Venison is a good protein choice for people with cardiovascular disease. Venison differs from red meat in part because it is leaner and has less fat and fewer calories. Â.
Deer meat, a type of venison, is high in essential amino acids. However, youâll need to know how to properly store, clean, and cook deer meat to avoid foodborne illnesses. Â â.
Is Venison Good for Diabetics? A Guide to Wild Game Meats
For those managing diabetes or prediabetes, diet plays a crucial role in controlling blood sugar and promoting health. With so many myths around which foods are “good” or “bad”, it can get confusing One area of debate is around meat, especially less common wild game options like venison So is venison actually a smart choice for diabetics? Let’s find out.
In this comprehensive guide you’ll discover
- The benefits of venison nutritionwise
- How venison impacts blood sugar
- Other wild game meats to try
- Tips for preparing venison safely
- Potential downsides to know about
By the end, you’ll see why venison can be a great addition to a diabetic-friendly diet when enjoyed in moderation.
Why Venison is Nutritious for Diabetics
Venison refers to deer meat, which offers a lean yet nutrient-dense protein source. Here are some of its top nutrients:
-
Protein – Venison is very high in protein with 25g per 3.5 oz serving. Protein is crucial for controlling appetite and blood sugar.
-
B Vitamins – It provides B12, niacin, riboflavin and other B vitamins needed for energy metabolism.
-
Iron – Venison contains 2.6 mg iron per serving, supporting oxygen circulation.
-
Selenium – It supplies 56mcg selenium, a potent antioxidant mineral.
-
Zinc – With 4.7mg zinc per serving, venison supports immune function.
-
Vitamin D – Around 15 IU vitamin D in venison benefits bone health.
So venison provides substantial amounts of vitamins, minerals, and lean protein that benefit overall health. Now let’s look at its blood sugar impact.
How Venison Affects Blood Sugar
For people with diabetes, a key dietary focus is choosing foods that don’t dramatically spike blood sugar levels. Venison is excellent in this regard for two reasons:
-
High Protein Content – Protein slows digestion, resulting in a mild, steady rise in blood sugar rather than a sharp spike.
-
Very Low Carbs – Venison contains zero carbs, unlike grain-fed commercial beef which may have some carbs.
Research confirms that increased protein intake, along with fewer carbs, improves glycemic control in diabetics. So venison’s high protein, low carb profile make it a diabetes superfood.
Other Wild Game Meats to Try
Deer isn’t the only wild animal you can hunt for healthy low-carb protein. Here are some other options to look for:
-
Elk – Very similar nutritionally to venison. Lower in fat with a slight gaminess.
-
Bison – Also called buffalo. Extremely lean with fewer calories than beef.
-
Caribou – A slightly sweeter flavor than deer or elk. Rich in iron and B vitamins.
-
Wild boar – Higher in myoglobin like venison. More tender than domestic pork.
-
Rabbit – All white meat that’s leaner than chicken or turkey. Substitute in any recipe.
-
Pheasant – Milder taste than most wild birds. Cook it skewered, roasted, or in stews.
With the rise in popularity of the paleo diet, you can now find many of these wild meats at specialty butcher shops or online.
Tips for Safely Preparing and Cooking Venison
Wild game requires special handling compared to store-bought beef:
-
Use venison within 2 days of thawing to prevent bacterial growth.
-
Cook venison patties and steaks to an internal temperature of 160°F. Ground meat needs thorough cooking to kill bacteria.
-
For stews, chili, and braises, let the venison simmer for at least 90 minutes to become tender and cooked through.
-
Add acidic marinades to venison before cooking to help tenderize and impart flavor.
-
Slow cook tough venison cuts like shoulder or shank in a crockpot for ultimate tenderness.
-
Try using a 50/50 blend of venison and beef or pork in recipes like Bolognese, tacos, etc. This improves texture and moisture.
Follow these preparation tips to safely enjoy venison and get the most flavor.
Potential Downsides of Venison to Know
While venison offers valuable nutrition, there are a few potential cautions:
-
High in cholesterol – Venison contains 85mg cholesterol per serving, more than beef. Limit intake if this is a concern.
-
Risk of foodborne illness – Always cook venison thoroughly and follow food safety guidelines to avoid bacterial contamination.
-
Gamey taste – Venison has a strong flavor some find unappealing. Marinating helps mellow the taste.
-
Drying out – Deer meat is very lean. Take care not to overcook or it becomes tough. Moist cooking methods like braising are great.
-
Expense – As a specialty meat, venison costs more than beef per pound. Look for sales to save money.
The bottom line? Venison is very healthy yet requires proper handling. Follow the tips above to maximize benefits and minimize risks.
The Verdict: Venison Can Be Great for Diabetics
For people with diabetes or prediabetes, venison and other wild game meats provide a stellar source of nutrition to aid blood sugar control and overall health. With abundant protein, key vitamins and minerals, zero carbs, and a mild impact on blood sugar, venison ranks as a top meat choice.
Use the preparation tips mentioned to safely enjoy venison and experiment with other wild meats too. By incorporating venison as part of an overall balanced diabetes diet, you can reap the nutrient density of wild protein. Just be mindful of potential downsides like cholesterol content or foodborne illness with improper cooking. Follow smart guidelines and you can confidently make venison a tasty addition to your plate.
What Does Deer Meat Taste Like?
The flavor of venison is related to what the living animal ate. If the deer ate corn, theyâll have a milder flavor than deer that eat acorns and sage. Venison can be described as âgamey,â but that flavor is more noticeable in the fat areas.
Other intense flavors can occur if the deer meat isnât processed correctly. Improper processes could include:Â
- Improper bleeding
- Delay in field dressing
- Failure to cool the carcass quicklyâ
How to Cook Deer Meat
As soon as the deer meat has been cleaned and deboned, it needs to be frozen for 30 days. Freezing deer meat helps kill parasites like Trichinella and Toxoplasmosis gondii. Â.
That said, freezing doesnât kill bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses like E. coli or Salmonella, so you’ll need to cook the meat until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside after it has thawed. Â.
Eating venison fresh isnt recommended because of how common parasites and tapeworms are. Even in homemade jerky and fermented sausages, E. coli can stay in the deers intestinal tract. You should steam, roast, or boil venison to 165 degrees Fahrenheit before drying.
When making soups, stews, casseroles, and meatloaf, make sure leftovers are reheated to the same 165 degrees F.Â
Venison can taste gamey, dry, and tough, but there are ways to improve flavor and texture. Soak the deer meat in two tablespoons of vinegar mixed with one quart of water for an hour before cooking it to get rid of the gamey taste. Â.
To keep your deer meat moist, you can rub the roast with oil before cooking.Â
To tenderize the meat and add flavor, you can soak the deer meat in a marinade. French or Italian dressings, tomato sauce, or fruit juices all make great marinades. Make sure you marinate the meat in your refrigerator and throw out the marinade after cooking the meat. The longer you marinate the meat, the more tender it will be. However, marinating for more than 24 hours can make the meat mushy. Â.
While deer meat can be pretty nutritious, you should be aware of the risks of consuming venison. Certain wild animals can carry infectious diseases like:Â.
Brucellosis. You are more likely to get this disease as a hunter if you touch the blood and organs of a deer. You can get sick if dirty animal blood, fluid, or tissue gets into your eyes, nose, mouth, or skin. This can occur during:Â.
- Field dressing
- ButcheringÂ
- Handling and preparing raw meat before cooking
- Eating meat thats not fully cooked
When hunting, avoid animals that look visibly ill or are already dead. You should also use safe field dressing techniques because even healthy-appearing animals could be infected with brucellosis. Â.
Safe field dressing techniques include:Â
- Using clean, sharp knives
- Wearing eye protection
- Using disposable or reusable rubber or latex gloves
- Avoiding direct contact with fluid or organs
- Not coming into direct contact with hunting dogs that may have touched animals that were being hunted
- Throw away disposable gloves and parts of the body that won’t be used carefully and completely.
- For at least 20 seconds, wash your hands with soap and warm water.
- Cleaning all your tools and reusable gloves with disinfectantÂ
- giving your dogs raw meat or other parts of the body that can make them sick
It could take anywhere between a week to a month for you to start feeling sick. If you experience any symptoms of brucellosis, you should talk to your doctor immediately. Tell them about any contact youve had with wild animals like deer while hunting. Â.
Signs of a brucellosis infection include:Â
- Fever
- Chills
- Sweating
- Headache
- Reduced appetite
- Fatigue
- Joint or muscle pain
Doctors will test your blood for brucellosis and get you started on a treatment plan.
Chronic wasting disease (CWD). Â Theres no strong evidence that humans can get CWD. However, there is a risk if you consume meat thats been infected. There are monitoring tools that look at CWD rates in an area where youre hunting. Testing might not be available in every state, though, and some states test differently. Â.
If you go hunting in a place where CWD is common, you should really think about getting the animals tested before you eat their meat.
Generally, deer meat can provide a rewarding dinner, especially after a long hunting season. Venison is a nutritious alternative to red meat like beef and pork. However, its essential to follow safety precautions to ensure you dont get sick from eating venison. When you know what to do, have the right tools, and follow safety rules, you can get enough meat to feed your family for months.
The #1 Best Meat For Diabetes
FAQ
Is venison ok for a diabetic?
What meat does not raise blood sugar?
Is venison high in carbs?
What are the benefits of eating venison?
There are several benefits of eating venison, mostly revolving around the nutrients the meat offers. For anyone wanting to increase their protein intake, venison is one of the best meats for this purpose. As shown in the nutritional values, cooked ground venison provides 26.5 grams of protein per 100 grams ( 1 ).
Are onions good for diabetes?
Onions are safe for people with diabetes. They have a moderate glycemic index. However, people with diabetes should control their intake of free sugars through vegetables.
Is venison meat healthy?
Venison has a lot of great benefits; it is nutrient-dense, sustainable, and from animals living in their natural environment. Providing venison meat is responsibly sourced, it is a healthy and nutritious option. For more on red meat, see this guide to bison meat and its benefits.
Is venison a good source of protein?
However, leaner cuts of meat can play a part in the diet when we’re looking to get more protein without increasing total calorie intake. Since venison is lean meat and much lower in calories than typical cuts of beef, lamb, or pork, it is an excellent choice for this purpose. Key Point: Venison is a low-calorie source of protein.