Let's Get Cooking

Bison Meat Tastes Great & Is Good For you!

If you have concerns about the nutritional value of the meat you eat, try a healthy, flavorful alternative, bison. A recent research study from North Dakota State University confirms that bison is a high protein meat that is low in fat and high in zinc and iron. 

Dr. Martin Marchello from North Dakota State analyzed bison meat to determine fat and protein content and other nutrients.  The cuts that were studied included the round, loin, rib and shoulder. Samples were taken from 100 different carcasses from nine U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. Marchello found that on average a 100 gram serving of raw bison, trimmed of external fat, contains only two grams of fat and provides 145 calories. 

"This study also confirms that bison meat is a highly nutrient-dense food because of the proportion of protein, fat, minerals and vitamins in relation to its caloric content," he states. 

According to Mary Jane Kilpatrick, a registered dietitian with Hussey and Kilpatrick Associates in Calgary, bison is a new and tasty source of iron and zinc which fits into the diets of many women who want to keep the fat content of their diet under control. 

"Women are the one segment of the Canadian population most at risk for having diets that are low in iron," she explains. "The iron found in animal foods is much more easily absorbed by the body and therefore more available to be made into red blood cells. Zinc is another mineral that may be lacking in some women's diets, and it is important for immune functions. So you could say that bison provides ZIP for women: zinc, iron, protein. 

"Knowing the nutritive value of bison will encourage consumers to plan healthy meals with this wholesome, delicious product," says Marchello. The research will be submitted to the nutrient data file for Canada and the U.S. so that any nutritional labeling will be accurate and current.

Source: Dr. Martin Marchello, Smoke Signals, October 1999