There's currently over 30 pounds of deer meat in my freezer. The meat is organic—it was procured from a deer shot in the woods of northern Minnesota. I'm scheduled for a long bulk at the beginning of January, where I'll use all 30 pounds of it to maximize my muscle mass.

 

Deer meat isn't a popular protein source for bodybuilders for many reasons. If you're not willing to shoot a buck yourself, deer meat does not come cheap, which may explain why most bodybuilders reach for chicken breasts instead of organic venison. If you do kill a buck, gutting and skinning the deer can be messy and time consuming—it's not for the weak of heart.

So why consider it?

 

Why deer is the way to go

Sure, sure, it's messy—but don't make that the reason not to chow down on quality deer. Deer meat has a slew of benefits you won't find in your traditional slab of chicken or beef. Here are some of its benefits:

 

- It's low in saturated fat. A three ounce serving of deer contains roughly 0.9 grams of saturated fat, which is well below the USDA's daily recommendation for saturated fat.

 

- Its total fat content is low. An average serving of deer contains two grams of fat, which is quite low as far as meat is concerned.

 

- It contains fewer calories than beef, pork or chicken. Three ounces of deer contain 127 calories on average, whereas other meats contain between 157 to 185 calories. That's a good deal—that means you can eat more deer and meet your protein requirements without compromising your caloric deficit.

 

Of course, deer meat also contains the nutritional benefits found in most meats. Venison is a great source of protein, iron, zinc and selenium, which helps support healthy, strong bodies. You can also find trace amounts of important micronutrients, such as vitamin K, vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and magnesium.

 

Other benefits of deer meat

Health benefits put aside, I think consuming deer meat is important for many environmental reasons. Here's why:

 

- If your area has deer population problems, hunting deer can help reduce the population, which can actually help deer. By reducing the number of deer, you help alleviate malnutrition and disease, which can occur in highly populated areas.

 

- It's organic and natural. The deer you kill aren't raised on big farms or processed in factories—it feeds on wild plants, making the meat organic.

 

By hunting and eating deer, you're actually doing a favor for the environment—and the deer population. It's probably the best thing meat eaters can do to ensure a good future for wild deer. And that's why I'm a proud venison eater.