Venison – sources, health benefits, nutrients, uses and constituents at NaturalPedia.com

Thursday, July 20, 2017 by Earl Garcia

Venison is a term commonly associated with the meat of deer. However, an article published on LiveStrong.com notes that venison also refers to the meat of other game animals such as moose, elk, caribou, and antelope. Venison is characterized by its gamey flavor, largely due to the diets of the animals they came from.

List of known nutrients

Game meats such as venison are highly valued for their nutrient content. An entry posted on the SELF Nutrition Data website features the essential vitamins and minerals found in venison, which include:

Betaine
Calcium
Choline
Copper
Folate
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Niacin
Pantothenic Acid
Phosphorus
Potassium
Riboflavin
Selenium
Sodium
Thiamin
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B6
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Zinc

Medicinal uses for venison

Venison is an excellent source of protein. In fact, a four-gram serving of venison may provide nearly 29 percent of the recommended daily allowance for protein. Unlike red meat from regular livestock animals, venison meat is leaner and contains less fat. This makes the game meat an ideal food fare for muscle build up. Aside from this, venison is also incredibly high in iron that promotes red blood cell production in the body. Likewise, the game meat is rich in vitamin B12 that boosts blood formation and maintains brain function and overall nervous system health. The high vitamin B12 content in venison also prevents the onset of pernicious anemia.

Venison is also greatly valued for its high vitamin B6 content. The essential vitamin facilitates the conversion of carbohydrates in the body, which in turn determines and regulates the release of blood sugar in the body. This makes venison particularly beneficial for diabetic patients who have trouble maintaining a healthy blood sugar levels. Likewise, venison is known to counter the harmful effects of homocysteine, a compound that damages blood vessels and cause the onset of diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, venison’s low unsaturated fat content helps reduce the odds of developing other cardiovascular conditions such as thrombosis, arteriosclerosis, stroke, and heart failure.

In addition, consuming venison in moderation is found to improve bone density and strength. The game meat’s anti-homocysteine effects, as well as its low saturated fat levels, are touted to reduce the odds of developing osteoporosis. Likewise, venison is known to bolster the body’s immune system. Aside from this, the game meat is especially beneficial to the male reproductive system. Venison’s low cholesterol levels help improve low testosterone in men. Moreover, the high vitamin B12 content in venison is touted to protect colon cells from carcinogens and prevent the onset of colon cancer.

Body systems supported by venison

Venison’s high protein content is particularly beneficial to the muscular system. Likewise, venison is beneficial to the cardiovascular, circulatory, and nervous systems. In addition, venison benefits the immune and male reproductive systems.

Ways to use venison

As a game meat, venison can be used as an alternative to livestock meat in various dishes such as barbecues and steaks, sausages and burgers. Venison can also be incorporated in soups and stews, pies and vegetable dishes. An article posted on the Food Network website lists some of the most interesting venison recipes curated across the web.