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The American Bison —
A nutrient-dense food source, rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Imagine what
Lewis and Clark witnessed as they trekked up the Missouri
River and onto the open plains of the Dakotas. It must have
been an astonishing sight for those early explorers,
standing atop a hill and seeing tens of thousands of buffalo
blanketing the landscape. At that time, the American Bison
(buffalo) numbered around 60 million and were free to roam
most of the North American continent along with thousands of
Native Americans. The buffalo was the center of life and
spiritual culture for the Plains Indians. Not only did the
meat provide them with the necessary nutrients in order to
survive, just about every part of the beast had a purpose or
use. Its furry hide kept the tribe warm in the winter and
its dung was used as fuel for fires. Its bones were carved
into needles and knives, and the horns made excellent cups
and spoons. Even their tails were used for shooing flies.
This harmonious
relationship between the Indian and the buffalo lasted for
thousands of years. It took only a few decades of massive
slaughter to leave the bison nearly extinct. The majority of
the killings occurred between the 1830s and 1860s as wagon
trains carted hides off to the east to be used in the
production of clothing and belts.
Leather and fur
traders were not the only ones shooting the bison. U.S.
government officials promoted the destruction of the bison
in order to control their Native American enemies. In 1876,
Congressman James Throckmorton of Texas, feeling that it
would help civilize the Indians, stated that it would be
best if there was not “a buffalo in existence. Take away a
nation’s food supply and it is a lot easier to defeat
them.” Soon, the military was ordered to kill the buffalo in
order to control the major food source of the plains
Indians.
Hundreds of
thousands of buffalo were arbitrarily slaughtered on a
yearly basis and by the end of the century, under a thousand
remained.
In 1905,
Theodore Roosevelt convinced Congress to establish a number
of wildlife preserves for the buffalo. By 1929, almost 3,500
animals were counted. Ranchers began to realize the economic
potential of the buffalo and were very instrumental in
rebuilding public and private buffalo herds. Today, the USDA
estimates nearly 300,000 bison are in existence throughout
the United States and North America.
The bison is
unique in that it was once a symbol of strength and unity
for the Plains Indian. They used only what was needed and
found a use for every part of the animal. The meat was a
nutritious food source for the people. Today, we know that
the bison is considered a highly nutrient-dense food (the
proportion of protein, fat, minerals and fatty acids are
high when compared to its caloric value.) When compared to
other animals from a feed lot, the bison have a greater
concentration of iron as well as other essential
nutrients. The meat from grass-fed bison can contain up to
four times as much vitamin E as feedlot cattle. This potent
antioxidant has been shown to lower the risk of heart
disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
The
fat content in bison meat is usually a third of that found
in cattle fattened in the feedlot. Because the meat is lower
in fat also means that it is lower in calories. A 6 ounce
buffalo steak can have as much as 100 fewer calories than a
steak from a grain fed steer. You could loose up to 10
pounds a year just by switching your main source of meat to
grass fed buffalo.
Bison is also high in omega-3 fat. Omega-3’s are formed in
the chloroplasts of green leaves and algae. Up to sixty
percent of the fatty acid content in the grasses on the
plains contain omega-3 and are found in abundance in buffalo
allowed to graze on the natural grasses. The benefits from a
diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids can not be overstated.
When the bison are allowed to graze on natural grasses, the
content of this important essential fat is generally higher
then meat produced from a feed-lot. The
benefits of a diet enriched with omega-3 fatty acids range
from cancer prevention to lowering cholesterol, as well as
reducing inflammation.
Because bison
spend most of their lives on grass, they are not subject to
drugs, hormones or chemicals. Bison meat has a similar
flavor to fine beef but I find it slightly sweeter and
richer in flavor. Because bison is a very lean red meat, it
is best if it is not overcooked. Total cooking time will
depend on the type and thickness of the meat.
Once a key part of Native American culture, the popularity
of the buffalo is growing and many of the newer generation
of Native Americans are beginning to restore the buffalo to
the land they love. In a culture where obesity is in
epidemic proportions, there couldn’t be a better time for
the buffalo to make its comeback.
“The buffalo meat, however, is the great staple
and ‘staff of life’ in this country, and seldom
(if ever) fails to afford them an abundant and
wholesome means of subsistence. There are, from
a fair computation, something like 250,000
Indians in these western regions, who live
almost exclusively on the flesh of these
animals, through every part of the year. During
the summer and fall months they use the meat
fresh and cook it in a great variety of ways, by
roasting, broiling, boiling, stewing, and
smoking; and by boiling the ribs and joints with
the marrow in them, make a delicious soup, which
is universally used, and in vast quantities.”
North American Indians by George Catlin
(A
tribute to a lost way of life. From 1831 to
1837)
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Content
of articles can only be used with writer attribution to Dr.
Kevin Weiland.
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