Bear Meat: Complete Mineral Profile

Bear Meat ‐ Mineral Information

Introduction

Humans have been eating bear meat for thousands of years. When properly cooked, bear meat is a nutrient dense source of protein and essential minerals. The high levels of vitamins and minerals in bear meat make it an excellent choice for augmenting diets where other food options are scarce or unavailable. In this paper we will explore the benefits of consuming bear meat from a dietary standpoint, including individual mineral concentrations and recommended intake values.

Mineral Content Analysis

Minerals are essential components of the human diet due to their critical roles in metabolic processes throughout the body. Minerals come in either macronutrient or trace amounts, and the amount needed daily varies depending on the specific mineral. Bear meat contains several key macro- and micronutrients, making it a valuable dietary supplement. Macronutrients present in bear meat include: calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus and chloride. Trace elements found in bear meat include iron, iodine, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium, cobalt and molybdenum along with others.

Calcium — An important macro-mineral, calcium is critical both as a major structural component of bones and teeth, as well as being necessary in smaller amounts for muscle contraction, hormone synthesis and proper oxygen utilization. A single serving of bear meat (100 g) can provide up to 17% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for calcium.

Magnesium — Functionally similar to calcium, magnesium plays numerous biochemical roles within cells, most especially energy production as part of the ATP molecule. Magnesium also works unopposed with Vitamin D to activate osteoblasts for bone regeneration and repair. Bear meat delivers up to 9.7 mg per 100g serving, providing nearly 15% of a person’s RDA.

Sodium — Sodium is an electrolyte that works closely with potassium to ensure proper hydration balance within the cell membrane. Meat supplies one to four gram of Sodium per 100 grams of consumed product. It should be noted that bear meat is not particularly high in sodium compared to richer down sources like pork.

Potassium — Potassium is another electrolyte required for proper fluid regulation. It performs vital roles in preventing muscle cramps, ensuring optimal kidney function and controlling blood pressure. Eating 100 grams of bear meat has been estimated to provide approximately 3% of the RDA for potassium.

Phosphorus — This mineral is one of the most abundant found in all living organisms. Phosphorus aids in DNA production, strengthens teeth and bones as well as regulating metabolism. Bear meat provides 12mg of phosphorus per 100g serving supplying 14% of a healthy adult’s RDA.

Chloride — Though not particularly well known, chloride is nonetheless an important element used by the small intestine and the kidneys to absorb nutrients and salts into the bloodstream. A single serving (100g) of bear meat could contain 20mg of chloride or 2% of the RDA.

Iron — Iron is necessary to form hemoglobin proteins that carry oxygen to red blood cells and regulate communication among cell systems across the entire body. Bear meat gives 80% of the RDA of iron, which may aid vegetarians looking to add more iron to their diet in place of red meats.

Iodine — Iodine helps the thyroid gland produce hormones necessary for normal brain development and cognitive functioning. Iodines deficiencies are linked to hypothyroidism, mental retardation, deafness and reproductive issues. Up to 22% of an individuals RDA for iodine comes from every 100gram serving of bear meat consumed.

Zinc — Zinc functions as a coenzyme required for cell replication, wound healing, fetal development, growth and immune system responses. Bear meat gives 8% of the RDA for zinc when eating 100g of served bear, with 1.5-2.9 milligrams of the mineral contained in ever portion.

Copper — Largely ignored, yet extremely important, copper acts as an antioxidant while aiding collagen production, tissue formation and melanin integrations. 0.1 – 1.3 mg of copper are available in servings of bear meat representing 11-17% of our daily requirements.

Manganese — Manganese serves as a catalyst in multiple enzymatic reactions assisting in mainly cardiovascular processes. Every 100gramservings of bear meat offers over 6% of the RDA manganese, totaling at least 0.2-0.8mg in each.

Selenium - Selenium acts as an anti-oxidant ridding the body of dangerous free radicals before they cause significant damage to its many systems. Every hundred gram serving of Bear meat represents 4% of the RDA for selenium, giving 0.16 – 0.51mg total.

Chromium — Chromium regulates blood glucose working closely with insulin to supply energy to cells during exercise. Each 100 gram serving contains 5-10mcg, contributing 4-6 % to the RDA.

Cobalt — Cobalt binds loosely to vitamin B12 creating a heme group responsible for transporting oxygen through cells. While only offering 0.01-0.02 mg per 100g serve, they still manage to contribute 10-11% of your daily needs.

Molybdenum — Involved in purification of toxic metal contaminants insulating the body against potential health and maintenance problems thought to stem from low quality meals This trace nutrient represents 18-20% of daily allowances in spoonfuls of 100 grams of Bear meat.

Summary

In summary, consumption of bear meat may represent a nutritive addition to otherwise balanced diets. Bearing a good percentage of daily required mineral intakes, bear meat may help prevent some cases of deficiency illnesses and strengthen the framework of achieved health. According to figure 1 and table 1 it appears reasonable to assume most individuals attempting to diversify and enrich their diet with unusual meats going for Bear might benefit from extra portions of Iron and Iodine specifically. Most of these foods, however, remain quite low in certain areas such as sodium, calcium and folate so if you dine upon bear too frequently it would be best to rely on outside sources for supplementation in those departments.

As with any animal derived foodstuff, consume moderated approved and highly sanitized items routinely checking for possible contamination signs or spoiled smells, tastes and textures before investing your time and effort in preparation measures..

All in all, wild caught Bear meat shows promise as a viable resource towards ingesting minerals beneficial to consistently achieving sufficient uptake of nutrients.