Why Pork Should Be The Meat Of Choice


Pork is the most widely eaten meat in the world, yet Australians are low pork consumers when compared to the other red meats we eat, and nobody is sure why.  Here’s a few reasons that could explain what the rest of the world already knows….

  1. You can substitute just about any beef recipe with a pork cut instead of beef, because they have similar nutritional characteristics
  2. Pork is lower in calories than beef. According to Livestrong.com, a 125g serving of pork has 140 calories, compared to 200 calories in the same size beef serving
  3. While providing a greater amount of vitamins and minerals, many cuts of pork are as lean or leaner than chicken. Pork tenderloin, for example, is just as lean as skinless chicken breast and meets the U.S. government guidelines for “extra lean”
  4. Six pork cuts meet the USDA guidelines for “lean,” with less than 10 grams fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. Any cuts from the loin — like pork chops and pork roast — are leaner than skinless chicken thigh, according to USDA data. One of the easiest ways to remember lean cuts of pork is to look for the word “loin” in the name, such as pork tenderloin. Any kind of pork chop is also a lean choice, from sirloin chop to porterhouse chop
  5. Pork is lower in fat than beef – a 125g serving of beef has 11g of fat compared to a 125g serve of pork with only 4.5g of fat
  6. Pork also wins when it comes to the dreaded saturated fat, with a 125g serve containing 1.5g of saturated fat as compared to a 125g serve of beef with 4.5g of saturated fat
  7. In comparison to other animal products such as beef or lamb, pork is richer in a number of B vitamins, selenium, phosphorous and potassium, and has a comparable or lower fat content than lamb.
  1. References:
  2. https://www.livestrong.com/article/534844-the-nutritional-value-of-grilled-pork-chops
  3. https://www.pork.org/cooking/nutrition/compare/
  4. http://porkcrc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/3B-106-Final-Report-121222.pdf