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.
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.
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.
Possible harm and contraindications to eating lamb meat
In addition to its beneficial properties, lamb also has contraindications for consumption. Doctors strongly do not recommend preparing lamb dishes for people who have obvious digestive problems, for example, ulcerative colitis or stomach ulcers. In such cases, the harm of lamb will be noticeable, since meat can provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases and aggravate the course of the underlying pathology. Modern Western medicine considers contraindications to consuming lamb meat if patients have the following diseases and pathological conditions:
- peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
- ulcerative nonspecific colitis;
- hemorrhagic colitis of various origins;
- gastritis and enterocolitis in the acute phase;
- renal failure;
- gallbladder dysfunction;
- cholelithiasis;
- complex liver pathologies;
- gout;
- arthritis of the joints.
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Can a child have lamb? The digestive system of preschool children is an immature complex that is easily susceptible to negative external influences.
Lamb can be given to children from 6-7 years old, but in small quantities
In this regard, it is highly undesirable to prepare dishes from lamb meat for children under 4-5 years old. At what age is lamb appropriate for children?
It is recommended that children consume lamb from school years, but only in small quantities.
Like any other meat, lamb product can cause digestive diseases in children, so its use should be taken seriously, and even better, consult with specialists.
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.
Basic properties and composition of the meat product
You can often find questions online, such as is lamb healthy, is lamb dietary meat or not, what is healthier: lamb or pork, beef? Having examined the meat of young ram or lamb, scientists were able to establish that lamb is indeed one of the low-fat varieties of meat products, and therefore can be used in treatment regimens for obesity.
The calorie content of the product is about 130 kcal per 100 g of meat, which is very low compared to, for example, fatty and unhealthy pork.
Dietary lamb does not contain carbohydrates, so patients with diabetes can safely eat it. In addition, the fat content in meat is sharply limited to 22 grams (out of 100 grams). Therefore, answering the question whether lamb meat is fatty or not, we can safely say that this meat product is one of the dry or low-fat varieties. For your information, lamb contains almost half as much fat as pig meat. Regarding proteins, they make up the predominant mass of meat and by nature are easily digestible proteins that are well tolerated by the human body and do not cause disorders or dysfunction of the digestive system.
Lamb is a lean meat that is easily digestible
The beneficial properties of lamb also depend on the content of a number of vitamins and chemical elements, including vitamins B, E, D, calcium, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, and iron. Lamb is a source of essential amino acids that are not independently synthesized in the human body, but enter it exclusively with food.
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 it correctly
Proper storage will help preserve the quality, taste, and beneficial properties of the product. This especially applies to meat products, which are perishable products.
You can preserve the juiciness of lamb if you defrost it gradually, avoiding refrigeration or re-freezing. It is recommended to store it in sufficient humidity and not in a closed container - air must leak through. The ideal option would be to wrap the product in thick plastic or foil before freezing. When refrigerated, it is best to store it in ice or in a damp cloth.
After several days of storage, the color of the meat may change, which will not affect the taste and beneficial qualities. To prevent this from happening, it is important to adhere to shelf life. In the refrigerator at a temperature of -5 degrees, large pieces of lamb are stored for four days, and small pieces - only for two days.
Temperatures from -8 to -15 degrees allow you to keep the product for about two weeks, and freezing at temperatures from -18 degrees allows you to keep it for up to 8 months. But in any case, the sooner you consume meat, the more beneficial properties it will show.
