YAK FAKS 101

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YAK HISTORY……….briefly 

Yak are native to Mongolia and the Tibetan Plateau in Asia. Yak were introduced to the United States in the 1980’s and have steadily grown in popularity. Tibetan people have revered yaks for centuries as hardy companions that sustain life with milk, fiber, meat, and transportation in the high elevations of their native country.

YAK MEAT……. What’s not to love?

Yak meat has a delicious and delicate beef-like flavor. It is deep red, high in protein, low in calories, saturated fats, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Yak meat has one-sixth the fat of traditional beef and 40% more protein. While it is leaner and lower in calories and saturated fat than beef, it is still moist and flavorful.

This naturally ultra-lean dark red meat (95% to 97% fat-free overall) is juicy due to its high percentages of omega-3 oils, CLAs (conjugated linoleic acids), oleic acids, and stearic acids (35% higher than beef as a percentage of fats that are good for us). At the same time, yak meat is very low in palmitic acid, which is bad for us (30% less than beef as a percentage of fats)

Yak meat is a sustainable alternative to beef: "They only eat about a third of what a cow eats and can forage for food without damaging the environment," Tom Worrell, owner of New Mexico’s Latir Ranch, told _The New York Times_’ Melissa Clark in 2003.

YAK FIBER……..Exotic, Luxurious, Exquisite 

Luxurious and soft as cashmere, yak fiber boasts superior warmth, strength, and hypoallergenic traits. At Clear Spring Farm, an entire season of hand-combing delivers about 30 lbs. of raw fiber. The raw fiber is then sent to mill for processing. There the fiber will be washed and dehaired, separating the course guard hairs from the fluffy down. The dehairing waste or “drop” is spun around a cotton core into beautiful rug yarn. Rug yarn can be woven into heirloom rugs that will last a lifetime. The remaining exquisite fiber will be spun into fine yarns that are coveted the world over.