Two species of deer, the whitetail and the mule deer, have been hunted throughout North America, primarily as a source of meat. Today, many hunters continue this tradition. Venison, as deer meat is commonly known, is a red meat that is lean and gamier in taste than beef. It is prepared in a variety of ways, including roasting, pan frying, braising and barbecuing. It can be a good source of protein within the diet.
Components
A single serving of venison is 4 oz. of meat, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, and weighs about 114g. Proteins provide almost all of that measure at 41g, while fats deliver just over 4g. In venison, there are no carbohydrates or dietary fiber. About 67g of the measure consists of water. The remainder is made up of other nutrients.
Calories
A serving of venison provides around 200 calories or a little more than 10 percent of the recommended daily intake of calories within a 2000-calorie daily diet. Most of these calories are composed of protein at 160 calories, while fats provide the remaining 40 calories.
Vitamins
Venison can also provide significant amounts of vitamins within the diet. A 4 oz. serving contains high amounts of vitamin B12, with 3.4mcg or more than 140 percent of the recommended daily intake. Other high amounts of vitamins in venison include riboflavin at 0.74mg, or 57 percent, niacin at 8.3mg, or 55 percent, and vitamin B6 at 0.55mg, or over 36 percent of the RDI. Lower amounts of folate, vitamin K and thiamin are also present in the serving.
Minerals
Several dietary minerals are also available from a serving of venison. These include zinc at 9.7mg, or almost 100 percent of the RDI, iron at 5.6mg, or over 55 percent, phosphorus at 295mg, or 42 percent, and selenium at 20mcg, or 36 percent of the RDI. Lesser amounts include calcium, potassium and magnesium.
Health Concern
In certain areas of United States, a fatal degenerative neurological disorder known as chronic wasting disease is seriously affecting populations of deer. The disease is caused by virus-like organisms called prions and is similar to bovine spongiform encephalopathy, known more commonly as mad cow disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control, harvesting wild deer in these areas may pose a risk of foodborne transmission of this illness to human beings, citing several cases in which humans who consumed infected meat died. As a precaution, the CDC recommends not eating any part of the deer directly involved with the nervous system, including the brains, spinal cord, spleen or lymph nodes, which harbor the infectious agent.
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