When it comes to overall health, saturated fat should be limited as much as possible. Lamb typically has more saturated fat — which can raise your levels of bad cholesterol, putting you at higher risk of cardiovascular disease — than beef or pork.
Compared to other meats, lamb is the most nutritional
However, lamb meat is healthier than other meats and is gaining attention from health-conscious people and weight-watchers.
Healthiest options: turkey and chicken
When it comes to the healthiest meats that pack the biggest nutritional punch, turkey and chicken should be at the top of your (grocery) list, says Schiff. Both are about equal in terms of nutrition, with turkey tending to be leaner than chicken.
Pork is higher in heart-healthy unsaturated fats than beef, lamb, or even bison. It's also a rich source or iron, zinc, vitamin B12, niacin, vitamin B6, and is particularly high in thiamin. That being said, not all cuts and preparations of pork are equal.
Finally, health experts say to stay away from processed meats, which are generally considered to be unhealthy. These include any meat that has been smoked, salted, cured, dried, or canned. Compared to fresh meat, processed meats are high in sodium and can have double the amount of nitrates.
A healthy balanced diet can include protein from meat, as well as from fish and eggs or non-animal sources such as beans and pulses. Meats such as chicken, pork, lamb and beef are all rich in protein. Red meat provides us with iron, zinc and B vitamins. Meat is one of the main sources of vitamin B12 in the diet.
Grass-fed lamb is considered to be one of the healthiest red meats, although grass-fed beef is close behind. Both grass-fed lamb and beef contain healthy levels of vitamins, minerals, protein, omega-3 fats, and CLA.
No, you should not regularly eat lamb or add them to your daily diet. As mentioned, this red meat contains high levels of saturated fat. Therefore, overeating lamb in the daily diet will cause high cholesterol and hypertension.
High intakes of saturated fat may increase blood cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease. But, lamb is a significantly a better source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12 than chicken, meeting 10 percent or more of your daily value.
Grilling, broiling, and roasting, for example, tend to reduce fat; pan-frying will increase it. In general, I recommend making meat a limited part of your diet—try to eat it no more than one to two times a week.
Full of vitamins: In particular, pork is rich in thiamine, which is a B vitamin that helps your body function properly. Pork has more thiamine than other red meats, like beef and lamb, says WebMD. Boost thyroid function: A key vitamin that's helpful to proper thyroid function is selenium.
The decision whether or not to eat pork is a personal one. Muslim and Jewish dietary laws forbid the eating of pork. All pork produced in the United States is inspected by United States Department of Agriculture and is safe to eat if properly handled and cooked.
Examples of processed meats include bacon, jerky, hot dogs, salami, and ham. These types of meat are often high in salt and low in nutrients. They also tend to be calorie-dense compared with lean protein sources, such as poultry, fish, and beans.
Nutritionally, pork possesses a wide range of essential nutrients like energizing B vitamins, choline for developing babies, and iron for healthy red blood cells. A 3-ounce serving of lean pork is loaded with protein and low in fat. Eating lean pork daily can be a part of a well-balanced, high-nutrient diet.
How much red meat should you eat per week? Dietitians recommend a maximum of seven serves of lean red meat per week – be it beef, lamb, veal, pork or kangaroo.
The Cancer Council advises that meat eaters should limit red meat to three or four times a week (no more than 700g raw weight per week) and choose fish, chicken and legumes on other days. Processed meats should be cut out or minimised.
Wild Alaskan salmon, oysters and sardines are highest in healthy fats; white fish such as cod or flounder tend to be leaner. White meat has slightly less saturated fat than dark. Turkey is fairly comparable to chicken in nutrients, but both its dark and white meat are slightly leaner.
Lamb has healthy fats.
They can help reduce levels of "bad" cholesterol in your blood, lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke.
As a red meat, pork has a reputation for being unhealthy. However, it is a good source of certain nutrients, as well as high-quality protein. Consumed in moderation, it can make a good addition to a healthy diet.
Processed meats, such as bacon, sausage, salami and cold cuts, contain high levels of preservatives. Sodium, for example, raises blood pressure and stroke risk, while the body converts nitrites to cancer-causing nitrosamines. Lean or not, these products aren't healthy.