Is lamb red meat?
This brief guide will address the search query: “Is lamb red meat?” Also, we’ll explore what the term red meat alludes to, what lamb is, what the nutritional content of lamb is, what the debates surrounding lamb consumption are, and what are the health benefits of eating lamb.
Is lamb red meat?
Yes, lamb is regarded as a type of red meat. Red meats are those sourced from mammals, such as cattle, sheep, pigs, horses, goats, and deer. While some meats sourced from fowl such as chickens and turkeys may have a slightly red coloring, this meat is referred to as poultry.
What does red meat allude to?
Specifically, red meat alludes to animal flesh that has a red coloring when it is raw, and when it is cooked, it darkens and turns to a shade of brown.
Conversely, white meat has a pale appearance, both before and after it has been cooked, and poultry is the most common example, along with fish. However, poultry may have dark meat, especially in areas such as the legs.
At a cell biology level, red meat is richer in a protein named myoglobin.
Myoglobin contains iron and binds to oxygen, which makes it closely related to hemoglobin, which is a protein that our blood cells use to transport oxygen to our various organs and tissues.
Myoglobin, however, is restricted to muscle cells where it binds to oxygen transported by blood cells.
In some instances, meat sourced from mammals may be slightly on the paler side (such as pork) though it is still regarded as red meat.
What is lamb?
Lamb is meat that is sourced from sheep that are less than one year old. There are differences regarding the age at which it is harvested, as, in some countries, it can be sourced from lambs that are still nursing, while in others, it is customary to wean the animals before harvesting their meat.
What is the nutritional content of lamb?
An 85-gram portion of lamb meat (3 ounces) will provide:
- 250 calories – of which 160 are sourced from fat
- 21 grams of protein
- 18 grams of fat (28% of the recommended daily intake) – of which 7.5 grams are saturated (38% of the RDI), 1.3 grams are polyunsaturated fat, and 7.5 grams are monounsaturated fat
- 0 grams of carbohydrates
- 82 milligrams of cholesterol (27% of the RDI),
- 61 milligrams of sodium (3% of the RDI)
- 264 milligrams of potassium (8% of the RDI)
Additionally, the same portion will provide 1.1% of the RDI of calcium and 8.9% of iron.
*Recommended daily intake values are calculated using a 2000 calorie per-day diet as reference.
What are the debates surrounding the consumption of lamb?
There are many debates surrounding the ethics of consuming lamb, with some animal rights advocates arguing that the practice is not only exploitative, but cruel, and the demand for lamb meat demands ewes to be constantly pregnant.
However, others argue that lamb farming is less drawn out than farming other larger types of livestock, such as cattle and pigs, or even older sheep. Also, lamb is raised on a diet that relies on fewer additives such as balanced feed pellets, grains, and other types, it is regarded as a healthier type of red meat to consume.
Ultimately, whether or not lamb is ethical is a decision best left in the hands of our readers.
What are the health benefits of eating lamb?
Eating lamb can provide a few health benefits, such as being a source of protein, iron, zinc, and cobalamin (B12).
As a source of protein, it can help you maintain healthy muscle mass levels, and optimal immune function, and it can stimulate recovery from injuries and surgical procedures. Additionally, when proteins are digested, our bodies source essential amino acids from them, which are necessary for our enzymes to properly function.
Iron is essential for our organisms, as it helps our blood cells transport oxygen to our organs and other tissues.
Zinc is essential for enzyme function and is needed in processes such as DNA synthesis (building), protein synthesis, and other functions that require proteins in both structure and function.
However, red meat, and by extension, lamb, should be consumed as part of a balanced diet, in addition to fiber, carbohydrates, and other essential molecules sourced from food.
We encourage our readers to be mindful of their dietary needs and their daily calorie intake. A healthy diet and an active lifestyle are key to remaining healthy.
Conclusion
In this brief guide, we’ve addressed the search query: “Is lamb red meat?” Also, we’ve explored what the term red meat alludes to, what lamb is, what the nutritional content of lamb is, what the debates surrounding lamb consumption are, and what are the health benefits of eating lamb.
References
https://www.nutritionix.com/food/lamb
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/lamb#bottom-line
