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What is a sheep's heart?
The heart of sheep - sheep, mutton - is a food of animal origin that is part of the whole of the fifth quarter. It is an offal with chemical-physical characteristics almost identical to those of muscle tissue.
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Rich in high biological value proteins, vitamins - especially in group B - and specific minerals - especially iron - the heart of sheep belongs to the first fundamental food group. It is low in calories and not too fat although, on the other hand, it supplies cholesterol and purines in abundance.
From the hygienic point of view, compared to other offal, for example the liver as food, the kidneys or kidneys, the brain as food and the bone marrow, the sheep's heart is "physiologically" less exposed to the accumulation of undesirable factors such as pharmacological residues or contaminants of various kinds.
In Italy, the heart of sheep is a fairly widespread food although, as happens throughout the fifth quarter, the population eats less and less. This depends not only on a reduction in demand, but also in the commercial offer. Note : together with the chicken one, the heart of sheep is probably the heart - the most consumed food on our territory.
Cooking the sheep's heart is not easy. It is first of all necessary to accurately cleanse it, eliminating the fibrillar connective tissue in excess. We must also pay attention to the strictly transversal cut, which should not be too thick but not too thin. This cut can be cooked in two totally opposite ways: quickly sautéing it in a pan over medium heat or stirring in a pan.
Nutritional Properties
Nutritional properties of sheep's heart
The heart of sheep belongs to the first fundamental food group.
It is more nutritious and less fat than the average of musculoskeletal meat; contains some more calories than lean meats like chicken breast. Energy is provided mainly by proteins, followed by lipids and traces of carbohydrates. The peptides of the heart of sheep are of high biological value, that is they contain all the essential amino acids in the right quantities and proportions with respect to the human protein model; the prevalent amino acids are: glutamic acid, leucine, lysine and aspartic acid. Fatty acids have a prevalence of unsaturated chains over saturated ones; the ratio of polyunsaturates - essential seeds of the omega 6 and omega 3 - and saturated groups is about 1: 1. Carbohydrates, contained in almost irrelevant quantities, are soluble (glucose).
The sheep's heart does not contain dietary fiber; it is instead rich in cholesterol and purines. No traces of lactose, gluten or histamine are seen.
With regards to mineral salts, the heart of sheep contains high levels of phosphorus and very interesting quantities of heme iron - highly bioavailable. Discrete concentrations of zinc and potassium are not lacking.
Also with regard to the vitamin intake, the heart of sheep does not disappoint. An abundant portion is able to cover the entire requirement of riboflavin (vit. B2), and almost all of thiamine (vit. B1) and niacin (vit. PP); the concentration of pyridoxine and cobalamin is also good. However, considerable levels of vitamin C - ascorbic acid - and of any liposoluble vitamin are not appreciated.
Hygienic aspects of the heart of sheep
The heart of sheep is quite similar to skeletal muscle and therefore tends to accumulate less unwanted substances - antibiotics, hormones, dioxins, heavy metals etc. - compared to the metabolizing, filtering organs and all those containing high percentages of fat - liver, kidney (kidneys), brain, bone marrow etc.
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Heart of Sheep | |
Edible part | 100.0% |
water | 75.0 g |
Protein | 16.9 g |
Lipids | 9.2 g |
Saturated fatty acids | - g |
Monounsaturated Fatty Acids | - g |
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids | - g |
Cholesterol | - mg |
TOT Carbohydrates | 0.4 g |
Starch / Glycogen | 0.0 g |
Soluble Sugar | 0.4 g |
Food fiber | 0.0 g |
Power | 134.0 kcal |
Sodium | - mg |
Potassium | - mg |
Iron | 5.0 mg |
Football | 9.0 mg |
Phosphorus | 200, 0mg |
Thiamine or vitamin B1 | 0.49 mg |
Riboflavin or vitamin B2 | 0.80 mg |
Niacin or vitamin PP | 7.50 mg |
Vitamin A or RAE | 0, 0μg |
Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid | 3.0 mg |
Vitamin E or Alpha Tocopherol | -mg |
Diet
Heart of sheep in the diet
The heart of sheep is a food that, due to its modest caloric intake and low concentration of fatty acids, is suitable for weight-loss diets - low-calorie and normolipidic.
Nevertheless, this food is not entirely advisable in the case of metabolic pathologies, especially with regard to hypercholesterolemia. This does not depend on the ratio of fatty acids, as much as on the level of cholesterol; a medium portion of sheep's heart brings 50% of the recommended daily cholesterol ration and a good 2/3 of that suggested in the presence of hypercholesterolemia.
The heart of sheep, like the rest of the meat, milk and dairy products, fishery products and eggs, is an excellent nutritional source of essential amino acids. This feature can be very useful in case of increased individual needs, for example: pregnancy and lactation, growth, extremely intense and / or prolonged sports, third age - due to eating disorders and tendency to malabsorption - malabsorption, recovery from specific or generalized malnutrition and debasement.
The heart of sheep is one of the best nutritional sources of iron. Inserting it regularly in the diet undoubtedly facilitates the coverage of specific nutritional requirements, especially in fertile women, even more if pregnant, and in conditions of iron deficiency anemia.
It also contributes to increasing the intake of phosphorus, necessary for the structuring of bones and phospholipids - contained in cell membranes and in the nervous tissue - of potassium, alkalizing and necessary for the functioning of the membrane potential - lost in abundance with sweating, with urine and possibly with diarrhea - and zinc - antioxidant and enzymatic constituent of great importance.
The heart of sheep is rich in B vitamins, coenzymatic factors of great importance in cellular processes; it is therefore an excellent nutritional source to support the correct functioning of all tissues.
Due to the high purine content, it is not recommended in the diet of hyperuricemic and above all in the presence of gouty attacks, as well as for those who tend to kidney stones or uric acid lithiasis. It has no contraindications for lactose intolerance, for celiac disease and for histamine intolerance.
The heart of sheep does not have excellent digestibility. Especially compared to egg white, lean milk flakes, lean fish and lean white meat, it stays in the stomach longer. Portions that are too abundant, especially in the evening meal, are therefore inadequate for the diet against dyspepsia, hypochloridria, gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Moreover, being rather "tough" to chew, it is not indicated for the nutritional regime of those who have compromised teeth or who use removable dental prostheses.
The sheep's heart is not allowed in the vegetarian, vegan, Hindu and Buddhist diet. It does not seem to have specific contraindications for Jews and Muslims.
The average portion of the heart is 100-150 g (about 140 kcal).
Kitchen
Heart of sheep in the kitchen
The heart is a fairly difficult food to cook. Regardless of taste, the heart is a very dense and compact muscle tissue. Furthermore, the organ is very rich in loose fibrillary connective tissue - pear and endocardium, heart valves, origin of large vessels - very resistant even to prolonged cooking.
Making a mistake in the cooking of sheep's heart can give it "gummy". This is mainly due to the contraction of some collagen fibers that tend to stiffen "squeezing" the fabric and causing it to lose a lot of water. The drawback could be solved in two ways: by applying an adequate temperature (average) and shortening the cooking time - quick jumping in the pan - or extending the heat treatment very much - even low flame, with a stewing in casserole. However, this does not solve the problem of the connective tissue that covers the muscles and cavities of the heart; it is therefore always necessary to start with an accurate cleaning of the food, trimming as much as possible the muscle tissue and eliminating the connective tissue.
The processing of sheep's heart could be summarized as follows:
- External cleaning of the food, elimination of blood vessels and possible removal of the covering connective tissue;
- Slicing in thin and absolutely TRANSVERSAL steaks with respect to the direction of the fibers; avoid longitudinal cutting;
- Trim slices, trimming the cavities from the removable connective tissue;
- Pan-frying hot but not hot, fast, on a base of oil or butter; avoid adding salt during cooking to reduce dehydration of the meat. Alternatively, in a saucepan, brown in oil or hot butter, deglaze with wine and continue cooking over low heat for a couple of hours, adding broth and other ingredients to taste; in this case, the salt can be added during cooking.
Among the most widespread recipes based on a heart of sheep we remind: heart to the housewife - to the tomato - stew of heart and mushrooms, carpaccio of heart marinated in the pan, heart scales, etc.