Oxtail is usually the least desirable among all the cuts of meat that you can get. For that reason, you will mostly find it on the lower shelves of a meat store.
However, that does not mean that you cannot use this cut of meat to turn a dish into a delicacy. There are loads of oxtail dishes that taste like something out of the world.
But is oxtail healthy? Yes, it is.
Should you be integrating it into your daily diet? Yes, you should.
One thing is sure that it will be highly accessible in meat stores as it is a cheap cut. So, getting it will not be an issue.
We’ll explore these questions in detail in the article.
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What Is Oxtail Meat?
So, if you did not have oxtail before, you might not know what it is. Many associate it with red meat. Well, they are not wrong to a certain extent. Oxtail is a kind of beef and is red meat. But the thing is, it is comparatively healthier than most other red meat. Why?
If you take a closer look, you will notice that the oxtail cut has bone marrow and bones. These two will make the oxtail cuts rich in calcium and collagen.
Furthermore, the amount of protein is reasonably high compared to the other cheap cuts. So, it is much better than most of the other cuts in terms of nutrition.
Is Oxtail a Good Choice for a Healthy Diet?
Let us now address the elephant of the room. When we talk about how healthy oxtail is, one specific thing that will come up is an excellent source of iron and protein.
But that is not all this cheap cut of meat is packed with. It is full of minerals and vitamins as well.
You will find 3.6 grams of iron and 30.8 grams of proteins in a single serving of oxtail. And people in different parts of Africa will make the best out of the protein and iron amount by combining the oxtail dish with green vegetables and other herbs. This allows the dish to offer enhanced health benefits.
That said, you will even find oxtail dishes that are mostly broth. In that form, the dish achieves a high overall nutritional level. The collagen level amps up, and you will be getting a dish packed with proteins. Are you wondering what collagen is? It is a vital protein that makes your skin, nails, and hair remain healthy.
Yes, our bodies are abundant in collagen, but the body slows down its production with age. And that is where your skin starts to show wrinkles and other aging signs. So, if you have been thinking of getting a collagen supplement, you should try out the oxtail broth.
So, even though oxtail is a cheap butcher cut, it is packed with nutrition. And you should indeed integrate it with your diet if you want to amp up your protein, iron, and collagen intake.
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Is Oxtail Healthier Than Beef?
Let us explain! As we mentioned, oxtail is red meat. It looks quite similar to beef, but it is much healthier. The main component that makes oxtail super healthy is the high amount of protein, iron, and collagen.
Oxtail is fully packed with amino acids as well. And as you might know by now, amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Amino acids even play an essential role in toning your muscle and maintaining the health of those muscles.
Nonetheless, oxtail will back you up with these three essential proteins:
- Glycine, which will support the RNA and DNA synthesis
- Proline that will reduce the fat particles that are in your blood vessels and form connective tissues
- Arginine will deliver nutrients to various parts of your body
But that is not all! Oxtail is rich in iron! Iron is also pretty crucial for RBCs manufacturing. And when your body has iron deficiency, you will become anemic.
Also, you will find another vital mineral in the oxtail, which is magnesium. It is present in the bone marrow of the oxtail.
This bone marrow present in the oxtail cuts will do a stellar job of lowering the cholesterol LDL in your blood. That will eventually help enhance your body’s immune system and help you check a lot of health and fitness goals.
Health Benefits that Oxtail Can Provide
So, it is pretty clear that oxtail is healthy, and it will provide you with tons of health benefits. But what particular health benefits are we talking about? Here is the list of the significant health benefits that you can enjoy after having oxtail:
- The collagen from the oxtail will help to increase skin elasticity and strength. Eventually, your skin will look younger
- Elastin and keratin present in the oxtail will improve the health condition of nails, skin, and hair
- Oxtail contains antioxidants and selenium, which will work like a charm in controlling the aging process and preventing degenerative diseases
- By picking up the habit of eating oxtail, you can enhance your stamina and sexual arousal
- As it is packed with collagen, you can blacken the grey hairs that are already visible
- Your muscle tissues and bones will see an improvement
Apart from these benefits, the iron, magnesium, minerals, protein, and collagen present on oxtail will offer you loads of other benefits. So, if you were looking for a meat superfood, oxtail might very well be what you have been looking for all this time!
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Got Some Questions?
Why oxtail is expensive?
The reason is high demand and low supply. Lately, the demand for oxtail has skyrocketed contributing to the high price.
Do you need to wash oxtail?
Yes, you must clean them thoroughly before you cook them.
Why do you soak oxtails in vinegar?
They are soaked in vinegar to tenderize the oxtail.
Final Words
Now you know the answer to the question of whether oxtail is healthy. So, whenever you get asked whether oxtail dishes are a healthy option or not, you will have facts to back your answers up.
