Is Pork Good for the Body?

Pork is called the "other white meat"--a statement that essentially positions the food in almost the same camp as chicken, as far as nutrition is involved. But is a diet that includes a small to moderate amount of pork products actually good for the body? Well, that all depends on who you're talking to, at least when it comes to an answer.

Significance

• A better question would really be, "Is pork bad for the body?" Not necessarily. It all depends on the cut, how it's handled and how it's prepared. Pork is actually rich in many essential vitamins and minerals, such as B6, B12, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. If you've got a lean cut of meat, made leaner by trimming off any additional adipose tissue, you're looking at a meal low in both calories and fat, especially when you stick to an appropriate serving size--about 3 oz. per portion. When preparing the pork, no matter the cut, you'll need to bring the internal temperature of the meat up to 170 degrees, a temperature set in place by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). If you cook your meat to a lower temperature, it can be seen as undercooked.

Considerations

• But what about trichinosis, a parasitic disease caused by the ingestion of undercooked pork containing roundworm larvae? In recent years, due to stricter legislation, the number of cases of trichinosis has decreased exponentially with around 12 cases reported each year between 1997 and 2001. The reason for this decrease is that the pork industry has now been prohibited from allowing livestock to eat raw meat garbage--a disgusting habit that was sadly the norm at one time. We've also seen a decrease due to the guidelines of commercial freezing and storage of the pork, as well as the better-informed public who is buying the meat. When everything is in place, you should be safe.

Types

• As mentioned before, the effect that pork can have on your body is dependent on the cut, or type, of pork you're planning to eat. Some cuts are leaner and, in turn, more healthy than other cuts. The pork tenderloin is probably the leanest cut of pork, coming in at around 3 grams of fat per serving. Both a boneless top loin chop and a boneless top loin roast have around 5 g of fat, 2 of which are saturated, per serving. The bone-in center loin chop has around 6, the bone-in rib chop has around 7 and the bone-in sirloin roast has just over 8 g of fat per serving.

Potential

• As we learn more about the health of our bodies in relation to what we eat, each person may very well change his stance on pork. And as science advances, the way in which we raise livestock for food begins to change, finding leaner, healthier methods of bringing food to the table.

Identification

• So, to really say that pork is good for your body would be a false statement, since it's still very much categorized as a red meat, and many experts believe that a healthy diet does not contain these sorts of product, even when lean. But to say that pork isn't necessarily bad for the body is much easier. You need to look for the leanest cuts of pork, remove any excess fat and prepare it properly to ensure that it can't do damage to you. You only have one body; treat it as such.