In recognition of hunting season, this post will be the first in a series on the subject of venison. For those who don’t know, venison is the meat taken from deer. Many Americans never get a chance to experience the nutritional benefits of venison, as most states have laws like this one from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, which prohibit the sale of wild game. I thought we could take a moment to discuss the advantage of venison for nutrition and health.
Venison Nutrition
According to the USDA website on nutrition, venison is among the most nutritious meats around. It has fewer calories per serving than either beef, pork, or chicken in an equivalent serving. Note that these figures are for the cut of tenderloin (or breast for chicken), and in all cases, the cuts are baked or broiled.
Venison Nutrition
| Meat | Cal | Saturated | Monounsat. | Polyunsat. | Cholesterol | Iron |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz lean | Fat (g) | Fat(g) | Fat(g) | (mg) | (mg) | |
| Deer tenderloin | 127 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 75 | 3.6 |
| Beef tenderloin | 185 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 0.4 | 71 | 1.5 |
| Pork tenderloin | 171 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 0.6 | 80 | 1.2 |
| Chicken breast tender | 249 | 3.2 | 5.8 | 2.6 | 37 | 1 |
| Chicken breast | 157 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 64 | 1 |
I had venison sausage pizza once, yum. And I ate reindeer when I was in Sweden.