Lamb, Av. raw lean & fat
Introduction
Lamb is the meat from young sheep (usually under one year old) and is an animal-derived, savoury protein commonly used in many cuisines; it should not be eaten raw and requires thorough cooking to at least 63°C with a rest period (for medium) or higher for well-done preparations to ensure safety.
Distinctive features include its tender texture and a slightly sweet, gamey flavour compared with older sheep meat (mutton); the flesh typically has a pale pink to rosy red colour when raw, which comes from myoglobin — an oxygen-binding protein in muscle — and darkens on cooking.
Lamb is a rich source of high-quality protein and provides important micronutrients such as iron (particularly haem iron, which is well absorbed), zinc, vitamin B12, niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2) and selenium; it also contains varying amounts of fat, including saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, and smaller quantities of omega-3s depending on the animal’s diet.
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes Fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.