Venison

Key Nutrients

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About Venison

Health Benefits

Venison may not be in your dinner plans very often, but it can actually be a great addition to a healthy diet plan.

High in Protein and Iron, Yet Low in Saturated Fat

Venison is an excellent source of protein, while, unlike most meats, it tends to be fairly low in fat, especially saturated fat. Four ounces of venison supplies 82% of the daily value for protein for only 179 calories and 2.2 grams of saturated fat. Venison is a good source of iron, providing 28.2% of the daily value for iron in that same four-ounce serving. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores is a good idea—especially because, in comparison to beef, a well known source of iron, venison provides well-absorbed iron for less calories and fat. Iron is an integral component of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells, and is also part of key enzyme systems for energy production and metabolism. And, if you’re pregnant or lactating, your needs for iron increase. Growing children and adolescents also have increased needs for iron.

B Vitamins for Better Energy and Cardiovascular Health

Venison is also a very good source of vitamin B12, providing 58% of the daily value for this important vitamin, as well as good or very good amounts of several other of the B vitamins, including riboflavin (44% of riboflavin’s daily value), niacin (42% of niacin’s DV) and vitamin B6 (28% of the DV for B6).

Vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 are both needed to prevent a build up of a potentially dangerous molecule called homocysteine in the body. High levels of homocysteine can cause damage to blood vessels, contribute to the development and progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, and greatly increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Homocysteine is also associated with osteoporosis, and a recent study found that osteoporosis occurred more frequently among women whose vitamin B12 status was deficient or marginal compared with those who had normal B12 status. In addition, vitamin B12 has also been shown to be helpful in protecting colon cells from the effects of carcinogenic toxins, thereby reducing the risk of colon cancer.

The riboflavin in venison may be able to help reduce the occurrence of migraine attacks by improving the energy metabolism of the cells of those who suffer from migraine headaches. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) plays at least two important roles in the body’s energy production. When active in energy production pathways, riboflavin takes the form of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN). In these forms, riboflavin attaches to protein enzymes called flavoproteins that allow oxygen-based energy production to occur. Flavoproteins are found throughout the body, particularly in locations where oxygen-based energy production is constantly needed, such as the heart and other muscles.

Riboflavin’s other role in energy production is protective. The oxygen-containing molecules the body uses to produce energy can be highly reactive and can inadvertently cause damage to the mitochondria and even the cells themselves. In the mitochondria, such damage is largely prevented by a small, protein-like molecule called glutathione. Like many “antioxidant” molecules, glutathione must be constantly recycled, and it is vitamin B2 that allows this recycling to take place. (Technically, vitamin B2 is a cofactor for the enzyme glutathione reductase that reduces the oxidized form of glutathione back to its reduced version.) .

Niacin (vitamin B3), yet another B-vitamin in venison, has been shown to reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis by as much as half. Like its fellow B-complex vitamins, niacin is important in energy production. Two unique forms of vitamin B3 (called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, or NAD, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, or NADP) are essential for conversion of the body’s proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into usable energy. Niacin is also used to synthesize starch that can be stored in the body’s muscles and liver for eventual use as an energy source.

So the next time you are planning on meat for dinner, try the iron-rich, vitamin-packed alternative to beef. Venison can add variety to your diet as well as good health to your life.

Description

Venison is a highly prized, wonderfully delicious and nutritious meat that comes from deer which are either wild or farm-raised. While the flavor of the meat is directly related to the animal’s diet, venison is typically described as having a full, deep taste that is somewhat akin to a deeply woody, yet berry-like red wine. It features a texture that is supple and tender.

The scientific name for the deer family is Cervidae.

History

Historians suggest that venison has been consumed as a food longer than other meats, including beef, chicken and pork, that are more popular today. While venison and other wild game have roamed the lands for millennia, the practice of domesticating venison for food seems to have begun in ancient times, during the Stone Age. While the ancient Greeks seemed to be the first civilization that printed a guide to hunting, the ancient Romans lauded the pleasures of hunting and consuming wild game. Today, venison is enjoyed by many cultures who still rely upon hunting to gather their food. In addition, for a variety of reasons including maintaining the natural population of the animals, farm raised venison is becoming more popular. Today, New Zealand and the United States are the leading countries specializing in the domestication of venison.

How to Select and Store

There are a few clues you can look for that will help you choose fresher quality venison. Look for younger venison, which will have darker, more finely grained flesh and whiter fat, since it will offer the most flavorful taste. Always examine the sell-by date, if there is one, on the label and choose the venison with the latest date. Venison is generally available fresh and frozen.

Since venison, like other meats, is highly perishable, it should always be kept at cold temperatures, either refrigerated or frozen. Refrigerate the venison in the original store packaging, if it is still intact and secure, as this will reduce the amount of handling involved. Venison roasts, steaks and chops will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days.

If you have more venison than you can use within this period of time, you can freeze it in a cold temperature freezer. Using either aluminum foil or freezer paper, wrap individual pieces of venison carefully so that it is as tightly packaged as possible. It should keep frozen for between three and six months.

Tips for Preparing and Cooking

Tips for Preparing Venison

As with other meats, be careful when handling raw venison that it does not come in contact with other foods, especially those that will be served uncooked. Wash the cutting board, utensils and even your hands very well with hot soapy water after handling the meat.

If your recipe requires marinating, you should always do so in the refrigerator as the meat is very sensitive to heat which can increases the chances of spoilage. When defrosting a frozen venison, do so in the refrigerator and not at room temperature, placing it on a plate to capture any liquid drippings.

How to Enjoy

A Few Quick Serving Ideas

• Venison jerky is delicious and easy to make. Cut venison steaks into 1/4-inch thick slices, marinate overnight in salt, soy sauce and spices of your choice, arrange on aerated roasting rack and bake at 150°F for 6 hours.
• Use ground venison meat instead of beef when making lasagna.
• Add a new twist to your chili con carne by using ground venison meat instead of beef.
• Combine venison steak pieces, root vegetables, spices and broth and make a hearty stew.
• Skewer marinated cubes of venison steak and your favorite vegetables and grill in the oven or on the barbecue.

For some of our favorite recipes, click Recipes.

Individual Concerns

Venison and Purines

Venison contain naturally-occurring substances called purines. Purines are commonly found in plants, animals, and humans. In some individuals who are susceptible to purine-related problems, excessive intake of these substances can cause health problems. Since purines can be broken down to form uric acid, excess accumulation of purines in the body can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid. The health condition called “gout” and the formation of kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of uric acid-related problems that can be related to excessive intake of purine-containing foods. For this reason, individuals with kidney problems or gout may want to limit or avoid intake of purine-containing foods such as venison.

Nutritional Profile

Venison is an excellent source of protein. It is also a very good source of vitamin B2, vitamin B12, zinc, and niacin. In addition, venison is a good source of iron, phosphorus, selenium and vitamin B6.

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Venison.

In-Depth Nutritional Profile

Venison

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

Read more background information and details of our rating system

Venison
4.00 oz-wt
113.40 grams
216.59 calories

Nutrient

Amount

DV
(%)

Nutrient
Density

World’s Healthiest
Foods Rating

tryptophan

0.36 g

112.5

9.3

excellent

protein

41.14 g

82.3

6.8

excellent

zinc

9.80 mg

65.3

5.4

very good

vitamin B12

3.47 mcg

57.8

4.8

very good

vitamin B2

0.75 mg

44.1

3.7

very good

vitamin B3

8.43 mg

42.1

3.5

very good

iron

5.68 mg

31.6

2.6

good

phosphorus

295.97 mg

29.6

2.5

good

selenium

20.07 mcg

28.7

2.4

good

vitamin B6

0.55 mg

27.5

2.3

good

World’s Healthiest
Foods Rating

Rule

excellent

DV>=75% OR
Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10%

very good

DV>=50% OR
Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5%

good

DV>=25% OR
Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%

In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Venison

Recipes with Venison

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