Odds are you grew up in a
hunting family, and as a result grew up eating
wild game. We’ve all known forever wild game, when
tended for and prepared properly, is
extraordinarily flavorful. Only recently, however,
have the nutritional benefits of wild game become
known.
These days,
low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets are all the
rage. Well, when you talk high protein, you’re
talking wild game. Most species of wild game
contain the same protein found in beef, if not
more, while being much lower in fat, and calories.
And then, of course, there is the “good fat, bad
fat” situation. Wild game tends to be higher in
cholesterol than domestic meat. However, when you
break it down between “saturated” fats (the bad,
artery clogging fat) and “polyunsaturated” fats
(the good fats), once again wild game comes out
smelling like a rose. And, overall, domestic
animals have between 25 and 30 percent body fat,
while wild game runs about 4.3 percent body fat.
Check out the following
graphs for the low down on big game vs.
domestically raised meat.
Species
Calories
Per 3-1/2 ounces
Cholesterol
Mg./3-1/2 ounces
Fat %
Protein %
Antelope
144
112
.9
22.5
Beef USDA choice
180
72
6.5
22.0
Beef USDA standard
152
69
2.0
22.7
Buffalo
138
62
1.9
21.7
Deer (Mule)
145
107
1.3
23.7
Deer (Whitetail)
149
116
1.4
23.6
Elk
137
67
.9
22.8
Lamb
167
66
5.7
20.8
Moose
130
71
.5
22.1
Pig (domestic)
165
71
.8
23.9
Pig (wild boar)
160
109
4.38
28.3
Rabbit (cottontail)
144
77
2.4
21.8
Squirrel
149
83
3.2
21.4
The chart below shows the nutritional values of
waterfowl and game birds vs. their domestic
counterparts.
Species
Calories
Per 3-1/2 ounces
Cholesterol
Mg./3-1/2 ounces
Fat %
Protein %
Chicken
138
62
/7
23/6
Crane (sandhill)
153
123
2.4
21.7
Dove
145
94
1.8
22.9
Duck (domestic)
180
89
4.25
19.9
Duck (mallard)
152
140
2.0
23.1
Goose (snow)
121
142
3.6
22.7
Grouse (sharptail)
142
105
.7
23.8
Grouse (sage)
140
101
1.1
23.7
Partridge (gray)
151
85
.7
25.6
Pheasant (domestic)
144
71
.8
23.9
Pheasant (wild)
148
52
.6
25.7
Turkey (domestic)
146
60
1.5
23.5
Turkey (wild)
163
55
1.1
25.7
Remember the good fat/bad fat
competition? The following graph shows how wild
game stacks up to the domestic stuff.
Species
Polyunsaturated
(good fat)
% Fatty Acids
Monounsaturated
Saturated
(bad fat)
Antelope
31.6
27.1
46.3
Beef
8.2
45.5
46.3
Boar
17.3
47
35.7
Buffalo
11.8
45.0
43.2
Caribou
17.0
36.4
46.6
Deer (Mule)
20.2
31.8
48.0
Deer (Whitetail)
23.9
30.6
45.6
Elk
24.9
26.6
48.4
Moose
39.1
24.3
36.6
Rabbit
25.4
35.6
39.0
Squirrel
37.6
47.2
15.2
Could there be a more pure
sport than hunting? You participate in nature, you
kill, clean, process, protect and cook your own
meat, and, as if that weren’t enough, you eat
healthier than your non-hunting counterparts. Not
a bad deal!
