Rabbit Meat Nutritional Value

[Truckinguy]

Well, to make a long story short, my sister-in-law tells me that her mother's friend, who is a nutritionist, says that rabbit meat has no nutritional value. No matter that I point out the protein, vitamins and minerals that are in it.... I think she is mistaking the very low fat content in it for lack of nutrition. We've argued up and down... anyway, enough of my family issues... :evil:

I have come across a dozen or more rabbit related web sites that quote the USDA as saying "Rabbit meat is the most nutritious meat known to man". It apparently has something to do with home economics but I've searched until my fingers bleed and my dialup wires are smoking and I can't find the exact quote. Would anybody have any other knowledge of this quote or can suggest a way I can find this? That statement may be a little over the top but it's apparently by someone associated with the USDA who has done some studies on different meats available and has come to this conclusion.

 

[MaggieJ]

Truckinguy, I googled rabbit most nutritious meat and got a ton of hits.

Maybe these will convince you sister-in-law's mother's friend... :roll:

http://www.vermontqualityrabbits.com/nutritional.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/47291125/Nutr ... abbit-Meat

I'll bet this whole thing goes back to the idea that you can starve to death while eating nothing but wild rabbit. Wild rabbit can be so lean that without fat and/or carbohydrates from other foods, the human body cannot manage on it alone. Of course, it has nothing to do with it not being nutritious... just with not being a complete diet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation

Honestly, the stupid things people say with complete and utter confidence will never fail to amaze me. :shrug:

 

[Anntann]

The nutritionists at Mayo Clinic told my very obese friend with a heart condition to eat rabbit, fish, and turkey for his protein/meats. I'll look around on the Mayo site and see if there's anything that is worth quoting.

 

[Truckinguy]

Thanks! I told her that it is so low fat that you could die from just eating rabbit meat but there are lots of other ways we intake fat in our diet. You have to eat a complete diet. I think it is just a communication problem but sometimes it's honestly like talking to a wall. I'm sure even cardboard has some nutritional value...

I have searched the internet for the three years that I have had rabbits and come up with so much information that says rabbit meat is a great protein source with low fat. It would be cool to find the actual USDA source for the quote. Due to situations like this I tend now to research things before I start spouting off about them. It's saved my butt a few times!

 

[akane]

Comparing rabbit to various meats on http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/ it has more protein, less kcals, and less fat than most domestic meat but depending slightly on cut venison and some game meats actually have less fat (3% in roasted venison compared to 6% in roasted rabbit), more kcals, and more protein (36% in roasted venison, 29% in roasted rabbit). Rabbit is a good protein source, not a good energy source, and a very poor source of fat. As for minerals the difference appears negligible to me. I can see why it would be a great diet edition in our society where most diets are too high in calories and fat but I don't see why it is being called the most nutritious meat. Unless we are also considering the amount and type of feed it takes to make the meat which is where rabbit really shines.

 

[Anntann]

That site should give you all you need to wow her with facts. you can look at roasted, stewed, fried, raw..in varying sizes. you can search on other foods for comparisons, if you like. I like USDA..they LOVE to use data!<br /><br />__________ Tue Mar 29, 2011 3:43 pm __________<br /><br />http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Ra ... /index.asp the USDA fact sheet on rabbits

 

[ottersatin]

I don't have the answer,
but I will say this:
There is no single food in the world that any one can eat to the exclusion
of all else which will allow you to reach optimum health and vitality.
It is not that Rabbit is an unhealthy food or that it lacks enough protein,
it is the fact that it is not a singly completely balanced meal in and of itself.
No one item can aptly support human life for any greatly extended period of time.
Just my opinion and I'm sticking to it!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[ridgerunner1965]

i think the actual reason that there are people that say rabbits have no food value stem from reports from northern explorers from maybe 100+ years ago.explorers in alaska and northren canada, would try to live off the land and the prevalant game animal was the snowshoe or varying hare.even supplemented by moose or caribou. the vast amount of calories these men would expend would not alow them to remain in good health eating such a low fat diet.only by eating seal, walrus and whale meat could they survive. but such foods were not available in the interior lands.just read up on the foods the eskimos ate. they loved rabbit but were well aware that they coulkd not live on it. add to the fact that in the artic almost every food was boiled, removeing almost all the fat.today our diet is so filled with fat i would think the rabbit as addtion to your diet would be the best thing you could do.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Rabbit as also a backyard form of microlivestock used during the depression. And yes, people who depended on their backyard rabbitries for their meat source, and being unable to provide alternate forms of FAT, did have 'starvation' issues.
Now a little something about proteins in general. Proteins are made of amino acids, of which there are four. RED meat is known as a complete protein- it contains all 4 acids.White meat follows, then fish. Grains contain the least complex forms of proteins. The less complex the protein source, the more the need for a wider variety in the diet to ensure receiving all 4 acids in the proper ratios to manufacture the protein chains your body needs. When your body is lacking in protein intake, it will, literally, start to use it's own muscle as a source.

 

[Truckinguy]

Thank you all for your input. I understand the lack of fat makes rabbit meat a poor choice for energy. I suppose I need to do more research on nutrition, not only for this situation but for my own health. As I've tried to explain to my SIL we need to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy. One cannot live on one type of food exclusively but rabbit is a valuable addition to any healthy diet and I will stick to that!

 

[MaggieJ]

And so you should stick to that, Truckinguy. Rabbit is one of the best meats going. And after all, there is no shortage of carbs or fat in the average North American diet, which makes a lean meat even more valuable.

Your SIL has fallen victim to the "I heard it from an expert" syndrome.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

His SIL needs to come here and READ it from MANY experts!!!

 

[ridgerunner1965]

And so you should stick to that, Truckinguy. Rabbit is one of the best meats going. And after all, there is no shortage of carbs or fat in the average North American diet, which makes a lean meat even more valuable.

Your SIL has fallen victim to the "I heard it from an expert" syndrome.

amen to that. if sil is worried about starveing on rabbit meat just tell her to add some fast food to her diet and she will be fine lol

 

[Jessykah]

:lol:

 

[hoodat]

And so you should stick to that, Truckinguy. Rabbit is one of the best meats going. And after all, there is no shortage of carbs or fat in the average North American diet, which makes a lean meat even more valuable.

Your SIL has fallen victim to the "I heard it from an expert" syndrome.

amen to that. if sil is worried about starveing on rabbit meat just tell her to add some fast food to her diet and she will be fine lol

A big mac a day keeps the doctor away? :clown:

 

[avastavatar]

Rabbit is lower in % of fat than chicken or turkey, beef anorectic Unsaturated fatty acids is 63% of total fatty acids with Rabbit is highest in protein%, The office of home economics, state relations of the U S Department of Agriculture has made extensive test and have stated that domestic rabbit meat is the most nutritious meat known to man, Rabbit meat is seasonal any month of the year and is especially recommended during the hot summer months, as it does not contain the heating properties of most all other meats,Rabbit meat has been used and is suitable for special diets, such as those for heart disease patients, diets for the aged, low sodium diets, weight reduction diets, ect. ( Rabbit production Cheek Patton Templeton) Of course this is between you and your doctor. We do not make any recommendations of this type because we are not qualified,Rabbit has 795 calories per pound. Chicken 810, Veal 840, Turkey 1190, Lamb 1420, Beef 1440, Pork 2050.

 

[garnetmoth]

Hiyas, I dont post a whole lot, but I figured id put in 2c.

Id be curious to understand what your sister-in-laws friend said specifically. it just doesnt make a lot of sense. I am a dietitian. Meat is made of protein. Lean meat is an excellent idea for most people in developed countries because we do, in general, get too much fat. Everyone else is correct, there is no one magic health food that you can eat instead of all others. Balance and variety (whole grains, leafy greens, orange veggies, red veggies, dark purple and blue fruits) are all important for eating healthy.

Rabbit is also good for developing countries because they can eat mostly hay, leaves, etc if you have a good well-rounded natural feeding program. they require less energy-intense foods to get to market weight, and becuase they are lean, there isnt a lot of waste. Care needs to be taken for getting some additional fat if rabbit meat is the primary source of meat and fat in the diet, but cooking oils, seeds, or nuts could round that out.

On proteins: there are 22 standard amino acids found in food. here is a link : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid

meats have all of the amino acids in one spot. there are a few grains that are closer to complete, but to be a healthy vegetarian, its best to get grains and legumes every day, not necessarily together in every meal.

Love the USDA links, anything nutrition related with a .gov or .org or .edu tends to be a better resource.

Easy solution though: keep all the hassenpfeffer for yourself!