The Filipino language is notorious for being vague. We make no distinction between pig and pork - we call both baboy. Cattle and Beef are both baka. So goat and chevon is simply kambing. The English speaking world calls goat meat as Chevon. Cabrito (Latino) or Capretto (Italian) is also goat meat but specifically kids which are fed entirely with milk and between 4-6 weeks old.
The typical Pinoy knows goats in the following forms: kilawin or kinilaw - grilled chevon steeped in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and onions, kaldereta - stewed meat sweetened and boiled in sauted garlic and onions, with potato cubes and tomatoes, papaitan - bitter soup made from chopped innards, black pepper, kalamansi (citrus), chile and goat's bile), adobo - another form of meat stew made from soy sauce, vinegar and spices.
Usually, they are served as pulutan or pika-pika, with alcoholic drinks, of course.
We have been taught that meat (pork or beef, that is) is considered unhealthy compared to chicken or fish because saturated fat content. And that chicken, usually the breast part and skinless, which has the least fat content in chicken, is best for you But do you really know how chevon fares against these meats?
| 100g, cooked | Calories (Kcal) | Fat (g) | Saturated Fat (g) | Protein (mg) | Iron (mg) | Cholesterol (mg) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevon | 143 | 3.03 | 0.93 | 27.1 | 3.73 | 75 | |
| Chicken | 165 | 3.57 | 1.01 | 31 | 1.04 | 85 | |
| Beef | 208 | 11.07 | 4.07 | 25.05 | 1.66 | 73.1 | |
| Pork | 252 | 14.28 | 5.25 | 28.88 | 1.05 | 96 | |
| Lamb | 290 | 21.12 | 9.08 | 23.27 | 1.40 | 93 | |
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
This table shows how healthy goat meat is. Goat meat is more than 3 times lower in fat than similarly prepared beef, but has almost similar protein content. (That one way of saying that you could eat three times as much chevon just to get the same amount of fat in beef.) It also shows that saturated fat in cooked goat meat is close to that of chicken, with the skin removed. Saturated fat content of pork is worse than beef. Ok, now you should think about forgetting that South Beach Diet.
Honestly, I'm not your chicken kind of guy. I like my meat red. As you can see, gram for gram goat meat has less cholesterol and saturated fat than chicken and yet all of the taste and flavor you expect from lamb and beef. I would take beef over pork any day but with goat being healthier and flavorful than pork, I'd really rather have chevon instead.
If you worry about what you eat, or need to watch the waistline, or you're in any kind of diet, you should seriously consider this meat healthy red meat.
Cholesterol content of chevon is controversially similar to that of beef, lamb, pork, and chicken and much lower than some dairy, poultry products and some seafoods.
The key fact that you should remember about your blood cholesterol level is that it depends less on your intake of cholesterol from foods and more on the amount of saturated fats consumed, especially the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fats. Therefore, by reducing the consumption of foods high in saturated fats, a more effective measure of cholesterol control is achieved. Polyunsaturated fats and mono-saturated fats pack less tightly and are liquid at room temperature which, unlike beef and lamb, is common to the drippings from goat meat. The inspection of congealed fat drippings is a visual index as to the degree of saturated fats present. This is noticeably absent in goat meat. (Also notice that goat meat has the least amount of saturated fat in the table above.)
The documented research evidences indicate that goat meat (chevon), regardless of age, breed, or region, will supply a high quality protein source along with a healthy fat (increased unsaturated fats/saturated fats ratio) with a minimal cholesterol intake risk. In addition, chevon contains comparatively higher values of iron, potassium and thiamine associated with a low sodium level 1). All essential amino acids are present and a low calorie per serving value is available. As a result, chevon should be designated as the naturally occurring health meat.