Americans eat a fraction of the amount of lamb consumed in many other countries in the world. That’s too bad since this red meat is very healthful and extremely delicious, having a very tender and buttery quality. Lamb is the meat from young sheep that are less than one year old. It is usually available in five different cuts including the shoulder, rack, shank/breast, loin, and leg.
“Rack of lamb” usually refers to a rib cut that includes nine ribs and can be split into rib roasts. Lamb “chops” can come from several different cuts. For example, “rib chops” come from the rib and “loin chops” come from the loin. You might also see “blade” and “arm” chops in the meat section of the grocery; those chops come from the shoulder. Sirloin chops are another type of chop that you might see; these come from the leg. Additionally, many stores sell lamb that has already ground and which is used to make burgers, meat loaf, or sauces.
Lamb belongs to the group of mammals known as ruminants that have unique digestive systems that enable them to stay healthy on a diet of grasses and forage plants. More specifically, lamb belongs to the special group of ruminants that are cloven-hoofed. This group is often referred to as the “bovid” group since the scientific name for its family is the Bovidae. Alongside of lamb, the bovids include bison, buffalo, antelope, gazelle, goats, and domestic cattle. The word “lamb” refers to meat from a baby sheep that was less than 12 months in age prior to slaughter. (Meat from adult sheep is called “mutton.”) Many lambs are brought to slaughter earlier, however, and often between six and eight months of age. The genus and species for lamb isOvis aries.
Lambs are initially nursed by their mothers until weaning, and studies have shown that the quality of the mother’s diet plays an important role in the eventual nutrient quality of the lamb. Grass feeding by the mother provides nutritional benefits for the nursing lamb as well as for humans who eventually consume the lamb meat. When young lambs are weaned from their mother’s milk and begin consuming solid foods, research once again shows that feeding in pasture provides the best nutritional option for the lambs. Conventionally raised lambs do not usually experience either of these (nursing from a mother who grazes on pasture, or grazing on pasture themselves after weaning.) Both of these factors enter into our recommendation of 100% grass-fed lamb.
Five Important Health Benefits of Lamb Meat
1. Lamb Meat – A Fantastic Source of Iron
As a red meat, lamb inherently has a lot more iron than other protein sources like chicken or fish. In addition, since lamb is an animal source of iron, it contains heme iron rather than the non-heme iron found in plants. Heme iron isthe more absorbable form of iron so consuming red meat like lamb can help to improve and prevent iron deficiency and anemia symptoms.
2.A Vitamin B Powerhouse
The National Institute of Health’s Dietary Office estimates that somewhere between 1.5% to 15 % of people in the U.S. are deficient in vitamin B12. Other studies, like one publishedby the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2000, indicatethat this number might be even higher, with up to 39% of the population possibly suffering from a vitamin B12 deficiency. Lamb is an awesome source of B12, just 3 ounces of lamb meat will provide half of most people’s daily B12 requirements.
But that’s not all —lamb is also loaded with other essential B vitamins, including vitamin B6, niacin (vitamin B3), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). Vitamin B12 as well as these other B vitamins help our nervous systems function as they should, and ensure that theactual nerve cells are in a healthy state.
3. A Way to Boost Your Immune System
Lamb is loaded with immune-boosting zinc, just 3 ounces of lamb contains 4.4 mg zinc which is 30% of our daily value. Zinc is absolutely essential to optimal immune health, along withwound healing, DNA and protein synthesis, as well as growth and development in children.
4.Anti-Inflammatory Assets
Lamb does contain fat, but a significant portion of that fat is anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Grass-fed lamb meat provides its consumers with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA has been shown to help aid fat loss and improve lean muscle mass.
5. A Healthy Source of Protein
Lamb is loaded with vital proteins, just one 3 ounce serving of lamb meat contains over 23 grams of protein. Protein does so much for the body, including providing it with slow-burning, sustainable fuel. It also helps your body build, repair and maintain muscle mass.
There are a lot of ways to use and cook lamb meat. Many fans of lamb really love lamb loin chops, which are said to be one of the most tender cuts of lamb meat. In the culinary world, lamb loin chops aresometimes referred to as “the porterhouse steak of the lamb”to give you a beef comparison.
