Meat, eggs and milk supply all of the essential amino acids, making them complete, high quality protein sources. Meat is a major dietary source of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B 6 and vitamin B 12 . A 3 ounce cooked portion of pork provides more thiamin than most other foods commonly consumed. Thiamin, however, is a water soluble vitamin that is easily lost during cooking. To retain as much thiamin as possible, it is recommended that meat be cooked using dry heat rather than moist heat cooking methods.
Dietary iron is present in food as heme or nonheme iron.
The human body absorbs heme iron at a rate about five to ten times higher than it absorbs nonheme iron. Heme iron accounts for fifty to sixty percent of the iron in beef, lamb and chicken and thirty to forty percent of that in pork, liver and fish. All remaining iron in meat is in the nonheme form. Scientists have established that ascorbic acid can aid in the absorption of nonheme iron. By drinking a glass of orange juice with a meal containing meat, you can enhance nonheme iron absorption by a substantial amount.