Why is it suitable to eat lamb in winter? Try these recommended foods...

In December, the weather is getting colder, and you want to eat some food to nourish your body on days when the temperature is low, and eating lamb in winter seems to have become a well-agreed health rule
.
Lamb has always been regarded as the first choice for winter supplementation, is this accurate? Why is it suitable to eat lamb in winter? Does lamb really warm up? Today, I will analyze the nutritional value
of lamb from the perspective of nutrition.

Rich in protein and high in heat effect of food

First of all, from a nutritional point of view, protein has the greatest
thermal effect (the phenomenon of increased energy expenditure due to eating).
Because lamb contains relatively rich protein, it has the characteristics of high food heat effect, which will make people feel warmer
after eating mutton.

Fat helps the body keep out the cold

Secondly, meat is high
in energy.
As a type of meat, lamb is rich in high-quality protein and also contains a lot of fat
.
Lamb is delicious and easy to eat more, so that a lot of energy will be ingested, which will make us feel warm and help us withstand the cold
.

Contains a lot of heme iron

Relieves anemia and cold intolerance

Again, mutton, as a kind of red meat, is rich in iron and can provide a large amount of heme iron, which is conducive to increasing hemoglobin content and alleviating the symptoms
of cold intolerance in anemia and hypotension people.

Therefore, because lamb has these nutritional values, eating lamb can warm up, and the statement "suitable for winter eating" is very correct
.

However, it must also be explained that pork and beef, as high-quality protein red meat, can actually achieve similar effects to mutton, and there is no need to eat mutton
.

The "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)" recommends eating 120-200 grams of animal food per day, therefore, when eating, you should control the amount, do not consume too much, eat mutton in a healthy and moderate amount, it is recommended to:

Recommended eating method 1: stew and eat less soup

Steaming, stewing, and stewing are the healthiest practices for lamb, so that the cooking and processing temperature is lower and the nutrients
can be locked in to the maximum.
At the same time, fewer carcinogens are produced and less
vitamin damage is reduced.
It is recommended to drink less soup and try to eat meat
.
Because the fat, salt and purine content in the stew is not low, it can increase the risk of
gout, obesity and high blood pressure.
And most of the nutrition is actually in
the meat.

Recommended eating method 2: Shabu lamb with vegetables and fruits

Shabu lamb has a short heating time and can better preserve nutrients
.
But if you are not careful, the intake of mutton is easy to excess, pay attention to the combination of vegetables and fruits, and when ingested, with vegetables such as enoki mushrooms, mushrooms, cabbage, winter melon, loofah, spinach, cocoon, bamboo shoots, various green leafy vegetables and other vegetables together shabu hot pot, can better avoid excessive intake of mutton, but also achieve food diversification, meat and vegetable matching, reasonable balance of dietary nutrition
.

Recommended eating method 3: stir-fry with green onions

The traditional stir-fried lamb has a sweating effect and is a great dish to resist cold air
.
The stir-fry heating time is shorter and the nutrient loss is less
.
Stir-frying with green onions can remove greasy thick smells and peculiar smells such as meat, fishy and grim, and produce special aromas, as well as strong bactericidal effect
.

Eating lamb in this way is both warming up and fitness
.
In winter, add lamb to your own ingredients and pair yourself and your family with a heartwarming dish
.

Text/Hu Xiaolan

(Chief Nutrition Technician, Huangshi Central Hospital)