I was paging through a free magazine from Sunflower Farmers Market…reading up on nutrition messages the public may come across. Interestingly, there was a short article about bison meat (aka buffalo). Even though I don’t eat much meat myself, my eyes were drawn to this article titled “Bison: better meat?”
Let me first clarify the difference between bison and buffalo. Technically, bison are an animal from North America. They have a wooly head + short horns + a humpback. Buffalo come form Africa and Asia. They are smooth and have long curled horns. So the “buffalo” burger listed on the menu is a misnomer. It is actually BISON meat! It goes back a ways on why we refer to bison as buffalo…but we won’t get into that. All you need to know is that “buffalo” you eat in America is really BISON.
Well, my friends, I did a little research to find out the nutritional quality and benefits of bison meat! Here is what I found:
From NutritionData
Why I recommend bison (buffalo) meat over beef or other red meats:
1) Low in fat and cholesterol
2) Lower in calories
3) High in protein
4) Grass-fed bison have more Omega-3′s than grass-fed beef cattle
5) Lower in sodium
6) Excellent source of a variety of vitamins and minerals: B-12, B-6, potassium, copper, iron, zinc, selenium
If you are worried about added hormones and chemicals, bison is a good choice! According to the National Bison Association, bison are not fed questionable drugs, chemicals, or hormones. Also, much of their life is spent on grass fields and not cooped in a feedlot! Hurray for freedom of the bison.
From what I read, bison is slightly sweeter in taste than other red meats. It is a dense meat, but flavorful. It can be prepared pretty much the same way as beef. You can find different cuts of bison as well: ground, chunk, sirloin, etc. However, you might have to go to a specialty store to find this meat. I am sure if you as the person behind the meet counter at your local grocery store, they can direct you to the right place!
Man….this meat is a winner in my book! Try it out! Its hard to claim you like or don’t like a food if you’ve never tried it. Be brave and explore the taste and nutritional value of bison:)
