South African lamb and mutton isn’t as fatty as once thought.
What’s more, the meat can make a valuable contribution to our nutrient intake, according to research done by the Agricultural Research Council of South Africa in collaboration with the University of Pretoria.
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At the moment, a considerable amount of research is being done to analyse our locally produced foods.
The reason for the research is that our Food Composition Tables (published by the Medical Research Council of South Africa) are based on data derived from the database of the United States Department of Agriculture and not on data relating to our local produce. It is, however, a well-established fact that the nutrient content of our foods can differ greatly from that of food produced in other countries.
Years ago, when the nutritive content of South African eggs was analysed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, it was found that the cholesterol content of our eggs was much lower than the values listed in the Food Composition Tables.
Similar findings have now emerged regarding South African mutton and lamb meat (“skaapvleis”).
Lower fat and energy content
Analyses of representative samples of meat, as done by Van Heerden and Schönfeldt (2007), revealed that mutton and lamb produced in South Africa contains, on average, 42% less fat and 59% less energy than the values previously published in the Food Tables.
This is good news for people who like variety in their diets and who prefer to eat both lamb/mutton and beef as a source of red meat.
A 100g portion of lamb loin, with all the visible fat removed, contains 755kJ and only 7.8g of fat, which translates into 9% and 12% of the daily energy and fat requirements for an adult woman who isn’t trying to lose weight. If you’re on a slimming diet, the 100g portion of lean lamb loin would contribute 12% and 16% of the RDAs for energy and fat respectively.
The reason our sheep meat contains less fat than American meat is that sheep in South Africa are primarily produced on the open veld and not in feedlots.
More than 80% of South Africa's sheep meat is produced on pasture. Grazing on the veld and getting a lot of exercise prevents fat deposition in the muscle tissue of domestic animals and makes their meat similar to venison obtained from wild animals.
However, it’s still important to make sure you buy good-quality mutton or lamb that is as lean as possible. Here are a few pointers:
Select lean cuts and remove all visible fat.
Don't add fat while cooking.
Throw away the drippings.
If you’re making a lamb stew, prepare it the day before and refrigerate it overnight to give any fat that may be present the chance to coagulate on top of the stew. The next day it will be easy to remove the fat before serving the dish.
High-nutritive density
The researchers also found that our locally produced mutton and lamb has a high nutrient density.
Meat obtained from sheep is an excellent source of high-quality protein, minerals and B vitamins (B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin and thiamine). The two most important minerals in sheep meat are iron and zinc.
Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in the world, particularly in developing countries such as South Africa. Iron is essential for many functions in the human body, including transport of oxygen in the blood, maintenance of the immune system and energy metabolism.
A deficiency of iron can cause anaemia, which is characterised by symptoms of extreme tiredness, inability to concentrate, irritability and lack of energy. A 100g portion of lean sheep meat can provide 6% of the RDA of iron in adult men.
Zinc is a mineral that also influences many functions in the human body, ranging from physical growth, immune competence and reproductive function to neurological development. A 100g portion of lean sheep meat will contribute 11.4% of the RDA of zinc in adult men.
Essential fatty acids
An interesting finding of this study was that sheep meat produced in SA has a relatively high polyunsaturated fatty acid content, including omega-3 fatty acids. The reason for this is that grasses contain plenty of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is transformed into EPA and DHA (omega-3 fatty acids) in the meat of sheep. This is another advantage of pasture grazing as practised in SA.
In contrast, sheep that are fed in feedlots won’t produce high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, but tend to contain high levels of omega-6, which we already consume in excess.
The authors conclude that “lean sheep meat, eaten 3 to 4 times a week, is an important source of essential nutrients” and that our mutton and lamb is “much leaner than you think!”
If you require additional information about mutton and lamb, contact healthymeat@24.com or visit their website on www.healthymeat.co.za.
Text copyright: Dr I.V. van Heerden, DietDoc
September 2007
Reference:
Van Heerden, SM and Schönfeldt, HC (2007). The nutrient content of South African lamb. Meat Industry Centre. ARC-LBD: Animal Production, June 2007.)
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