is useful for anemia. It should be noted that lamb meat contains 30% less unwanted fat than common pork. Due to its low fat content, lamb contains a minimum bad cholesterol. It is known that with atherosclerosis and weak vascular system it is undesirable to eat certain types meat, which cannot be said about lamb. The product can be eaten in small portions; it is advisable to give preference to the meat of young lambs.

Lamb for digestion

High-quality lamb must certainly be present in the diet of people suffering from pancreatic diseases. The product helps normalize the production of gastric juice and also protects against the development of diabetes. It should be borne in mind that meat is a heavy product, especially for those who have gastrointestinal disorders. This situation can be improved by avoiding the meat itself, but eating meat broths. Dishes prepared with lamb meat are useful for gastritis and help improve the body's condition with low acidity in the gastrointestinal tract.

Mutton: tasty and healthy meat for cooking on weekdays and holidays

Characteristics of lamb

Vitamin composition of meat

A 100-gram serving of the product contains the following vitamins:

  • vitamin B1 - 0.08 milligrams (this is 5% of the daily value);
  • vitamin B2 - 0.1 milligrams, (5%);
  • vitamin B5 - 0.5 milligrams (10%);
  • vitamin B6 - 0.4 milligrams, (20%);
  • vitamin B9 - 8 milligrams, (2%);
  • vitamin B12 - 2 milligrams, (66%);
  • vitamin E - 0.5 milligrams, (3%);
  • vitamin H - 3 milligrams, (6%);
  • vitamin PP - 5 milligrams (26%).

Mineral composition of lamb

A 100-gram serving of the product contains the following minerals:

  • iron - 2 milligrams (11% daily value);
  • iodine - 7 milligrams, (4%);
  • potassium - 270 milligrams, (10%);
  • calcium - 3 milligrams, (0.3%);
  • cobalt - 7 milligrams (70%);
  • magnesium - 18 milligrams (4%);
  • manganese - 0.03 milligrams, (1%);
  • copper - 180 milligrams, (18%);
  • molybdenum - 12 milligrams, (17%);
  • sodium - 80 milligrams, (6%);
  • sulfur - 230 milligrams, (23%);
  • phosphorus - 178 milligrams, (22%);
  • fluoride - 63 milligrams, (1%);
  • chlorine - 60 milligrams, (2%);
  • choline - 70 milligrams, (14%);
  • chromium - 10 milligrams, (20%);
  • zinc - 3 milligrams, (25%).

Calorie content of lamb

It is believed that for dietary nutrition lamb is perfect. The benefits and harms to the body from a given product in this case are determined by the calorie content. A serving of boiled lamb equal to 100 grams has a calorie content of 291 kcal. Stewed product - 268 kcal, fried product - 320 kcal, lamb broth - 18 kcal. Based on these data, we can conclude that lamb is optimally suited for dieting.

Nutritional value of meat

The product contains no carbohydrates. 100 grams of medium-fat lamb contains the following substances:

  • proteins - 16 grams ( daily norm- 81 grams);
  • fat - 15 grams (54 grams).

Possible harm of lamb

If you abuse lamb, there will definitely be no benefit, so you should eat it in limited quantities. Opponents of meat point out that this type of meat is quite difficult to digest and contributes to the deposition of toxins. All product characteristics should be studied before eating lamb. Benefits and harm to the body can be obtained by eating low-quality meat. Much depends on the nutrition, health and living conditions of the animals. If a product is purchased from an unverified manufacturer, then it is possible that the meat contains carcinogens and GMOs.

Often, consumers point out that lamb is harmful due to non-compliance with the rules for consuming the product. This type of meat is dangerous for gastritis, high acidity and serious illnesses Gastrointestinal tract, gout, kidney pathology, liver diseases, malfunction of the gallbladder, as well as high blood pressure. It is not advisable to offer lamb to children under 3 years of age; for older children, only the meat of the smallest lambs is suitable. Elderly people should eat meat, including lamb, with caution.

Lamb is the meat of domestic sheep. Rich in high-quality protein and many vitamins and minerals, lamb can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet. Lamb is one of the main meat products nutrition of many peoples. These are the countries of the Middle East, Turkey, Australia, Greece, New Zealand, the Caucasus and Central Asia. This meat is a very common product in Mediterranean diet and many nutritionists explain good health those who regularly consume lamb, use this meat. So really, lamb brings so many benefits to our body, what useful material it contains and whether there is any harm from eating lamb, we’ll figure it out in this article.

Lamb meat is a red type of meat. This term is used to define the category of meat from animals containing large amounts of iron. The most popular cuts of lamb meat for cooking are shoulder, steaks, breast, rear end legs In the countries of the East and the Caucasus, a whole young lamb is very often prepared.

Eating meat is extremely important for humans. It gives the body essential amino acids, which are not produced by our body, and we should get them only from food. In addition, meat is an excellent source of protein, the main building material cells. Lamb is no exception in this regard.

Chemical composition of lamb meat and calorie content

Like any other meat, lamb meat contains a large amount of protein. Its content in this type of meat ranges from 25-26 percent.

It should be noted that this is a high-quality protein that contains essential amino acids necessary for the growth and maintenance of the human body.

Another useful component of lamb is lamb fat. The composition of lamb fat depends on the feed, gender, and age of the animal. Its content can range from 17 to 21 percent.

Lamb fat consists of saturated and monounsaturated fats in approximately equal proportions.

Young sheep generally contain slightly less saturated fat than beef or pork. These fats are very important for prevention cardiovascular diseases. Although doctors and scientists have different opinions on this issue.

Lamb meat contains trans fats. But these are not the trans fats found in fast food. Trans fats from ruminants, which include sheep, have beneficial effects on the human body.

The most famous and widespread of such fats is linoleic acid. Lamb contains much more of it than beef or veal.

In addition, lamb is a rich source of many vitamins. First of all, we need to highlight vitamin B12, which is extremely important for normal functioning brain.

Vitamin B12 is found only in animal foods and its deficiency can lead to anemia and neurological diseases.

Niacin or vitamin B3 is another important vitamin, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. His an insufficient amount Many doctors associate it with the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Among mineral composition you need to isolate selenium, zinc, phosphorus, iron.

Selenium is a very rare trace element that has antioxidant properties. True, its content and quantity directly depends on the animal feed.

Zinc is important for the production of hormones such as insulin and testosterone. This element is much better absorbed by the body from animal food than from plants.

Iron in lamb is present easily accessible form and is well absorbed by the human body.

In addition, meat contains small amounts of other vitamins and minerals.

In addition to vitamins and minerals, a number of other biologically present in lamb active substances and antioxidants.

Creatine is important as our source of energy for muscles. Creatine supplements are very popular among bodybuilders for muscle growth and maintenance of muscle mass.

Taurine is an amino acid antioxidant that is good for the heart and muscles.

Glutathione is an antioxidant. Animals that eat grass are especially rich in this compound.

Animal cholesterol does not have much effect on blood cholesterol levels. Therefore it cannot be called big problem for good health.

The calorie content of lamb depends on what part of the lamb your piece of meat is. On average, calorie content per 100 grams can range from 150 to 170 calories. In a piece from a shoulder blade or leg, the calorie content may be slightly higher, by about 20-30 calories.

Benefits of lamb for the body

Lamb meat as a rich source of vitamins, minerals and others nutrients, brings great benefits to our body.

First of all, lamb is one of the best sources high quality protein. Protein is important for maintaining muscle mass, especially in older people. Inadequate protein intake may accelerate and worsen muscle loss associated with aging, which in turn increases the risk of developing sarcopenia.

For the same reason, lamb meat is very useful for athletes, bodybuilders, and those recovering from serious illness, after surgery.

Keeping muscle mass, protein also has important for muscle function. Meat protein contains an amino acid called beta-alanine. This amino acid is needed for the production of carnosine, a substance important for muscle function.

As a rich source of easily digestible iron, lamb helps prevent anemia. Anemia is characterized low level hemoglobin in the blood and a decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity of cells, which can result in fatigue and weakness.

The nutrients contained in lamb reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Lamb fat is often used for treatment, especially colds accompanied by a cough. Mutton fat with milk for many known remedy from a dry, lingering cough.

In addition, lamb fat is often used for rubbing against bronchitis.

Zinc affects the production male hormone testosterone, which is important for maintaining the male reproductive system.

Lamb meat belongs to dietary products. And not because it does not contain fat. The main thing is the vegetable feed for the sheep. The richer herbal composition pastures, the healthier the meat.

Possible harm of lamb

Like any meat that is consumed in large quantities, lamb can cause some harm.

This meat contains purines. Therefore, it is contraindicated for people with kidney stones or gout.

Lamb is contraindicated for gastritis, liver and gallbladder diseases.

Eating meat in large quantities can lead to the accumulation of cholesterol in the body and the formation of plaques on the walls of blood vessels.

Another disadvantage is the specific smell of meat, which scares most people away from it. It is very difficult to get rid of it; you can only disguise it with spices and herbs.

In general, lamb meat is healthy healthy product. And if consumed in reasonable quantities, it will not cause any harm to health.

Table nutritional value lamb meat in 100 grams of product

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