Know2eat

Goat

Capra hircus

What goat has been studied for

3 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 2 Insufficient
4 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About goat

The most widely eaten red meat in the world by number of people, central to Caribbean, South Asian, African, Middle Eastern and Mexican cooking, though a minor product in North America and northern Europe. It is markedly leaner than lamb and toughens unless cooked slowly.

Also known as Chevon, Cabrito (young goat), Mutton (South Asia), Birria

Women's HealthHeart HealthMuscle & Physical Performance

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Iron status

Women's Health
Limited evidence

Has been studied as a source of heme iron. Goat is iron-dense and is an important iron source in many of the diets where it is eaten, but the trial evidence is for red meat and heme iron rather than for goat.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Evidence is limited for goat affecting blood lipids. Its lower fat content relative to lamb is a plausible reason to expect a difference when it is substituted, but that has not been tested in a controlled trial.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

4 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Muscle protein synthesis

Muscle & Physical Performance
Insufficient evidence

May support muscle protein synthesis as a lean complete protein with a high leucine content. The supporting trials use red meat and animal protein generally; goat has not been tested on its own.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

No source is attached to this association yet, so it is rated insufficient by default. It is listed because people commonly ask about it — not because there is evidence for it.

Ask about Goat

Ask about Goat

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories109 kcal5%
Protein20.6 g41%
Total fat2.31 g3%
Carbohydrate0 g0%
Fibre0 g0%
Water75.8 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.71 g4%
Monounsaturated fat1.03 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.17 g—
Cholesterol57 mg19%
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.1 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C0 mg0%
Thiamin (B1)0.11 mg9%
Riboflavin (B2)0.49 mg38%
Niacin (B3)3.75 mg23%
Folate5 µg1%
Vitamin B121.13 µg47%
Minerals
Calcium13 mg1%
Iron2.83 mg16%
Phosphorus180 mg14%
Potassium385 mg8%
Sodium82 mg4%
Zinc4 mg36%
Copper0.256 mg28%
Manganese0.038 mg2%
Selenium8.8 µg16%
Other measured compounds
Ash1.11 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Game meat, goat, raw (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 175303).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Too much

    Red meat classification

    Goat is unprocessed red meat, which the IARC classifies as Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans, on limited evidence concerning mainly colorectal cancer. Being leaner than lamb or beef does not change that classification, and goat has not been examined separately in the epidemiology.

  • Worth knowing

    Toxoplasma and brucellosis

    Small ruminants are an important reservoir of Toxoplasma gondii, and undercooked goat meat is a recognised route of infection, which matters most in pregnancy and immunosuppression. Brucella melitensis is also carried by goats in many regions, most often transmitted through unpasteurised dairy but also through handling carcasses. Cooking through inactivates both.

  • Worth knowing

    It needs slow cooking

    With little intramuscular fat and a lot of connective tissue, goat is unforgiving of fast dry heat. The curries, stews and barbacoa it appears in are the response to that, not a coincidence.

  • Allergy

    Alpha-gal syndrome

    Mammalian meat, and therefore a trigger in tick-associated alpha-gal allergy.