Pork: Good or Bad?
There has been controversy lately about whether pork is healthy or safe to eat. So you can make your own educated decision, we offer the nutrition facts on pork. Is it really the “other white meat”?
Tara Donne
If you’re looking for the healthiest pork options, you want lean cuts -- tenderloin, loin chops and sirloin roast. Bacon and other fatty cuts are very high in artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol and not for everyday eating. Baked ham and lunch meat fall somewhere in the middle when it comes to fat and calories. Just like with other meats, pork is safe when cooked to the proper internal temperature (it's 160F for pork).
Some folks are conscientious of the environmental impact of meats they eat. If that's you, look for local and free-range purveyors of pork products -- just like you would for chicken and beef. Local or free-range products may have a higher price tag, but you can offset the cost in other ways like committing to a meatless day once a week.
Lean cuts of pork are high in protein, low in fat and have more B-vitamins (thiamin, niacin, B6 and B12) than many other types of meat. These vitamins play a role in a variety of body functions, including metabolism and energy production (that's why we had it on our "energizing foods" list). For some perspective, let’s compare 3 ounces of cooked pork tenderloin to the same amount of cooked chicken breast -- as you'll see, they aren't all that different:
Pork also contains healthy doses of zinc and selenium.
Chicken is also a good source of selenium.
Of course, what you choose to eat is always a personal decision. If you're a pork fan, below is a collection of recipes you might want to try. If not, check out alternative meats like bison, which is also lean, or consider a more vegetarian-focused diet.
