Lamb can warm the middle, tonify deficiency, and supplement qi, making it more suitable for consumption in autumn and winter. However, lamb cannot be eaten indiscriminately; there are taboos associated with eating it. Below, we introduce five taboos to keep in mind when consuming lamb.
1. Avoid lamb for certain conditions
Those who frequently suffer from canker sores, red eyes, a bitter taste in the mouth, irritability, a dry and sore throat, swollen gums, or diarrhea, or those taking traditional Chinese medicine formulas containing Pinellia Tuber or Acorus Gramineus, should avoid eating lamb.
2. Do not eat with vinegar
The sour taste of vinegar has an astringent effect, which is not conducive to the generation of yang energy in the body. Eating it with lamb will significantly reduce its warming and tonifying effects.
3. Do not eat with pumpkin
Ancient Chinese medical texts also record that lamb should not be eaten with pumpkin. This is mainly because both lamb and pumpkin are warming foods, and consuming them together can easily lead to "internal heat" (shang huo). By the same logic, when cooking lamb, one should use less of the pungent, warm, and drying seasonings like chili, pepper, ginger, cloves, and fennel.
4. Avoid eating with watermelon
Eating watermelon after lamb can easily "damage vital qi." This is because lamb is sweet and warm in nature, while watermelon is cold and a raw, cooling food. Consuming it not only greatly diminishes the warming and tonifying effects of lamb but also harms the spleen and stomach.
5. Avoid eating with tea
Tea is the "nemesis" of lamb. This is because lamb is rich in protein, and tea contains a significant amount of tannic acid. Drinking tea while eating lamb can form tannic acid-protein complexes, which slow down intestinal motility, reduce water in the stool, and subsequently induce constipation.
Tip: How to choose lamb
In daily life, we mostly eat mutton, such as in stir-fries or hot pot. However, recently, many people have been asking about dishes made from goat meat in restaurants, such as "Stewed Black Goat Meat" or "Clear-Boiled Goat Meat." What is the difference between this and mutton?
In terms of taste, mutton is more delicious than goat meat. This is because goat fat contains a fatty acid called 4-methyloctanoic acid, which, when volatilized, produces a special gamey smell.
However, in terms of nutritional value, goat meat is not inferior to mutton. Compared to mutton, goat meat has a lower fat content, which is why mutton tastes more delicate and savory. An important characteristic of goat meat is that its cholesterol content is lower than that of mutton, so it can help prevent vascular sclerosis and heart disease, making it especially suitable for people with high blood lipids and the elderly.
Another major difference between goat meat and mutton, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, is that goat meat is considered cooling in nature, while mutton is warming. Therefore, the latter has a nourishing effect and is suitable for postpartum women and patients; the former, on the other hand, should be eaten in moderation by patients, and even by ordinary people who should then avoid other cooling foods and fruits.
How to distinguish mutton from goat meat:
First, look at the muscle: mutton is sticky to the touch, while goat meat is not and feels more loose.
Second, look at the hair on the meat: the hair of mutton is curly, while that of goat meat is hard and straight.
Third, look at the muscle fibers: the fibers of mutton are fine and short, while those of goat meat are coarse and long.
Fourth, look at the ribs: the ribs of a sheep are narrow and short, while those of a goat are wide and long.