Nutrition of Ostrich Meat

Ostrich meat is prized for its flavor, nutrition and sustainability. Ostriches reproduce quickly and take up less land and feed than cows (as well as producing less methane), leading ostrich farmers to promote ostrich as "green meat." Their meat is low in fat and cholesterol, making it a good beef substitute for people with heart disease.

Flavor

• Although ostriches are birds, they produce red meat with a flavor similar to beef.

Nutritional Profile

• Ostrich has about 97 calories, 22 g protein, 2 g fat and 58 mg cholesterol per 3 oz. serving.

Comparison

• Other red meats, such as beef, lamb and pork, have more than twice as many calories, more than six times as much fat and about a third more cholesterol than ostrich.

Explanation

• Ostrich has much less fat than beef because there is no marbling (streaks of fat within the meat). As a result, fat is easily removed from lean cuts of meat.

Uses

• Ostrich can be cooked as steaks, roasts, burgers and many other applications where you would normally use red meat. Like other low-fat meats, however, it can dry out and overcook because it has no marbling to keep the meat moist.