What you need to know
Red meat and nutrients
Most of us know we should be eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet as part of a healthy lifestyle.
The great news is that Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef, eaten in the moderate quantities, can play an important role in keeping us healthy.
Here’s why…
* Red meat is a major source of protein, essential for growth and repair of the body.
* Red meat is a significant source of B Vitamins, like thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6 and B12. And B12, important for the production of healthy red blood cells, growth and energy, only occurs naturally in foods of animal origin.
* Red meat contains Vitamin D which works with calcium and phosphorous to build strong bones and teeth.
* Red meat is one of the best sources of iron which we need for healthy blood and to prevent anaemia. The type of iron found in red meat (haem iron) is more easily absorbed and used in the body than the (non-haem) iron in plant foods such as pulses, nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables.
* Red meat is a good source of easily absorbable zinc, important for a healthy immune system, growth, the healing of wounds, and fertility. We get around 30% of our dietary intake of zinc from red meat and meat products.
* Red meat also provides us with other minerals such as selenium and potassium. Selenium is an important antioxidant which has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
Red meat & Fat
The fat content of meat is now lower than ever and lower than most people think. And half the fat in lean red meat is actually in the unsaturated form believed to be healthier for the heart.
Choosing lean cuts of meat and trimming off any visible white fat helps reduce the saturated fat content further. Many of the important nutrients in meat are found in the lean part so it’s possible to reduce the fat without reducing the nutritional benefits.
Red meat also contains small amounts of Omega 3 fats, beneficial especially for people who eat little or no oily fish.
So you may be surprised to learn that on average…
* fully trimmed lean raw beef contains only 5% fat
* fully trimmed lean raw pork only 4% fat
* fully trimmed lean raw lamb only 8% fat.