What are the benefits and harms of lamb for the body, how to store and eat it correctly

National Caucasian cuisine is represented by various lamb dishes. Lamb is distributed throughout Europe. Young lamb meat is considered dietary. Therefore, it is often included in the diet when following a therapeutic diet. An adult ram is not low in calories, but its taste is not inferior to a young one. In addition, this type of meat is very beneficial for the human body. Lamb has a specific aroma. Because of this, not everyone likes meat. But everyone needs to try it at least once.

Chemical composition of lamb

Many people believe that lamb is the meat of a mature sheep. In fact, only young lamb product is used for cooking. The maximum age allowed is 1 year. Already sexually mature male rams are not used for cooking. They have an unpleasant odor and taste that is very difficult to get rid of. Therefore, lamb meat is very healthy.

The product is considered a source of many vitamins. Thus, vitamin group B has a high concentration - B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12. Vitamin B12 is famous for its high levels. 100 grams of lamb meat contains 70% of the daily requirement of this vitamin. The product also contains vitamins E, H, PP, K.

No less impressive mineral composition of the animal carcass:

• Cobalt;
• Zinc;
• Chromium;
• Iron;
• Iodine;
• Potassium;
• Calcium;
• Fluorine;
• Phosphorus;
• Sodium;
• Magnesium.

The benefit of the product lies in the fact that it is a source of most essential acids. The human body does not produce these acids on its own. Therefore, it is very important to receive them from outside. Lamb will fill their deficit.

Contraindications

Lamb, like pork, is a difficult product to digest. To mitigate harm, you should be careful when choosing food. If you are obese, you need to look for lean varieties of meat that should not be overused.

Animal foods increase acidity and make digestion difficult. Any chronic diseases of the kidneys, liver and gastrointestinal tract may worsen. The abundance of calcium and fluoride is dangerous for people with atherosclerosis, gout and arthritis. Before use, consultation with a physician is required.

You should not feed lamb to elderly people and children under 3 years of age. In this category of the population, the digestive system does not function at full capacity and cannot cope with the processing of coarse fibers. Constant use will provoke the emergence of dangerous diseases that will quickly become chronic.

It is better not to make your first acquaintance with sheep dishes on your own. We recommend trying food prepared by a specialist. Following proper processing rules will save you frustration and make healthy food a favorite.

Lamb is a favorite in the kitchens of many nations, but gradually its compatriots began to taste its flavor. Excellent taste and chemical characteristics made the raw material a good alternative to the usual pork. Our recommendations will help determine the harm and benefit of the product.

Beneficial properties of lamb

How is lamb beneficial for people? B vitamins improve a person's overall well-being. When they are deficient, increased fatigue, irritability, and decreased ability to work occur. By increasing tone, the body is charged with energy and strength. It is also recommended to use the product to strengthen the immune system. Lamb is recommended for consumption to normalize blood circulation.

Lamb for the cardiovascular system

The animal fat of this product is not high. Many people think that lamb is a source of cholesterol. This is wrong. High-quality lamb meat does not contain harmful cholesterol. And the rich chemical composition helps reduce cholesterol in human blood. Normalizing blood circulation reduces blood pressure. Therefore, such food is recommended for hypertensive patients. Also, lamb improves heart function, prevents the development of atherosclerosis, and strengthens the walls of blood vessels.

General issues

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Lamb meat for the digestive system

Lecithin, which is part of the product, restores the functions of the digestive system. It is very useful to use lamb-based broths for people suffering from stomach ulcers and gastritis. But it is worth noting that this diet is suitable for those who have low stomach acidity. If the acidity is high, meat broths and the meat itself are prohibited for consumption.

Lamb for bones and teeth

High levels of fluoride and calcium are very beneficial for the body's skeletal system. Doctors advise elderly people and children to eat lamb. Thus, a mature person will protect himself from the development of osteoporosis, arthritis, and arthrosis. The benefit for the child is the full development of the skeletal and muscular systems. By regularly consuming the product, tooth enamel is strengthened. The meat of this animal is an excellent prevention of caries.

How to choose

In order for a sheep meat dish to fully reveal its usefulness and taste potential, you need to choose the right piece. Carefulness will help you distinguish a good product from a low-quality one. Fresh raw materials have a light surface covered with thin layers of white fat. The older the animal, the yellower its fat, and the fibers look brighter and more saturated.

It is worth sniffing the lamb: if it smells unpleasant, this is a sign of the old age of the individual or the usefulness of the male. A castrated young animal does not have a specific, pungent aroma. Such a product will not be useful and can ruin the best dish. The price of such products is often lower than that of other sellers.

Fresh meat has a light surface covered with thin layers of white fat

If you press your finger on the surface of a cooled piece, the dent will quickly smooth out. The fibers are smooth and do not contain mucus. There are no dark spots or inclusions in the frozen versions.

Lamb meat is not universal, so for each type of dish there is a certain part of the carcass. For boiling and pilaf, it is better to choose shoulder, brisket or neck, and for frying and chops it is recommended to use loin and fillet. Fans of oven food choose the hind leg and the “saddle”.

What else is good for lamb meat?

Pregnant women are advised to eat lamb dishes. The fact is that a sufficient amount of folic acid (vitamin B9) strengthens a woman’s immune and nervous systems. Moreover, folic acid is necessary for the fetus for the formation and development of the central nervous system. A deficiency of this component leads to congenital pathologies of the baby’s development.

The large amount of iron in lamb allows it to be used to prevent anemia. Also, the product helps increase hemoglobin levels in the blood. The product against colds is very useful for children. Animal fat is used for treatment. Compresses and infusions are prepared on its basis. Sometimes it’s enough just to rub the baby’s body with animal fat and wrap him in a warm blanket.

The absence of carbohydrates in the carcass has a positive effect on the condition of the pancreas and reduces the risk of developing diabetes. Lamb is the best prevention of hereditary type 2 diabetes. A large number of vitamins and minerals provide the following benefits:

• Accelerate metabolism;
• Renew metabolic processes;
• Promote the regeneration of brain cells;
• Helps you lose weight.

Meat breed sheep

In Russia, the demand for sheep meat increases every year. Therefore, farms have to pay special attention to the choice of meat breeds. This will allow the livestock industry to profit from the sale of meat products all year round.

The statistics themselves confirm the profitability of such a business. An individual of the meat breed adds 380 grams to body weight per day. Thanks to the large growth, already at 7 months the animal can be sent for slaughter. At the age of 4 months, lambs already reach 50% of their slaughter weight. In addition to meat, farmers receive milk and wool.

Let's look at popular meat breeds in Russia.

Kuibyshevskaya

Animals are distinguished by a strong body and powerful limbs. The body weight of males is about 140 kg, females are somewhat smaller - about 90 kg. As practice shows, at the age of 5 months, young animals weigh about 40 kg. At this point, you can already send the animal to slaughter.

The breed is unpretentious in maintenance. Rams adapt to different temperature conditions. The animals are suitable for grazing. There they spend all the warm months.

Romanov breed

This is a common breed. It was bred about 200 years ago. Representatives of the Romanov breed can be found on any farm. This is no coincidence, because females and males demonstrate high productivity indicators. At 6 months, the individual’s weight is already 36 kg. An adult male reaches a weight of 87 kg.

The great advantage of the breed is that females are able to bear several lambs at once as a result of one lambing. Such fertility allows a rapid increase in the number of animals.

Vendée breed

This breed gained popularity on French farms. There they began to be bred for the first time. But thanks to its high productivity, the breed has spread throughout the world.

Sheep are fertile. As a result of one lambing, they are capable of producing up to 4 lambs. Each weighs approximately 5 kg. After four months the animal weighs about 60 kg. Simple calculations allow us to conclude that an individual increases by 500 grams per day. The weight of an adult ram is 145 kg. Most of the weight is pulp.

Prekos

This breed appeared as a result of the long work of French breeders. As a result, an animal with a strong physique was bred. At the same time, the ram is rapidly gaining weight. An adult male weighs about 125 kg, and a female weighs about 75 kg.

The sheep is characterized by fertility. Also during lactation, milk yield is about 125 liters of milk. This is an indicator for 6 months.

Caucasian breed

The breed appeared thanks to the works of Stavropol breeders. The animal is distinguished by well-developed muscles. The body weight of an adult ram is 110 kg, and that of a sheep is 60 kg. An undeniable advantage of the breed is its high level of adaptation to various climatic conditions.

Zwartbles

The breed first appeared in the Netherlands. The animal is characterized by a powerful physique, tall stature and strong immunity. This allows you to live in different regions. Cold or hot climates will not interfere with weight gain. The weight of an adult ram is over 120 kg, and that of a sheep is about 85 kg.

Females demonstrate fertility. As a rule, each lamb produces up to 5 lambs. In turn, newborn animals have maximum survival rate. The breed is used to breed new offspring. Due to the increase in body weight, the animal is sent for slaughter already 7 months after birth.

Gorkovskaya

The breed was bred by breeders during Soviet times. The first individuals appeared in 1940. The animal is medium in size. Newborn lambs weigh just over 3 kg. However, after 4 months, body weight increases to 35 kg.

Sarajin breed

The breed received its name from the village of the same name in Turkmenistan. This breed first appeared here. As a result of the painstaking work of breeders, a large animal was born. The weight of an adult male is over 80 kg, and that of a sheep is slightly more than 50 kg. A newborn lamb weighs around 4 kg. Body weight is gaining rapidly. Every day the ram becomes 250 grams heavier.

Lamb for weight loss

To get rid of extra pounds, you need to reduce the amount of calories and carbohydrates. Such nutrition, in combination with physical activity, will contribute to the transformation of adipose tissue into muscle. Many people mistakenly believe that meat should be excluded from their diet. You cannot completely give up animal fats. The body must receive them, albeit in minimal quantities.

Therefore, to lose weight, fatty meats need to be replaced with young lamb. It will saturate the body with all the necessary minerals and vitamins. To quickly lose weight, it is better to eat meat cut from the back of a sheep. This part has a minimum amount of fat and a maximum level of useful components.

It is important to properly cook lamb for weight loss. Frying meat is strictly prohibited. During the diet, any food needs to be boiled or steamed. It is permissible to bake meat in the oven. But during the cooking process, the product almost completely loses calories and cholesterol. At the same time, boiled lamb is very tender and tasty. Also, the product can be used to prepare broths.

What to look for when choosing meat?

The taste of the cut is directly affected by the fattening of the animal and its living conditions. Among lamb suppliers, meat imported from New Zealand is especially valued. Thanks to healthy and balanced fattening of lambs on ecologically clean meadows, high quality meat is achieved.

In our online store you can buy fresh lamb from New Zealand. In addition, we offer Russian-made corn fattening products. Corn fattening adds juiciness and tenderness to the meat when fried.

What parts of the carcass are used? Features of their preparation

• Spatula Meat should be baked or boiled for a long time to make it softer. You can separate the meat from the bones and use it to make pilaf or stew.
• Tenderloin The leanest part of the lamb with the perfect texture. It is distinguished by softness and tenderness, because... this muscle is practically not involved in the movement of the animal. This almost dietary meat can be cut into slices and fried in a frying pan or baked whole on the grill with the addition of spices, and then simply cut into cubes and served with a side dish. The tenderloin also makes juicy chops and the most tender kebab.
• Thin edge (striploin) The lumbar cut of an animal. If you are a steak lover, then this part is for you. The famous New York beef steak is cut from the lumbar cut (striploin). Cut it into steaks 2-3 cm thick, fry it on the grill or frying pan and enjoy its extraordinary tenderness.
• Loin The loin of lamb consists of 12 ribs. Usually 4 front ribs and 8 back ribs are packaged separately.
• 4-rib part (front) These ribs are located closer to the leg of the animal, therefore they are considered tougher than the loin cut from the back of the lamb. However, they also cost ~1.5 times cheaper. In our store you can buy both types of meat. Try them and compare for yourself!
• 8-ribs (posterior) The meaty and juicy part of the lamb. When people talk about rack of lamb, they most often mean this part of the cut. The loin can be baked whole or sautéed. You can also divide the loin into ribs in advance and fry them separately. It is recommended to cook meat on the grill, grill or oven.
• Leg Tender soft meat is great for baking in the oven.
• Neck Meat requires a long stew. Also used for making minced meat.
• Brisket Quite a fatty piece. Can be baked or stewed. Also good for making broth for soups.

If high quality meat is important to you and you value healthy products, contact us. In our online store you can buy fresh premium lamb at retail at a reasonable price per 1 kg with delivery to any address in Moscow.

How to cook lamb meat?

In Russia, they don’t always know how to cook mutton and lamb so that all family members like the meat, because there are a lot of recipes - from simple to exotic. Lamb can be stewed, fried, baked with spices. It is best to serve fried lamb with vegetables - tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, asparagus. This way the meat will be better digested and the dish will not “overload” the stomach.

How to cook this hearty meat with a memorable taste is up to you!

How to choose quality lamb?

Your health depends on the correct choice of product. It is very important to choose the right lamb. A low-quality product can cause digestive system disorders and poisoning. In addition, the carcass of an old sheep is very tough and has an unpleasant odor. First of all, pay attention to the color of the product. A fresh, good carcass has a red and pink color. This is the color characteristic of a young lamb. A young lamb has small layers of fat. The fat should be white. If it is yellow, it means the animal is already old.

When choosing a product, you can be guided by the following recommendations:

• Young lamb has only white fat;
• The color of the meat should be the same, uniform;
• A high-quality young carcass has elastic meat;
• The aroma of a good lamb is rich and pleasant, without a specific smell;
• The consistency of the product should only be coarse-grained;
• The skeletal system of a high-quality carcass is white;
• The surface of the meat should be moist.

The less fat is observed on the lamb, the younger it is. Also, the age of a ram can be determined by the condition of the ribs. The greater the distance, the gaps between the bones of the ribs, the older the ram was. Guided by these tips, there will be no problems with choosing quality products.

How to store

Lamb, like pork and beef, is a perishable product. Without low temperatures, microbes develop quickly inside the fibers. The missing raw material has a foul odor, cloudy mucus forms on the surface, and the color changes to light green.

How long does meat last? If you keep it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, the initial characteristics are not lost within 48 hours. For a young animal, the shelf life is no more than a day. Safe temperature is not higher than 1°C.

Fresh minced meat can be kept in the chamber for no more than 720 hours, and the presence of herbal additives (onions, garlic, spices) instantly reduces storage: such products are cooked immediately. By the way, many are sure that the marinade increases the length of time it stays raw. Scientists have proven that bacteria develop in liquids that are harmful to humans.

Boiled meat cannot be stored in broth, as this oversight will significantly reduce the shelf life. A fried product when cold loses its taste, so we do not recommend leaving it for later. The specific taste of lamb fat is difficult to soften after reheating.

In the freezer, the product retains its beneficial properties for 3 months. If the carcass weighs a lot, it is first divided into portioned pieces, which are then wrapped in polyethylene. However, gourmets are sure that after defrosting the aroma and quality of the raw materials become worse.

The nutritional value

Lamb composition:

• Calorie content (per 100 g) of lamb: raw - 202.9 kcal, boiled - 291 kcal, stewed - 268 kcal, fried - 320 kcal.
• Nutritional value : 67.6 g water, 15.3 g fat, 16.3 g protein, 0.8 g ash.
• Vitamins : choline and PP, E and biotin, group B.
• Macroelements : chlorine with sulfur, sodium and potassium, phosphorus, calcium with magnesium.
• Microelements : nickel with tin, molybdenum, fluorine and cobalt, iodine with copper, chromium and manganese, iron with zinc.

Features of cooking meat

Lamb refers to the nutritious meat of sheep and sheep. The younger the individual was, the more tender and juicy it was. The meat of old sheep is tough, poorly digestible, with an unpleasant aftertaste. Animals are usually slaughtered when they are about a year old, but the most valuable lamb is considered to be a few months old.

The Kalmyk breed of sheep, formed by selection of various species, is considered an ideal in the meat market. Its meat is sold as a delicacy because it is the most healthy. This result can be achieved using unique living conditions and a specific diet of animals.

The main feature of lamb is that it is superior to other types of meat. It contains more beneficial minerals than poultry; three times less cholesterol than beef and pork, and three times less fat than the aforementioned pork.

Lamb has a specific aroma, so it is thoroughly washed and soaked in water or marinade. When cooking, various aromatic herbs are added to the dish, which makes the meat tastier.

Lamb, the calorie content of which in its finished form does not exceed 300 calories per 100-gram serving, retains beneficial substances when cooked and is also absorbed faster. This method of cooking meat helps to avoid saturating the product with excess fat.

Main types and varieties

Meat from rams and sheep is used as table meat and for processing into smoked/canned meats. The meat of adult sheep/rams is red, that of young sheep is pink, and that of “elderly” sheep is dark red. Lamb also has a rather specific smell, which can be eliminated with the help of spices and simple manipulations.

Classification of lamb according to carcass fatness:

• Category 1 : satisfactorily developed muscles, a thin layer of subcutaneous fat along the back and lower back, gaps in the sacrum, pelvis, and ribs are acceptable.
• Category 2 (skinny): poorly developed muscles, protruding bones, slight fat deposits.

According to thermal state:

• Cooled : cut up and cooled in natural conditions or in special chambers (from 6 hours).
• Chilled : cut and cooled to 0-4 degrees in the thickness of the muscles.
• Ice cream : chilled and frozen to -6 degrees in skinny muscles.

Lamb is also divided into three commercial grades and by breed. As for sheep breeds - there are more than 600 of them, specifically meat breeds - a little less, but for the average person the choice, alas, is small.

The main meat varieties are : Texel, Poll Dorset, Charolais, Clan Forrest, Hampshire, Finnish Landrace, as well as Zvartbles, Vendeen, Black-bellied Barbados, Charollais, etc.

The Kalmyk breed is considered the most valuable - its meat does not have a specific smell and contains the maximum number of vitamins and minerals.

The best marinades for meat

To enjoy the exquisite taste of lamb, you don’t have to go to an expensive culinary establishment. By pre-marinating the meat, you can get an incredibly tasty dish at home.

The best marinades for meat are:

1. Honey-soy marinade. For 1.5 kg of meat, take 70 ml of soy sauce, 50 g of honey, 15 g of ready-made seasoning for meat and a pinch of salt. If desired, store-bought meat seasoning can be replaced with a mixture of your favorite spices. To prepare the marinade, mix all the ingredients together, then pour the resulting mixture over the meat and place it in the refrigerator for 3-24 hours.
2. Orange mustard. The delicate, sweet and sour sauce is prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil mixed with freshly squeezed juice of 2 oranges, 2 tbsp. l. honey and 3 tbsp. l. mustard with grains. The resulting mixture is poured into 800 g of lamb, salt and pepper to taste and marinated for 60 minutes at room temperature.
3. Wine. To prepare a spicy marinade you will need 200 ml of wine, a head of garlic, a stalk of celery, 3 tsp. honey, 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil, 1 tsp. basil, salt and pepper to taste. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and then the resulting mixture is rubbed onto a piece of lamb. The meat needs to marinate for 5-8 hours (ideally, you should leave it in the refrigerator overnight).
4. For shish kebab, make the following marinade: cut a kilogram of onion into rings, add the juice of 1 lemon, a chopped bunch of parsley or dill, a little cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Place 1 kg of meat in a deep bowl, combine with the marinade, mix and leave for 2-3 hours in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Any of the proposed marinades will make the lamb juicy and tender and prepare the meat for further cooking.

How to cook properly to avoid side effects?

1. Avoid frying red meat. And if you fry, do not do it over an open fire or on a grill. If you do fry it and the dish is burnt, under no circumstances should you eat the dark charred areas. Also, be sure to remove fat before frying. This makes it possible to significantly reduce the amount of carcinogens formed during frying, such as cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
2. The healthiest cooking option is to simmer over low heat at a not very high temperature.
3. Cook well. Moreover, . But also on a small fire.
4. Baking is also allowed. But slowly. The oven temperature should not be higher than 90 degrees.
5. Lamb meat must be marinated before cooking. This will make it not only tastier, but also much more healthy. The right marinade can significantly reduce the concentration of carcinogenic substances that are formed during cooking. Even if the frying method is used.

A marinade for red meat must include the following spices:

• cloves;
• cinnamon;
• oregano;
• rosemary;
• ginger;
• black pepper;
• paprika;
• garlic.

Also, the correct marinade should contain acid - natural apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.

A marinade prepared using these spices, vinegar or lemon juice makes it possible to reduce the amount of harmful substances such as advanced glycation end products and heterocyclic amines by 90%.

But still, the most important thing is maintaining the correct temperature regime. Since if you do not expose red meat to prolonged heating at very high temperatures, then no carcinogens will form in it. Even without marinade.

Conclusion

Lamb is classified as red meat. Therefore, its benefit for the human body lies in the high content of proteins that contain all the essential amino acids, healthy fats, iron, zinc and vitamin B12.

Consumption of lamb meat helps increase muscle mass, eliminate chronic fatigue, prevent anemia, and increase life potential.

Possible harm is associated only with the extremely abundant inclusion of the product in the diet. And also with cooking it at very high temperatures over an open fire and grill without first using a marinade.

Lamb is a type of meat that, unlike beef and pork, is not often found on the table. However, this product has a lot of useful properties: it helps to improve your well-being, solve some health problems and bring your weight back to normal. The low demand for sheep meat is explained by its specific taste. But if you know the nuances of proper preparation of lamb, you can create a real culinary masterpiece.

Lamb, what kind of product is this?

The product is very popular in the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus. But in Europe, America, and Russia, sheep meat is valued, but not by everyone. For many, the product seems excessively fatty, and therefore high in calories. This “version” is only partially correct. If you choose a young lamb, the calorie content will be low; some parts of the animal carcass are inferior in fat and protein to beef. The average energy value of meat is 190-210 Kcal per 100 grams .

But lamb can be useful not only as a dietary product. Meat is rich in vitamins, microelements and other beneficial substances. According to some of them, consuming even one hundred grams of the product can replace the need. First of all, we are talking about vitamin B12 . One hundred grams of lamb contains slightly more than the daily requirement of this substance.

Cooking tips

There are a large number of lamb recipes. The product is boiled, fried, dried, smoked and stewed. They are used both as an independent product and as a component of other dishes. It is easy to choose a recipe that suits the taste and preferences of any person. But it must be remembered that the method of preparation determines whether there will be more harm or benefit from consumption.

Experts recommend using the product boiled or stewed . Dried foods will also be more beneficial. In the latter case, you should be careful. When drying, a large amount of salt is used, which is contraindicated for people with problems with the kidneys and cardiovascular system.

When cooking in any way, it is important to choose the right product. Here are some tips you can use:

1. The most dietary meat is from young lambs . They begin to be slaughtered at the age of 1-2 months. The dietary and most useful product is obtained from lambs up to one year old.
2. Age can be easily determined by bones and ribs . The younger the lamb, the thinner they are.
3. The meat is easily confused with goat meat . The main difference is the pink tint and the presence of white fat in a small amount.
4. You need to choose fresh meat . To do this, just apply light pressure with your finger. Once released, the surface should return to its previous state. If there is a dent, then the product is not fresh.

It is important to know about quality when making a choice. The animal must eat properly and not be sick. It is impossible to determine quality by sight. Therefore, you need to ask the seller for a certificate or look for a mark that indicates that the meat has been tested for compliance with sanitary and epidemiological standards.

Lamb in diets - does meat help you lose weight?

Can lamb help with weight loss? Of course, there is no such diet as “lamb”: there is apple, there is buckwheat, but there is no lamb. Because this product does not imply serious weight loss from its use.

• But, taking into account the calorie content of lamb, it can (boiled, stewed, baked) replace the usual pork or beef, and there are enough nutrients in lamb in abundance.
• It is also worth noting that this meat contains 4 times less cholesterol than pork, and 2.5 times less than beef. And in comparison with pork, the fat content of meat is almost 3 times lower.

So there is definitely a point in using the product for weight loss.