Kangaroo Meat

"Kangaroo meat is consistently very lean, with a relatively high proportion of polyunsaturated "structural" fat red meat which can be included with confidence in a cholesterol-lowering diet'. Studies have shown that low-fat diets rich in kangaroo meat are associated with a reduction in important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases" (O'Dea 1988). Typically, kangaroo meat contains less than 2% fat, about 40% of which is long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) molecules which are believed to improve blood flow, reduce the blood's tendency to clot, and thereby reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. She also found that kangaroo meat as part of a low fat diet can achieve a rapid fall in plasma cholesterol (Sinclair 1988, O'Dea 1988).

Research of Clare Engelke made in University of Western Australia shows that kangaroo meat may be the highest known source of the healthy fat CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), which possess potential anti-carcinogenic and anti-diabetes properties, in addition to reducing obesity and atherosclerosis (Kangaroo meat - health secret revealed, Media Release - Ref 2004/67 - Apr 23 , 2004).
"Kangaroos can have as much as five times more CLA in their fat than ruminants. The level of CLA in kangaroos depends on their diet, as it also does in ruminant animals".

Further reading:

• Sinclair A J, 1997, 'Diets rich in lean red meat do not raise blood cholesterol levels.', Meat and Human Health., vol. 38, Wellington, pp. 36-40

• Sinclair A J, Mann N J, & Kelly J, 1997, 'Kangaroo meat for human consumption.', Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia., vol. 21, Brand Miller J C, Hopwood I, & Annison E F (eds.), The Nutrition Society of Australia, Brisbane, pp. 52-57

• Kangaroo meat - health secret revealed. Media Release - Ref 2004/67 - Apr 23 , 2004

Despite the high nutritional values and qualities of the meat, more than half of the kangaroos shot commercially in Australia each year are used for their hides only, so meat production could be increased without more kangaroos being killed. The use of kangaroo meat for human consumption started in 1980 in South Australia and in 1993 in other Australian states. One of the reasons that kangaroo meat was illegal for human consumption for such a long time is a fear by producers of traditional red meats that kangaroo would become a significant competitor for beef and lamb. However, even if all of the kangaroos shot under the commercial quotas each year were used for human consumption, this would be an almost insignificant fraction of Australia's annual red meat production, less than 2%.

Further reading:

• Improving Consumer Perception of Kangaroo Products. A survey and report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)
• Kangaroo meat boom, By Phil Mercer
• Russia last year imported more kangaroo meat than any other country in the world,...