Camel Meat …. Food and Medicine
Camels are one of the most fundamental pillars of the national economy and
food security for many countries in the world, because its occupies a very
important role in providing an important part of human food, especially meat, in
order to fulfill the shortfall in the increasing demand for meat due to the rapid
growth of human population and the increase of the demand for the foodstuffs.
For this, majority of nations, particularly in some parts of Asia and Africa
started it suffers from a lack of animal protein (especially the meat) and
starvation began to increase in poor people, therefore the need became very
urgent to increase the care for the animal husbandry for the purpose to increase
the animal production, especially the care for camels breeding. The dromedary
camel is a good source of meat especially in areas where the climate adversely
affects the performance of other meat animals. This is because of its unique
physiological characteristics, including a great tolerance to high temperatures,
solar radiation, water scarcity, rough topography and poor vegetation. The
camels are also characterized by its high efficiency in the metabolism process;
this is because camels have the ability to transform the low quality plants (poor
desert plants, thorny plants and the branches of the hard tress) with minimal
nutritive elements, into high quality food products. The demand for camel meat
appears to be increasing due to health reasons, as they produce carcasses with less
fat as well as having less cholesterol and relatively high polyunsaturated fatty acids
than other meat animals. There are 24,246,291 million one-humped camels in the
world with 80% of them in Africa and the highest population in Somalia (7
million) and Sudan (4.25 million). In Asia about 70% of dromedaries are found
in India and Pakistan.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CAMEL MEAT
A number of studies conducted at SQU on the chemical composition and food
value of camel meat have shown that it has two qualities which distinguish it
from beef and mutton: its low fat and high moisture content. Fat in camel meat
amounts to 1.2 per cent-1.8 per cent and in beef 4 per cent-8 per cent. The figure
for water is 20 per cent. These percentages mean that camel meat is richer than
beef in protein and minerals. Camel meat contains a high ratio of good quality of
protein. Accordingly the moisture to protein ratios (M/P) of the camel and fish
were higher than those of beef, lamb, goat and chicken. Camel meat is also a
good source to many vitamins, especially vitamin B complex and important
minerals such as iron, calcium and phosphorus. Camel meat is also characterized
by low level of cholesterol (61 mg) as compared to other farm animals like beef
(75-86 mg), making it a healthy food for humans. In comparison with the beef,
camel meat is rich in the amino acids that are necessary to humans. Camel meat,
especially young calves is similar in taste and texture to beef. The amino acids
contents of camel meat are often higher than beef, probably due to lower
intramuscular fat levels. In addition to that, the intersection of the fat within the
muscles gives the marble appearance of the meat and improves its taste and food
characteristics. Camel meat contain a high percentage of glycogen, so that it is
used in many food industries such as mortadella, sausage, corned beef, sausages
and shwarma. The meat of the old camels is hard and contain thick fibers,
therefore they do not grill well on the fire or ripen easily when cooking, and that
because of the increased strength of the interdependence between the fibers
which reduces their vulnerability to heat and enzymes, for this reason are often
advised slaughtered young camels that the meat more soft, and better taste than
adult camels or aged. The camel meat is characterized by a red color and tasty
which is similar to beef, especially smaller ones. The meat fat is creamy with
yellow color and soft, smooth as compared to other farm animals. It was
approved by many scientists that, there is a close relationship between
cardiovascular diseases and increase intake of saturated fatty acids which are
present in the fat of beef, buffalo, sheep and goats. The flavor of meat which is
preferred by some people is related to the percentage of fat, and according to the
study, camel meat contains fat less than beef. Also, from a point of health, the
nutritional value of camel meat is much better than other animals, due to fact
that, camel meat contains a high amount of amino acids compared to the beef,
sheep and poultry (Table 1 and 2).
THE BENEFITS HEALTH OF CAMEL MEAT
1. Studies and medical research have proved that camel meat is superior to
other kinds of meat. The camel is distinguished from other animals by the
fact that the percentage of its intramuscular fat declines as the animal
gets older. This quality, only found in camels, makes their meat less fatty,
so its consumption is healthy and recommended for weight loss. And this
quality also reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis
since it lowers the percentage of cholesterol in the blood.
2. Camel meat has other medical qualities, too, like protecting against
cancerous tumors, as claimed by some researchers, because it contains
unsaturated fatty acids like linoleic acid which interact with other
unsaturated fatty acids taken from vegetable oils to protect against
cancer.
3. Camel meat can also be used as a cure for exhaustion and fatigue because
it contains energy needed by body cells. Such energy comprises sugar not
fat, since, a camel’s fat is concentrated in its hump whereas other animals
store it in their muscles.
4. In addition, camel meat contains glycogen, a carbohydrate which is easily
absorbed and metabolized in the body, and is converted to glucose which
activates nerve as well as other cells.
5. Another quality which makes it good for the elderly is its richness in
glycogen which is converted into glucose and is needed by the nervous
system to provide cell energy and thus support the work of nerve cells. It
can also provide the elderly with the energy and protein needed to
compensate for tissue damage and reproduce hormones and enzymes
needed for cell function. This is especially so when catabolism has
surpassed anabolism which puts the elderly in need of easily metabolized
and digested food likes camel meat.
6. Camel meat prevents obesity and heart diseases. A Tunisian study which
compares various meats such as, beef, lamb, camel and chicken has
revealed that camel meat is the best by far for human consumption,
especially for those people who are afraid to gain weight and who would
like to be protected by heart disease. The study pointed out that camel
meat has a low level of fat with lots of fibers and that it is highly
recommended by doctors for patients who suffer from high cholesterol
because it is low in fat. The study said that doctors have found that there
is a strong link between heart disease and obesity among people who have
diet of beef, buffalo, lamb and goat meat. It added that the flavor of meat
usually is a result of the amount of fat, which is why camel meat has a
distinct flavor and a high nutritional value also due to the amount of
amino acids found in the camel fat compared to beef.
7. Studies have shown that camel meat can be used as a cure for cold and
sciatica, stroke, cancer, and infections, especially among older people
because this meat can safeguard muscle health. This is due to its low
percentage of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol compared to other
kinds of meat. In fact the food value of camel meat is higher than poultry
meat and equals that of the ostrich.
8. This meat is also known for its high percentage of iron, one of the basic
ingredients of blood hemoglobin which helps to reduce the risk of anemia
as proved by published research from SQU’s Department of Animal and
Veterinary Sciences. Those people who suffer from anemia are advised to
take camel meat.
9. Our ancestors used camel meat for curing seasonal fever, sciatica and
shoulder pain, as well as for removing freckles by placing hot meat slices
on the freckled area. Camel meat soup was used to cure corneal opacity
and to strengthen eyesight, while its fat was used to ease hemorrhoid pain.
Furthermore, its hump fat was used to remove tape worm and its dried
lung prescribed as a cure for asthma, especially if taken with honey. This
was due to the fact that the camel lung is rich in vitamin C which reduces
fever and enhances immunity, which in turn eases asthma infections.
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