Ever wondered why goat meat is too expensive? Though its scarcity also makes its price spike, the health benefits of goat meat make it more expensive than beef.
Unlike most red meats, goat meat is healthier because it isn’t high in bad cholesterol, saturated fat, and sodium but is high in iron. So, even people who want to maintain weight while enjoying a plate of red meat can do so. Not to mention, it is healthier than chicken meat.
Besides, hypertension patients can also take it, though it is always advisable to consult your doctor first.
Below, I will discuss the health benefits of goat meat and give you an easy-to-follow goat meat recipe. Keep reading.
6 Health Benefits Of Goat Meat
You’re missing many health benefits if you haven’t started eating goat meat yet.
Firstly, goat meat is the healthiest of all red meats. It’s more nutritious than beef, pork, and lamb meat.
Though there is an equal amount of protein with the chicken, beef, lamb, and pork meat, it’s low in fat. Goat meat is, however, high in iron.
Below is a table showing the nutritional value of goat meat. Read on.
| Goat Meat Nutrient | Amount |
| Protein | 27 grams |
| Sodium | 86 mg |
| Iron | 3.7 mgs |
| Calories | 143 |
| Cholesterol | 75 mg |
| Fat | 2.6 grams |
| Saturated fat | 0.8 grams |
So, what are the health benefits of goat meat?
Low Fat and Saturated Fat
Bad cholesterol and saturated fat are the major causes of type two diabetes and obesity, and other chronic diseases worldwide.
Besides, saturated fat is linked to low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol. With high LDL levels, your blood vessels are at risk of blockage. Consequently, blood fails to flow well in the body. Resultantly, you get a stroke or a heart attack.
Goat meat, however, contains low amounts of saturated fat, meaning it is good for your health compared to other red meats.
Since goat meat is low in calories, it’s best for red meat lovers, especially if they also take lemon tea instead of sugary, processed drinks. Taking only about 143 calories and 100 grams of goat meat daily shouldn’t make your weight spike or increase the chances of obesity and other chronic diseases.
High in Iron
High iron is one of the health benefits of goat meat, which means you’ll be anemia-free. Let me explain. Iron helps produce hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen throughout the body from the lungs.
So, one of the leading health benefits of goat meat is the high iron quantity that helps hemoglobin production.
Are you pregnant or at the age of menstruation but aren’t taking goat milk? You’re denying your body an essential nutrient, iron. Pregnant and menstruating women need more iron than other people because they share it with the unborn and lose blood every month, respectively.
Nevertheless, these are not the only people who need iron. Men aged 19 and above need about 8.7 mg, women aged 19 to 49 need about 14.8 mg daily, and women aged 50 and above need 8.7 mg.
Therefore, both men and women need it.
Potassium
Your body needs potassium to regulate blood pressure. It also aids in the balancing of the fluid in the body. Without potassium, the muscle cells and the nerves won’t function accordingly.
You, therefore, need to eat goat meat to give your body sufficient potassium. Otherwise, you’ll be in danger of health problems, for example, feeling weak and muscle cramping.
Calcium
Though a pregnant Mom and a menstruating woman need more calcium, everyone else also needs calcium. Without calcium, you would develop weak bones and teeth. The heart, nerves, and muscles equally need calcium in the body.
Sodium
High blood pressure patients are warned against eating red meat as it makes it spike due to its high sodium content. Thanks to goat meat. One of the incredible benefits of goat meat is that hypertension patients can eat it as it contains low sodium.
Since 100 grams of goat meat has about 82 mg of sodium, patients should have no hypertension spike.
On the other hand, healthy people lower the risk of hypertension if they replace other red meats with goat meat.
Nevertheless, avoid too much daily intake of goat meat since your daily sodium intake should not exceed 2300 mg. Otherwise, you would be at risk of hypertension.
Vitamins
One of the primary reasons you should consider eating goat meat over other red meats is its high levels of vitamin B12. Without Vitamin B12, your body wouldn’t produce red blood cells.
Resultantly, your body would have challenges carrying oxygen to the entire body from the lungs. According to the Red Cross Blood organization, it’s also the work of red blood cells to carry carbon dioxide to the lungs for exhaling.
When blood circulates effectively throughout the body, you won’t suffer from blood clots due to excess homocysteine. The nerves and blood cells are also healthy due to vitamin B12. So start eating goat meat today.
Your skin also benefits from goat milk because it provides the body with Vitamin C, which aids in key functions such as protecting the antioxidant from photodamage caused by Ultraviolet (UV). Vitamin C also helps in the stimulation of collagen synthesis.
Also, without Vitamin B12, you’re at risk of depression, fatigue, memory loss, weakness, and anemia.
Other vitamins that help you rip many health benefits of goat meat whenever you eat it include Vitamin K, B6, A, and E.
Disadvantages of Goat Meat
Despite the health benefits of goat meat, a few challenges come with it, too. For example, it’s more expensive, and not everyone should eat it. Let me discuss further.
High Cost
Unlike beef, goat meat is more expensive. This could be due to its many nutrients and its shortage. There are more cows than goats because most prefer cows because they produce more milk than goats.
Besides, though goat milk is more nutritious than cow milk, cow milk tastes better. Therefore, most people prefer cows over goats, making it hard to find goat meat.
Goat Meat Isn’t For Everyone
Sadly, the health benefits of goat meat are not for everyone. Some people might have health challenges after eating goat meat; hence, avoiding it or eating it in low quantities is best.
Liver disease patients, children, and patients with high heat should avoid goat meat.
Probably allow children to have at least 1 to 2 pieces a day.
Goat Meat Isn’t Easy To Cook
Have you or a friend ever lamented that the goat meat they just ate is hard? That’s a clear indication that it wasn’t cooked professionally. The best way to cook goat meat is by marinating it to make it tender.
Alternatively, use a slow cooking method. This method keeps it moist and hence easy to chew.
Especially if you’re cooking a mature goat, use a slow method to ensure it’s moist. This means that you need more time to cook it. This allows the connective tissues, which tend to be tough, to break down easily, making the meat soft.
Younger goats are easy to cook as they’re not hard. I would still use a slow method to cook a young goat.
Goat Meat Recipe
You don’t have to miss all the health benefits of goat meat because I said it’s hard to cook.
Not at all. Even so, it’s vital to note that besides using a slow method to cook goat meat, it’s essential that you add spices to add flavor. Here is a simple recipe to help you cook delicious goat meat. Continue reading.
Ingredients
- 800 grams of chopped mature/ baby goat meat
- 550 ml of hot water
- 1 medium size onion
- ½ tbsp of cumin
- 2 medium tomatoes (skinless)
- ½ tbs of tomato paste
- ½ tbsp of turmeric
- 2 chopped potatoes
- 1 carrot chopped into small cubes
- ½ tbsp of clove
- 1 tbsp of smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp. salt (or enough to taste)
- ¼ tbs of chili flakes
- ½ tbsp of gravy thickener
- ¾ tbs thyme
- ½ tbs black pepper
- ½ tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbs. of olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp of chicken broth powder
- ½ ground coriander
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
Method
- Add cooking oil to a pan and heat (use low heat)
- Add onions and garlic, stir, and cook until orange brown
- Add Worcestershire sauce and stir and then allow a few minutes to cook
- Add paprika, cumin, turmeric, black pepper, chili, coriander, and thyme, and stir gently before allowing a few minutes to cook.
- Add meat and stir thoroughly and then cover to cook for a few minutes
- Once the meat changes color, stir so that it cooks evenly, and then cover
- After a few minutes, add tomatoes and stir and cover to cook for a few minutes
- Add tomato paste, cover, and cook for a few minutes
- Add chicken broth powder and hot water, stir, and cover
- Allow to cook on medium heat for about 35 minutes
- Add thickener and whisk well to prevent the thickener from forming lumps
- Add enough salt based on your preferences, stir, and cover, and then cook for 5 minutes
- Add potatoes and carrots, and then cover
- Allow to cook for 20 minutes
- Stir well and serve. Enjoy!
Is Goat Meat Good For Your Health?
Yes, goat meat is good for health because it is low in sodium and saturated fat. Besides, due to its low cholesterol is great for anyone who wants to stay free from heart disease.
Unless you consume too much goat meat, you shouldn’t be worried about eating goat meat daily.
Which Part Of The Goat Is Best?
Generally, goat meat is healthy and good for eating because it contains many nutrients, for example, Vitamin B12, potassium, iron, proteins, and more. However, the chops loved most are the neck, ribs, and limbs.
Which Is Healthier, Chicken Or Goat Meat?
Goat meat is healthier than chicken because it is low in cholesterol, calories, and saturated fat. So, go for goat meat to give your family the best, healthier meat.
Is Goat Meat Good For High Blood Pressure?
Unless you exceed the recommended daily sodium intake ( 2300 mg), you should not worry about goat meat intake as a high blood pressure patient. The low cholesterol and saturated fat in goat meat should not spike hypertension or put you at risk of getting it.
Even so, always heed the doctor’s instructions when choosing what foods to eat and what to avoid.
Parting Shot
By reading this article, you realize that the health benefits of goat meat are evident. For example, it is low in sodium, saturated fats, and cholesterol. Therefore, think of goat meat when buying healthy meat for the family.
Though it might be expensive and hard to find, you won’t regret buying it.
Consider the above easy-to-follow recipe for delicious, healthy, and tasty meat. Regardless of how sweet your meal is, ensure you’re not overeating it, as that would be unhealthy.
If your body temperatures are too high or you have liver disease, avoid goat meat unless instructed by a doctor. Also, as a parent, avoid giving kids goat meat; probably limit it to two small pieces if they demand it.
