Warthog meat is not pork but warthog is one animal species comes from the same family with pig, Suidae. Warthog is native to Africa and also well known as one of the wild boar or African game meat. From the appearance, warthog has leaner posture than pig but with the similar signature with pig in their snout.
Nutritional Values of Warthog Meat Compared to Beef and Pork
Some people are seriously considering about the health benefits of giving up meat for the sake of their healthy lifestyle goal. However, there are a lot of options of meat that considered healthier than the regular meat like beef, mutton or pork because no matter what, your body needs protein to support optimal metabolism.
Serving Size: 100 g
| Nutrients | Warthog Meet | Beef | Pork |
| Protein | 26.1 gram | 19.6 gram | 16.6 gram |
| Cholesterol | 55 mg | 62 mg | 71 mg |
| Saturated Fat | 5.2 gram | 11.2 gram | 22.5 gram |
| Unsaturated Fat | 2.9 gram | 4.1 gram | 8.3 gram |
From the table above you could see that warthog meat is generally lower in fat contents compared to both beef and pork including cholesterol but higher in protein. To find out more about the health benefits of warthog meat the list below will inform you in details.
- High in Protein Content
Just like any regular meat warthog meat is also packed with high protein content. However, from the table above you could see the data that may surprise you because compared to beef or even pork, warthog meat contains higher amount of protein.
- Lower Cholesterol Level
Not only high in protein but warthog also lowest in cholesterol when compared to beef and pork. Warthog meat is not foods that lower cholesterol level but it won’t affect your cholesterol level at all if consumed in moderate amount.
- Contains Less Fats than Beef and Pork
When it comes to pork, you should deal with its high fat content both saturated and unsaturated fat. Though there are some health benefits of saturated fat still excessive amount of fat could put your health in danger.
- Good Source of Monounsaturated Fat
Though warthog meat is low in saturated and unsaturated fat but some scientific studies stated that it is a good source of monounsaturated fat; type of fat similar to the one you got from olive oil and avocado.
- Packed with Minerals
Warthog meat is also packed with some essential minerals such as health benefits of iron, zinc and also selenium.
- Excellent Source of Vitamin B6
Some studies also found out that the amount of vitamin B6 in warthog meat is quite significant which is good for nervous system, cognitive function and maintaining liver health.
- Low in Sodium Content
Consuming foods that low in sodium content is good to maintain your hearth health and reduce the symptoms of high blood pressure. However, the way you cook is really matter, so you have to make sure that the using of salt is also limited.
- Considered as Healthy Alternative to Fish Oil
Not only warthog meat is excellent source of monounsaturated fat but also considered as healthy alternative to fish oil due to its omega 3 fatty acids health benefits contained in this red meat.
- Good for Heart Health
The combinations of low fats, low sodium, low cholesterol level but high in protein, minerals like iron and zinc are strong indications that warthog meat is good for heart health as long as it is consumed in moderate amount and cooked in a right way.
- Solution for Weight Loss Diet
Not only good for heart, consuming warthog meat is also excellent solution for weight loss diet and reducing the health risk of obesity due to is low content of fat, calories and cholesterol but packed with minerals and animal-based protein.
- Warthog Has Leaner Meat
Since it is low in fat content, warthog meat is also leaner meat compared to pork and beef.
- Not Easily Prone to Diseases
Some studies have found out that compared to farm-raised cattle like cow and pig, free-raging warthog is not easily prone to diseases. It is because they were raised naturally in the wild.
- Free from Antibiotics
As mentioned in the previous point, free-raging warthog is also free the use of antibiotics which are commonly used in farm-raised cattle. So, you could ensure the meat is in high quality.
- No GM or Added Hormones
Not only free from antibiotics, all the warthog meat you could find in the marketplace is also free from added hormones and containing no GM.
- Has Deeper Flavour
One more benefit you could get from warthog meat is even compared to pork, warthog meat has deeper and flavourful taste.
Drawbacks of Warthog Meat
The list of health benefits of warthog meat above is also coming with a list of the drawbacks of this type of meat. Generally those are similar the health benefits of red meat though of course some points are better if you choose warthog instead of other red meats.
- Though generally warthog meat is not easily prone to diseases but for you who are super care with the fact of from where your meat comes from, consuming warthog meat could be a problem because most of warthog meat you could find in marketplaces comes from natural resources.
- There is always a chance of free-ranging warthog to be contaminated with a certain health conditions since there is no specific or regular medical check up conducted before the meat was released to the marketplace.
- Warthog is native to Africa, so this type of meat is not something you could easily find in your nearby butcher because usually this type of meat is only available in the frozen, imported meat section.
- Since it is not type of meat you could find regularly, this type of meat could be quite pricy especially in the country outside the native country.
There are a lot of options of healthy meat you could choose to reach your healthy lifestyle goal. Health benefits of warthog meat are one of the examples meat with health quality though of course some drawbacks mentioned above should be strictly considered as well.