The nutritional value of lamb is heavily influenced by the cut as well; the leanest of cut choices include lamb loin, lamb shank, and lamb leg; all of which have about 150 to 170 calories per 3-ounce serving, and 2 to 3 grams of saturated fat.
Leg is the leanest lamb cut. A whole boneless leg of American Lamb typically weighs 7-8 pounds so there will be plenty of leftovers.
Lamb Breast
From the bottom of the lamb, the belly, comes the breast cut. It has a lot of fat and therefore a lot of chew, so lamb breast needs slow, long cooking to break down the toughness. Usually presented as a rolled joint, perfect for roasting. Cook: braise, stew, roast.
Lamb Loin: This select piece of lamb meat is a powerhouse of protein and iron. It is also a good source of potassium, which prevents muscle cramps, loss of appetite, fatigue and weakness.
Lamb and beef have similar calories, total fat, protein, vitamin, and mineral content—but lamb (especially grass-fed lamb) is the winner when it comes to omega-3 fat content. Grass-fed lamb also has higher quantities of the healthy fat CLA, which is beneficial for cognitive, cardiovascular, and metabolic health.
High intakes of saturated fat may increase blood cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease. But, lamb is a significantly a better source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12 than chicken, meeting 10 percent or more of your daily value.
Loin. This is the most tender part of the lamb, producing only the most tender and flavourful cuts. Boned and rolled loin makes for a delectable roasting joint. This is also where the juiciest chops and noisettes come from.
Lamb is a rich source of many vitamins including vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin E. Surprisingly, meats consists of many vitamins, but lamb meat includes vitamins that are particularly good for the skin. In addition, vitamins in lamb help nutrients transform into energy smoothly, and prevent fat storage.
Skinless Chicken or Turkey
White meat is the leanest choice, but even dark meat can be a good choice if you skip the skin. Both chicken and turkey give you about 25 grams of high-quality protein, along with B vitamins and selenium.
The leg and rack are the most tender cuts of meat on a lamb, and are at their best when roasted. Roasting is a "dry heat" cooking method, meaning that you do not add any liquid to the meat as you cook it. Tougher cuts of lamb, such as shank and shoulder, are best for braising and stewing.
Mutton. Lamb refers to meat from young sheep less than 12 months old, which is tender and mild in flavor. The meat from a sheep older than one year is called mutton, and it has a more intense flavor and somewhat less tender texture.
Worst cuts: Ribs, shoulder and mince. A perennial Australian favourite, lamb “tends to be fattier in general than other meats,” says Fox, though because lamb has less marbling than beef, it's easier to trim away excess fat and make cuts healthier before cooking.
Finally, health experts say to stay away from processed meats, which are generally considered to be unhealthy. These include any meat that has been smoked, salted, cured, dried, or canned. Compared to fresh meat, processed meats are high in sodium and can have double the amount of nitrates.
No, you should not regularly eat lamb or add them to your daily diet. As mentioned, this red meat contains high levels of saturated fat. Therefore, overeating lamb in the daily diet will cause high cholesterol and hypertension.
Lamb has healthy fats.
They can help reduce levels of "bad" cholesterol in your blood, lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke.
The leg gives neater, leaner pieces of meat than the shoulder, but both are meltingly tender and have fantastic flavour. Great slow-roasted in a covered pan for many hours, until the meat is literally falling off the bone.
Shoulder of lamb is quite fatty, but that's what makes the meat so sweet and succulent, and by cooking it for a long time at a low temperature, the meat becomes so tender it just falls off the bone.
Healthiest options: turkey and chicken
When it comes to the healthiest meats that pack the biggest nutritional punch, turkey and chicken should be at the top of your (grocery) list, says Schiff. Both are about equal in terms of nutrition, with turkey tending to be leaner than chicken.
try to limit processed meat products such as sausages, salami, pâté and beefburgers, because these are generally high in fat – they are often high in salt, too. try to limit meat products in pastry, such as pies and sausage rolls, because they are often high in fat and salt.