Benefits of Meat (Mutton, Beef) & Fish in daily diet

 

1. Goat meat (mutton)

      Goat meat, or mutton as it is also known, is the most commonly consumed red meat in the world. Apart from its unique taste, mutton also has a range of health benefits to offer.

The amount of saturated fat in goat meat is less than the total amount of unsaturated fats it contains, which improves blood cholesterol levels, eases inflammation and stabilises heart rhythms.

Goat meat reduces the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease.

Goat meat contains Vitamin B, which helps you burn fat. Considering that goat meat contains high amounts of lean proteins and low amounts of saturated fat, it helps control weight and reduces the risk of obesity.

Goat meat is beneficial for pregnant women as it prevents anaemia during pregnancy in both mother and baby, by increasing the blood haemoglobin levels in the mother and enhancing blood supply to the baby as it contains high amounts of iron (3mg iron/100g of goat meat).

Including goat meat in the diet during pregnancy reduces the risk of birth defects in babies, such as neural tube defects, etc.

The proteins found in goat meat act as hunger-suppressing agents and keep the stomach full for longer, thus managing weight.

2. Lamb meat

  

Lamb is a common type of red meat.

Due to its impressive nutrition profile, it is perhaps the healthiest commonly available meat.

This article will analyze the complete nutritional values of lamb.

Lamb meat enjoys far greater popularity than mutton due to its tenderness and milder flavor.

Compared to most meat, lamb also has a much higher omega-3 content.

Vitamins

Here is the vitamin profile; as shown, lamb is an excellent source of B vitamins – particularly vitamin B12.

Vitamin	Amount (Grams / % RDA)
Vitamin B12	38%
Vitamin B3	27%
Vitamin B2	11%
Vitamin B5	6%
Vitamin K2	5%
Vitamin B6	5%
Folate	4%
Vitamin B1	3%
Vitamin E	1%

Minerals

Lamb is incredibly rich in minerals, especially iron, phosphorus, selenium and zinc.

Mineral	Amount (Grams / % RDA)
Zinc	51%
Selenium	44%
Phosphorus	17%
Iron	12%
Potassium	7%
Copper	6%
Magnesium	5%
Sodium	3%
Calcium	2%
Manganese	1%

One of the biggest positives from eating lamb is the protein content.

Lamb is extremely rich in protein, and depending on the cut it contains anywhere between 25 – 30 grams per 100 grams (11, 12, 13).

3.Beef

A generation or two ago, our parents and grandparents viewed beef as a nutritious health food.

But now?

These days it’s much different, and opinion is split between whether beef is healthful or harms our health.

Some of the more extreme vegan views even call for the authorities to remove meat from the food supply.

Whatever our opinion on red meat might be, there are some important health benefits of eating beef.

Heart Health 

A meta-analysis of randomized trials suggests that L-carnitine improves patient outcomes. Specifically, it exerts an effect on hypertension, oxidative stress, nitric oxide, and inflammation.

A further systematic review found that L-carnitine is associated with a 27% reduction in all-cause mortality in heart failure patients (3, 4).

Diabetes

A systematic review shows that higher L-carnitine intake in type 2 diabetes patients improves fasting glucose levels and the overall cholesterol profile (5).

Weight Loss

According to a systematic review and meta-analysis of nine randomized controlled trials, subjects using L-carnitine supplementation lost “significantly more weight” than the control group (6).

Beef is packed with health-promoting amino acids, and it’s one of the single biggest sources of protein in the human diet.

For instance, a 6oz (170g) portion of 80% lean beef provides 46g protein.

One of the best health benefits of beef meat is that it contains a substantial amount of heme iron.

 

4. Fish

Fish is among the healthiest foods on the planet.

It is loaded with important nutrients, such as protein and vitamin D.

Fish is also the world's best source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are incredibly important for your body and brain.

Generally speaking, all types of fish are good for you.

They are high in many nutrients that most people aren't getting enough of.

This includes high-quality protein, iodine and various vitamins and minerals.

However, some fish are better than others, and the fatty types of fish are considered the healthiest.

That's because fatty fish (like salmon, trout, sardines, tuna and mackerel) are higher in fat-based nutrients.

This includes the fat-soluble vitamin D, a nutrient that most people are deficient in. It functions like a steroid hormone in the body.

Fatty fish are also much higher in omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are crucial for your body and brain to function optimally, and are strongly linked to reduced risk of many diseases

In one study of more than 40,000 male health professionals in the US, those who regularly ate 1 or more servings of fish per week had a 15% lower risk of heart disease

Fish and fish products are the best dietary sources of vitamin D, by far. Fatty fish like salmon and herring contain the highest amounts

Asthma is a common disease that is characterized by chronic inflammation in the airways.

Unfortunately, rates of asthma have increased dramatically over the past few decades (24).

Studies show that regular fish consumption is linked to a 24% lower risk of asthma in children, but no significant effect has been found in adults

This last one is not a health benefit, but still very important.

It is the fact that fish is delicious and easy to prepare.

For this reason, it should be relatively easy to incorporate it into the diet. Eating fish 1-2 times per week is considered sufficient to reap the benefits.

If possible, choose wild-caught fish over farmed. Wild fish tends to have more omega-3s and is less likely to be contaminated with harmful pollutants.

That being said, even if eating farmed fish, the benefits still far outweigh the risks. All types of fish are good for you.