How Much Cholestrol Is in Lamb?

Scientists, doctors and nutritionists have long maintained that the best way to remain heart healthy is to cut cholesterol from your diet. But even on the food pyramid, cholesterol-rich foods such as meat are located near the top, indicating that you should eat them sparingly. But what about meats that would fall under a Mediterranean diet, such as lamb? Where do they stack up on the cholesterol scale?

History

Although Americans are not used to eating lamb, in the rest of the world, it is routinely consumed. Evidence suggests that sheep were domesticated for both food and textiles over 10,000 years ago. Consuming lamb is mentioned in the Bible as a substitute for celebrating passover under Roman rule around 70 A.D. The Romans can be thanked for introducing sheep to the rest of Europe when they conquered it. More recently, lamb has been a traditional European food in spring, when its presence on a table symbolized rebirth. As such, there are many recipes that call for "spring lamb," or young lamb that has been brought to market in the springtime.

Definition

When a recipe calls for lamb, it is referring to a sheep that is less than a year old. There are five cuts of lamb available commercially: leg, loin, shoulder, breast (or shank) and rack (or ribs). Some stores may also offer it ground for burgers, meatloaf or sauces.

Features

Lamb is a good source of protein, containing 63 percent of the daily recommended allowance in a single serving. It is also high in saturated fat, with 21 percent of the daily allowance in a serving. Lamb also contains zinc, B vitamins, niacin, selenium and phosphorus.

Cholesterol Concerns

As with all red meat, lamb also contains cholesterol. Cholesterol has been associated with some forms of heart disease and cancer. Studies have shown that domesticated red meat contains higher quantities of cholesterol than wild red meat like venison. Chicken and fish are more widely recommended as a source of protein.

Cholesterol in Lamb

In the five cuts of lamb commercially available, the following amount of saturated fat is present:
Shoulder 101 mg
Shank 80 mg
Leg 80 mg
Loin 80 mg
Rib 75 mg