Eating wild game is certainly popular here in Newfoundland Labrador, and has been for quite some time. Interestingly though is across North American for food and diet industries, eating wild meat is quickly becoming the new ‘it’ thing to do. Exotic wild meats are making statements across dining establishments as such offerings are now becoming the norm. The Paleo, or Caveman diet, based on eating plants and wild animals similar to cavemen thousands of years ago, is now the latest diet and healthy eating craze for movie stars and everyday people alike. Eating wild meat is not only the thing to do, but in terms of nutrition it’s something we should do. Lucky for us, our hunting season is well underway, but isn’t over yet. In addition, there are a many wild meat options we have to choose from like moose, caribou, black bear, ptarmigan, grouse, and hare, to name a few.
There can be big nutritional
benefits to eating wild meat. For the most part, wild game is leaner than other
dietary protein choices. In comparison to lean cuts of beef and pork, wild meat
has on average one-third fewer calories. Swapping a four ounce
piece of beef, for a similar size and cut of moose can cut you fifty calories
per piece. Try that three times a week over the course of a year, and that’s over
two pounds of calories shaved off your diet and waistline.
On average wild meat has less
cholesterol, saturated and overall fat than its beef, pork and poultry
counterparts. Cholesterol for wild and domestic meat ranges from 50 to 75
milligrams for a three ounce serving. That being said, some
meats, like rabbit, goose and duck can be a little higher. All in all however, the
combination of fewer calories, less saturated fat, and cholesterol, make wild
proteins, like ours, a smart heart-healthy choice. To keep lean meats lean and
tender, but still tasting good, cook slowly by either braising in liquid, or
roasting and basting frequently. If you must use extra fat, try heart-healthy monounsaturated
oils like extra virgin olive, canola, peanut,
flaxseed, walnut, hemp, avocado, or almond.
It’s not just the calories and fat that can make
wild meat nutritious. Moose, caribou and rabbit also have more iron and vitamin
B12 than a dietary staple well known well for being high in these nutrients.
You guessed it, beef. Iron and vitamin B12 are important for many functions, including
the prevention of anemia. Black bear and caribou meat are excellent sources of
the B vitamin, riboflavin, which is key for energy production. A four ounce
serving has 40% of all the riboflavin we need in one day. That’s more than often
the touted riboflavin sources of a one cup serving of leafy greens or milk.
There is a word or
two of caution on wild meat however. One concern is the possibility of a food
infection from consuming meat tainted with trichinosis.
Traditionally a parasite found in pigs, today it is more often found in wild
meat, particularly bears. The good news is that it can be killed by cooking
meat to a minimum internal temperature of 71°C and holding this for a minimum
of fifteen seconds. The other concern with wild meat has to do with using lead
bullets. A possibility exists that using lead ammunition may
cause lead contamination of game. Ways to get around this may be discarding
portions of meat that contain bullet fragments or using non-lead ammunition. Pregnant
women, and young kids, or those at highest risk of lead toxicity and adverse
effects, may be wise to avoid eating meats shot with bullets containing lead. As seen in The Telegram November 26, 2012