Pork: Nutrition Facts and Health Effects

Pork is the meat of the domestic pig (Sus domesticus). It is the most commonly consumed red meat worldwide, especially in eastern Asia, but its consumption is forbidden in certain religions, such as Islam and Judaism. For this reason, pork is illegal in many Islamic countries. It is often eaten unprocessed, but cured (preserved) pork […]

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Pork is the meat of the domestic pig (Sus domesticus). It is the most commonly consumed red meat worldwide, especially in eastern Asia, but its consumption is forbidden in certain religions, such as Islam and Judaism. For this reason, pork is illegal in many Islamic countries.

It is often eaten unprocessed, but cured (preserved) pork products are also very common. These include smoked pork, ham, bacon and sausages.

Being high in protein and rich in many vitamins and minerals, lean pork can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet.

Pork Protein

Like all meat, pork is mostly made up of protein. The protein content of lean, cooked pork is around 26% by fresh weight.

By dry weight, the protein content of lean pork can be as high as 89%, making it one of the richest dietary sources of protein.

It contains all the essential amino acids necessary for the growth and maintenance of our bodies. In fact, meat is one of the most complete dietary sources of protein.

For this reason, eating pork, or other meats, may be of particular benefit for bodybuilders, recovering athletes, post-surgical patients, or other people who need to build up or repair their muscles.

Pork Fat

Pork contains varying amounts of fat. The proportion of fat in pork usually ranges from 10-16%, but it can be much higher, depending on the level of trimming and various other factors.

Clarified pig fat, called lard, is sometimes used as a cooking fat. Like other types of red meat, pork is mainly composed of saturated fats and unsaturated fats, present in approximately equal amounts.

The fatty acid composition of pork is slightly different from the meat of ruminant animals, such as beef and lamb.

Benefits of Pork

Maintenance of Muscle Mass

Along with many other animal-based foods, pork is one of the best dietary sources of high-quality protein.

With age, maintaining muscle mass is an important health consideration. Without exercise and proper diet, muscle mass naturally degenerates with age, an adverse change that is associated with many age-related health problems.

In the most severe cases, muscle wasting may lead to a condition called sarcopenia, which is characterized by very low levels of muscle mass and decreased quality of life. Sarcopenia is most common among elderly people.

High-quality protein, containing all of the essential amino acids, is very important for the maintenance of muscle mass, especially when coupled with strength training.

Inadequate intake of high-quality protein may accelerate age-related muscle degeneration, increasing the risk of sarcopenia.

Eating pork, or other protein-rich animal foods, is an excellent way to ensure sufficient dietary intake of high-quality protein that may help preserve muscle mass.

Pork and Heart Disease

Heart disease, also called cardiovascular disease, is the main cause of premature death worldwide.

It includes adverse conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure. There are inconsistent results from observational studies on red meat and heart disease.

Some studies have shown an increased risk for both processed and unprocessed red meat, whereas others showed an increased risk for processed meat only.

Others have not found any significant link.

However, there is no clear-cut evidence that meat, in itself, actually causes heart disease. Observational studies can only reveal possible associations, but cannot provide evidence for a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

It is clear that high meat intake is linked with unhealthy lifestyle factors, such as low consumption of fruit and vegetables, less physical activity, smoking, and overeating and most observational studies try to correct for these factors.

Another popular explanation involves the cholesterol and saturated fat content of meat.

However, dietary cholesterol has little or no effect on cholesterol levels in blood and is not considered a health concern.

The link between saturated fats and heart disease is also unclear and many high-quality studies have not found any significant association.

Pork and Cancer

Cancer is a serious disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the body.

Many observational studies have found a link between red meat consumption and the risk of colon cancer.

Other studies found no significant effects. It is difficult to prove that pork actually causes cancer in humans.

This is because observational studies can only detect associations, but cannot provide evidence for a direct cause-and-effect relationship.

However, overcooked meat may contain a number of carcinogenic substances, most notably heterocyclic amines.

Heterocyclic amines are a family of unhealthy substances found in relatively high amounts in well-done and overcooked meat, fish, or other sources of animal protein.

They are formed when animal protein, such as pork, is exposed to very high temperatures during grilling, barbecuing, baking, or frying.

Studies have shown that foods high in heterocyclic amines may raise the risk of several types of cancer, such as colon, breast, and prostate cancer.

The role of meat consumption in the development of cancer is unclear. Although there is no hard evidence for the carcinogenicity of meat, there are plenty of hints.

In the context of a healthy diet, moderate intake of mildly cooked pork probably does not increase the risk of cancer, but for optimal health, it seems sensible to limit the consumption of overcooked pork.

Adverse Effects and Individual Concerns

Eating raw or undercooked (rare) pork should be avoided altogether, especially in developing countries. This is because raw pork may contain several types of parasites that can infect humans.

Pork Tapeworm

The pork tapeworm (Taenia solium) is an intestinal parasite. It sometimes reaches a length of 2-3 meters (6.5-10 feet).

Infection is very rare in developed countries. It is a greater concern in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.

People get infected by eating raw or undercooked pork. Most of the time, it is completely harmless and does not cause any symptoms.

However, it may occasionally lead to a disease known as cysticercosis, estimated to affect approximately 50 million people each year.

One of the most serious symptoms of cysticercosis is epilepsy. In fact, cysticercosis is considered to be a leading cause of acquired epilepsy.

Parasitic Roundworms

Trichinella is a family of parasitic roundworms that cause a disease known as trichinosis or trichinellosis.

Although trichinellosis is uncommon in developed countries, eating raw or undercooked (rare) pork may increase the risk, especially when the meat is from free-ranging, wild or backyard pigs.

Most often, trichinellosis has very mild symptoms, such as diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and heartburn, or no symptoms at all.

However, trichinellosis can develop into a serious condition, especially in elderly people. In some cases, it may lead to weakness, muscle pain, fever, and swelling around the eyes. In worst case scenarios, it can be fatal.

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasma gondii is the scientific name of a parasitic protozoan, a single-cell “animal”, which is only visible in a microscope. It is found worldwide, estimated to be present in approximately one third of all humans.

In developed countries, such as the United States, the most common cause of infection is the consumption of raw or undercooked pork.

Usually, infection with Toxoplasma gondii does not cause any symptoms, but in people with weak immune systems it may lead to a condition known as toxoplasmosis.

Symptoms of toxoplasmosis are generally mild. However, it may be detrimental to an unborn child and life-threatening in patients with weak immune systems.

Even though pork-borne parasites are uncommon in developed countries, pork should always be eaten when well-cooked all the way through.

 

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