Health Benefits
The nutritive value of goat meat is becoming increasingly important in the health management of people. Not only is goat meat lower in total fat and cholesterol, but it is also lower in saturated fats than traditional meats. Saturated fats are fats or fatty acids that do not contain double bonds between the carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain (figure 1). Hence, the bonds are fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. Saturated fatty acids, which form solid or semisolid fat at room temperature, cause cholesterol levels to rise. The amount of cholesterol in the food has only a moderate effect on the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Table 1. Nutrient Composition of Goat and Other Types of Meat1, 2
Calories 122 162 179 180 175
Fat (g) Nutrient Goat Chicken Beef Pork
Saturated Fat (g) 0.79 1.7 3.0 2.9 2.9
Protein (g) 23 25 25 25 24
Cholesterol (mg) 63.8 76.0 73.1 73.1 78.2
[1] Per 3 oz. of cooked meat
[2] USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 14 (2001)