Lamb — Average of Trimmed Retail Cuts

Lamb Nutrition at a Glance: Understanding Average Lamb Cut Data

This entry presents the USDA composite nutritional data for lamb averaged across all commonly available trimmed retail cuts — a reference figure used when the specific lamb cut consumed is not defined. Sheep have been farmed for meat, wool, and milk for more than ten thousand years, making them among humanity's oldest domesticated food animals. The first domestication is believed to have occurred in Mesopotamia — modern-day Iraq and Syria — around 8000 BCE, and sheep farming spread from there to the rest of the Near East, North Africa, Europe, and beyond. Today, lamb and mutton are eaten in virtually every inhabited region of the world, with particularly strong traditions in the United Kingdom, the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia, and South Asia.

What the Nutritional Data Shows

Average trimmed lamb retail cuts provide 267 kcal and 16.9 g of protein per 100 g, with 21.6 g of fat of which 9.5 g is saturated. This composite reflects a weighted average across all cuts — from the lean leg (125 kcal) to the fatty shoulder (264 kcal) and breast. The figure is most useful for general dietary reference rather than specific meal planning. All lamb cuts provide complete protein with all essential amino acids, haem iron, zinc, B12, and selenium.

Choosing Leaner Lamb

Consumers wanting to reduce fat intake while eating lamb should choose leg, loin, and diced lean cuts over shoulder, breast, and mince. Trimming visible fat before cooking further reduces fat content. The lean cuts of lamb are nutritionally comparable to many beef and pork cuts and provide an excellent protein and micronutrient package at moderate caloric cost.

Lamb in a Balanced Diet

Lamb is one of the richest dietary sources of haem iron — the form absorbed most efficiently by the body — alongside meaningful amounts of zinc, B12, and selenium. These nutrients support immune function, neurological health, oxygen transport, and antioxidant defence. Moderate consumption of unprocessed lamb, as part of a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, wholegrains, and other protein sources, is consistent with good nutritional practice and widely enjoyed food traditions across the world.