Lamb - composition, benefits, harm and nutritional value

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Lamb is a tasty, nutritious and healthy meat. Its characteristic feature is a specific smell. Young lamb meat has the highest nutritional value and best gastronomic qualities. In cooking, especially in eastern countries, lamb is used especially widely. But do we know everything about this product? What are its benefits for the human body, can it be eaten on a diet and included in sports nutrition?

In the article we will deal with the issues of the chemical composition and calorie content of meat, and consider the benefits and harms of lamb for the human body.

Interesting fact from the life of sheep

Sheep have the unique ability to recognize their shepherd by their voice. In addition, these are the only animals whose shepherd moves in front of the herd, rather than urging them on from behind.

Sheep are among those animals that are valuable to people not only for their meat, but also for their dairy products, wool, leather, and fat. That is why people over time began to breed special breeds of these animals: wool, dairy, meat. You can eat meat from wool and dairy breeds, but it will differ significantly in its taste. For example, wool sheep become very fatty with age, and accordingly their meat will be arrogantly fatty.

What is lamb?

Depending on the age of the animal, sheep meat is usually divided into categories such as: lamb, young lamb and lamb. Lamb is the meat of small suckling lambs killed between a few days and eight weeks old. It is during this period that lambs theoretically drink only their mother's milk. Dairy lamb is a seasonal product. You can buy it fresh only at the end of winter - beginning of spring, since lambs are born, as a rule, at the beginning of winter. The meat of such animals is the softest, leanest and most tender.

The meat of lambs that begin to eat solid feed (from approximately 2-3 months of life to 1 year) is called young lamb meat, and after a year - lamb. Lamb is considered a denser meat, but at the same time it should not be tough. Of course, a year is a conventional framework, animals of this period are considered adults, but for them, just like for humans, not only passport data is taken into account, but also biological data, which is determined by the development of teeth and physical data.

If faced with a choice between young lamb and a more mature one, most will choose the young one. I would like to note that the meat of more mature sheep has a much better flavor bouquet than young meat. Lamb is great for making soups, gravies, and meat sauces. As for frying, what is generally important is not the passport data, but the anatomical data and the size of the piece.

If the meat is very tough (obtained from old or underfed animals), then it should be processed into minced meat, which can then be used for various purposes. And if you stew such meat with vegetables, the taste will improve significantly.

What is the most delicious lamb meat?

Let's admit it. We really wanted to write EVERYTHING. But then they changed their minds because they got carried away. You know, to be honest, when cutting a lamb in its natural habitat, almost every part finds its use.

And we’re not just talking about lamb meat, liver, kidneys, testicles, tongue - at least 1 article can be written about each of these parts. And indeed, when discussing taste preferences, it is impossible to satisfy everyone at once. Therefore, here is our personal top 5:

• Liver

And not just any liver, but liver carefully wrapped in lamb fat and fried on skewers. Jambaur (sometimes spelled jalbaur) is perhaps the most delicious thing a lamb lover can taste. It would be wrong to say that jambaur is eaten. It is rather absorbed. After all, hot liver really dissolves in the mouth. Imagine cotton candy, but with the fragrant aroma of lamb. Oh, you can’t imagine... We recommend visiting Kabardino-Balkaria.

• Brisket

A fatty part of a ram or lamb, which should be cut into decent-sized chunks and added to the soup. Perhaps you have always dreamed of cooking real shurpa. And since this is so, cook the broth from the brisket. He's mind-blowing!

• Leg of lamb

Let's clarify what exactly is the rear. Let us add that it is also called gigot. The meat of the heavy leg is very juicy, tender and does not smell at all. We recommend cooking it in one piece, stuffed with garlic and coated with spices. Don't forget to invite guests. After all, handling such a dish alone is a real feat.

Well! So we shared our rating. Let us now turn to the important issue of choosing lamb.

Useful properties and composition

Lamb is most valuable because it contains amino acids important for human life. Sheep meat contains a high amount of protein. Since these animals practically do not suffer from salmonellosis and tuberculosis, the presence of parasite larvae in the meat is extremely unlikely. And cancer is extremely rare in sheep. That is why some scientists claim that the meat of these animals is valuable as a natural source of protection against cancer.

Meat consists of fat, bone, muscle and connective tissue. The amount of fatty tissue is two or even three times less compared to pork. The amount of cholesterol is almost four times less than in pork and two times less than in beef. If the amount of fat in meat is moderate, it improves the taste of the dish. During the preparation of semi-finished products, it is customary to remove excess fat.

Eating this type of meat is beneficial for children and the elderly. Lamb is especially valued by people with diabetes, as well as people prone to this disease. The lecithin it contains is a stimulator of the pancreas, thus helping to normalize cholesterol metabolism and prevent diabetes. There is an opinion that people whose main source of meat is sheep practically do not suffer from atherosclerosis. The amount of iodine in lamb is very small, and without additional sources, you can end up in a group of people who have problems with the thyroid gland.

On average, the mineral content is 0.8-1.3%. These are mainly compounds of phosphorus, calcium, sodium, magnesium, potassium, chlorine, copper and other microelements important for the full functioning of life. The high fluoride content is valuable in preventing the development of dental caries.

Lamb contains a sufficient amount of vitamins. B vitamins, with the exception of B12, do not accumulate in the body and need to be regularly replenished. Vitamin B3 is important for the formation of red blood cells and the functioning of the nervous system.

Folic acid has a positive effect on the functioning of the liver and intestines and helps maintain the immune system.
This vitamin is especially important during pregnancy; it regulates the formation of nerve cells in the embryo. Vitamin B12 is found exclusively in foods of animal origin; it is the main participant in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Table 1. “Chemical composition of lamb”

The average calorie content of lamb is 203 kcal.

Selection and storage

The taste of sheep meat depends on the age of the animal. In addition, you should understand that depending on what dish you are going to prepare, you need to understand which part of the carcass you should choose:

• from the neck part, the most delicious dishes will be those in which the meat was boiled or stewed: pilaf, cutlets, soup, stew, jellied meat;
• the upper part of the shoulder blade is also good for stewing and boiling, but if it is a shoulder of milk lamb, then it will make an excellent kebab and roast;
• shank (aka the lower part of the front leg) is great for boiling and stewing: soup, jellied meat;
• loin is most suitable for baking and frying: roasts, manti, cutlets, shish kebab;
• brisket is good for boiling, frying, stuffing and stewing;
• shank is good baked, fried and stewed;
• ham is most often used for baking, frying and stewing.

When buying lamb, you should pay attention to the following external signs of meat:

• meat color – uniform;
• consistency – granular;
• the meat is elastic, after pressing with a finger it quickly returns to its previous shape;
• mutton bones are white, and lamb bones are slightly pinkish;
• the wider the distance between the ribs, the greater the age of the animal;
• the amount of fat on the meat is minimal, so that the veins are visible;
• the lighter the color of the lamb, the younger the age of the animal;
• the fat on the meat should be as white as possible;
• the smell is rich, without any foreign odors; if any are present, this may indicate that the animal was sick or the meat was not stored properly;
• the surface is shiny, slightly damp, there should be no bleeding.

We strongly do not recommend buying lamb in the following cases:

• meat with spots (like bruises);
• the meat has a dark, ruby ​​color - this indicates that the lamb is old and will probably be tough;
• yellow bones;
• the surface of the lamb is sticky and bruised;
• fat on meat breaks or falls off easily;
• There is no fat at all - this is most likely goat meat.

You can identify the meat of a sick animal in this way: set fire to a small amount of the lamb layer. The smell of smoke should not be pungent. Otherwise, refuse to buy such lamb.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find good lamb in our stores. The most reliable way not to make a mistake is to negotiate with a butcher or buy from trusted places.

You can store meat in the refrigerator, but you should not do this for more than two or three days, otherwise it will begin to deteriorate. If you purchased lamb for long-term storage, you can freeze it. First you need to wrap the meat in film. This must be done in such a way that air cannot then get in there, in other words, the packaging must be as airtight as possible. If bacteria can penetrate the meat, this will significantly deteriorate its taste. It is not recommended to store meat in the freezer for more than six months.

The process of selection and preparation of feed mixtures for meat breeds

As experienced farmers note, the profitability of keeping rams directly depends on the intensity of their feeding. Increased nutrition can radically change the rate of weight gain of an animal.

According to practice, for an increase of 130 grams in one day, it is necessary to give the ram about 7 units of feed. At a gain rate of 240 g, up to 5 feed units will be required. In this case, the ram develops faster. By the end of the summer months you can get an animal weighing around 50 kg.

Livestock farms use the following feeds as intensive complementary feeding:

• various root vegetables;
• combined mixtures;
• fresh and dry grass;
• grain crops.

It is worth noting that maximum daily weight gain is expected when the weight of the fed silage feed does not exceed a couple of kilograms. The rest of the diet should consist of root vegetables and hay.

There are cases when rams are fed beet pulp. The weight of complementary foods should not exceed 1.5 kg per day. The animal is given it in combination with concentrates and bean hay. With this feeding option, the lamb eats up to 7 kg of feed per day. When the cold months begin, it is necessary to include beet tops in the animal's diet. It is added to the diet together with cereals and hay. For a variety of food, the ram can be given husks from various grains.

Important! The animal needs to receive a sufficient amount of mineral components. For this, the ram is recommended to use salt. It is worth ensuring the animal has free access to this product. However, salt absorption should be in moderation.

Farmers include sheep and grain feed in their diet. For ease of use, it is given to the animal in crushed form. However, it is also not recommended to give an overly crushed product to an animal. Small pieces of food can get stuck in the animal's nasal passage.

A complete diet for rams and sheep cannot do without fresh vegetables. They are given to animals in small pieces. It is advisable to mix chopped vegetables with grain or hay. Farmers carefully ensure that thorns do not get into their food. They may be present in dry hay. The needles of the plant instantly penetrate the skin of the animal. An inflammatory process occurs on the sheep's body. In severe cases, this can lead to the rapid death of the individual.

Use in cooking

The refractoriness of lamb fat means that it is very nutritious and preserves well. You can get many times more fat from a specially bred fat-tailed breed of sheep. The greasy parts of such sheep accumulate around the place where the tail grows. After which this lard is melted and the well-known fat tail fat is obtained. Often lamb skin fat is melted together with fat tail fat. This fat is less saturated with fatty acids. The result of such an alloy is a product of the highest quality. Fat tail fat is useful in the treatment of burns, abrasions, and non-purulent wounds. It contains vitamins A, B1, E, sterols, phospholipids, beta-carotene.

Lamb fat, like meat, has a specific smell. Experts still cannot determine with precision what exactly gives lamb its not entirely pleasant aroma. Some claim that these are branched phospholipids and acids, while others claim that they are ketones and aldehydes. The bulk comes from fat, and it is almost impossible to completely remove it. This can be partially done using the following methods:

1. Before cooking, cut the meat, rinse and boil for 10-15 minutes along with carrots and green beans, then drain this water and add new water.
2. The taste of the meat will be emphasized if, a few days before cooking, you marinate it with vegetables in vegetable oil, a simple marinade, or just sour milk.
3. Another proven way to get rid of odor is culinary “herbal therapy.” If you stew meat in wine, adding spices such as oregano, mint, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, then not a trace will remain of the smell, and the taste of the meat will be simply unique.
4. The smell of meat almost completely disappears during grilling. The fat, and along with it the smell, simply melts away.

In the traditions of many countries, the custom of serving lamb on major holidays remains. For example, the celebration of Jewish Passover is not complete without baked young lamb. And in the cuisine of eastern peoples, lamb dishes are a whole story. Without lamb meat, it is impossible to imagine the aromatic shish kebab, manti, shurpa, beshbarmak, and pilaf. But these dishes are their calling card for tourists.

Aromatic seasonings, which are added during cooking of lamb, are necessary not only to eliminate the smell, but also for better absorption of fat.

These include dill, pomegranate, rosemary, mint, marjoram, and lemon. In the Middle and Near East, it is customary to serve, and often boil, lamb along with apricots or dates. Mediterranean countries are accustomed to serving lamb with tomatoes and garlic, wine, and olive oil. Residents of the north eat sheep meat with salads of vegetables and herbs, as well as potatoes.

Features of culinary processing

You can prepare many delicious and healthy dishes from lamb meat. In Eastern countries, shurpa and shish kebab are considered traditional.

To create a culinary masterpiece from lamb with your own hands, you need to take into account the subtleties of heat treatment of meat.

Shashlik

Kebab prepared in nature can satisfy the taste of any gourmet. But if you can’t go out of town, you can make the dish in the oven.

To do this you will need:

• 1 kg of lamb meat;
• 2 onions;
• 350 g pork or fat tail fat;
• 1 lemon;
• 1 pinch each of red pepper, cumin, turmeric, ground coriander;
• salt to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Remove all films and tendons.
2. Cut the meat and lard into small pieces.
3. Place in a bowl or pan and coarsely grate the onion on top.
4. Add spices and freshly squeezed lemon juice, stir and marinate the meat for 1-2 hours.
5. In random order, string pieces of lamb and lard onto bamboo sticks or metal skewers.
6. Preheat the oven to +250°C.
7. Cover a baking sheet with food foil and place on the bottom shelf of the oven.
8. Place a wire rack on the middle level and place the skewers on it.
9. As it browns, turn the meat over to the other side so that it is evenly covered with an appetizing crust.

The lamb shish kebab recipe is simple and easy to make at home.

To prevent wooden skewers from burning due to high temperature, it is recommended to soak them in cold water half an hour before threading the meat.

Harm and contraindications

Of course, if you abuse lamb, like, in principle, any other food product, then the body will clearly not receive any benefit from it. In addition, it is worth mentioning people for whom eating lamb is contraindicated. These categories include people suffering from arthritis, gout, and gastrointestinal diseases. The reason for such restrictions is lamb fat. Dietary fats of animal origin mainly consist of oleic, palmitic and stearic fatty acids. Lamb fat contains the most stearic acid (compared to others), and it is known to be the most refractory. Cooked lamb, after cooling, quickly becomes covered with a white coating of fat. This type of fat is difficult to digest and even more difficult to absorb by the body.

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Benefits for women

The beneficial properties of lamb help women:

• Fluoride effectively improves the condition of skin and hair, and also strengthens bone tissue and teeth;
• Eating lamb increases iron levels, which is especially important during menstrual periods to get rid of dizziness and normalize the functioning of the body;
• The composition of the product has a beneficial effect on accelerating metabolism and promoting weight loss.

Lamb contains fat, but the composition of the product is balanced and harmonious. Meat is healthy, has a positive effect on most processes and systems of the human body, and is allowed to be included in the diet.