In celebration of World Health Day 2018, this blog will be about the unbelievable health benefits of eating lamb! With all of the rain we have had it is easy to forget that Spring is here, a traditional time to eat lamb. Many people do not know how nutrient rich lamb is, and how eating it regularly can really benefit your health.
What is lamb?
Lamb is the meat produced from young sheep, usually under the age of one year. When the sheep is older, the meat from it is known as mutton. Lamb is classified as a red meat, is very lean and has a much more mild flavour than mutton. There are lots of delicious cuts of lamb, a versatile meat that can be cooked in all sorts of recipes and is even available as a burger!
Why should I eat Lamb?
To start with, lamb is an excellent source of high-quality protein, with almost double the content of protein than fat. It is important to include protein in your diet as it contains essential amino acids that are responsible for building and maintaining muscle mass and improved physical performance. Protein is also beneficial to those who are on a diet because it takes longer to digest, which will leave you feeling satisfied and full for longer, curbing your appetite.
People often chose other meats over lamb because of the fat content, but half of the fat found in lamb is unsaturated – the good fat. Lamb tends to have less marbling than other meats and often the fat is around the outside and can be trimmed off easily anyway!
Lamb is full of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B12, iron and zinc. It was also found that lamb has more omega-3 fatty acids compared with other meats such as beef. You are probably aware that omega-3 promotes joint, heart and brain health, but did you know it can also help you sleep better? In a recent study, it was found that omega-3 helps the body to create the hormone melatonin, which helps with sleep.
These are just a few of the many benefits of eating lamb. You should make sure you always eat a healthy, balanced diet and lamb can be a very tasty part of that!