A guide to understanding the nutritional value of pork

Pork is a popular meat product that is widely available and easy to prepare. Here's what you need to know about the nutritional value of pork.

Globally, pork continues to be the world's most eaten meat, with consumption continuing to grow.

• The latest data shows that of the world's meat consumption, 41 percent is pork (versus 29 percent poultry and 25 percent beef), and over the last 20 years, the volume of pork consumption has increased by 73 percent worldwide.
• The hog industry is involved in activities that serve to protect its excellent swine herd health status, including traceability initiatives and quality assurance protocols for barn sanitation, feed mixing, medication use and injection techniques.Thrifty cooks used to boast that when it came to pigs, they could use everything but the squeal.
• A pig yields chops and other cuts of fresh meat; cured or processed products, such as ham and bacon; and skin for gelatine.

Although some pork products are high in ­saturated fat, trimmed, lean pork is close to skinless poultry in its fat and calorie content.

• An 85 gram (three ounce) serving of lean roast pork has 185 calories, with substantial amounts of high-quality protein and the B vitamins thiamine, ribo­flavin, niacin, B6 and B12; it also has about 45 percent of the Recommended Dietary Al­lowance (RDA) of thiamine, 25 percent of the RDA for niacin and 20 percent of the RDA for B12.
• Lean pork provides important minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, iron and zinc. About half the iron in pork is heme iron, the most readily absorbed and digested type of dietary iron. The tenderloin, centre-cut leg and loin chops are the leanest.
• Pork cooked to an internal temperature of 70ºC (160°F) — or medium doneness — will remain moist and tender. This temperature also ensures the destruction of the parasites that cause trichinosis.
• While pork has a higher proportion of unsaturated fats than other meats, its cholesterol content is also higher: 75 milligrams in an 85 gram (three ounce) pork chop and 100 milligrams in 85 grams (three ounces) of spare ribs.
• The role of dietary cholesterol is still unclear; recent studies indicate it has less effect on blood cholesterol than saturated fats do. Still, some experts recommend limiting dietary cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams a day.
• Salt-cured pork products are high in sodium.
• Some pork products, such as sausages and bacon, are also high in fat and should be eaten in moderation. Two slices of pork bacon, for instance, contain six grams (1 1/4 teaspoon) of fat, 2.2 of them from saturated fat, and 73 calories. Two slices of turkey bacon contain five grams (one teaspoon) of fat, two grams (1/2 teaspoon) of it saturated, and 70 calories.
• Bacon also contains nitrates, which can lead to the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Keep this guide in mind and try adding healthy types of pork to your diet today!