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July, 2015<\/p>\n
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Pork is the meat of the domestic pig (Sus domesticus<\/em>).<\/p>\n It is the most commonly consumed red meat\u00a0worldwide, especially in eastern Asia, but its consumption is forbidden in certain religions, such as Islam and Judaism.<\/p>\n For this reason, pork is illegal in many Islamic countries.<\/p>\n It is often eaten unprocessed, but cured (preserved) pork products are also very common. These include smoked pork, ham,\u00a0bacon<\/a>\u00a0and sausages.<\/p>\n Being high in protein and rich in many vitamins and minerals, lean pork can be an excellent addition to a healthy diet.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nutrition Facts<\/strong><\/p>\n Pork Protein<\/strong><\/p>\n Like all meat, pork is mostly made up of\u00a0protein<\/a>.<\/p>\n The protein content of lean, cooked pork is around 26% by fresh weight.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0High-quality protein is the main nutritional component of pork, making it useful for muscle growth and maintenance.<\/p>\n Pork Fat<\/strong><\/p>\n Pork contains varying amounts of fat.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Clarified pig fat, called lard, is sometimes used as a\u00a0cooking fat<\/a>.<\/p>\n Like other types of red meat, pork is mainly composed of\u00a0saturated fats<\/a>\u00a0and unsaturated fats, present in approximately equal amounts.<\/p>\n The fatty acid composition of pork is slightly different from the meat of ruminant animals, such as beef and lamb.<\/p>\n It is low in\u00a0conjugated linoleic acid<\/a>\u00a0(CLA) and is slightly richer in unsaturated fats.<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0The fat content of pork varies. It is mainly made up of saturated and monounsaturated fats.<\/p>\n Vitamins and Minerals<\/strong><\/p>\n Pork is a rich source of many different vitamins and minerals.<\/p>\n These are the main vitamins and minerals found in pork:<\/p>\n Pork may contain useful amounts of many other vitamins and minerals.<\/p>\n Processed pork products, such as ham and bacon, may contain very high amounts of salt (sodium).<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0Pork is an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including thiamin, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin, phosphorus, and iron.<\/p>\n Other Meat Compounds<\/strong><\/p>\n Similarly to plants, animal foods contain a number of bioactive substances, other than vitamins and minerals, that may affect health.<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0Pork contains a number of bioactive meat compounds, such as creatine, taurine, and glutathione.<\/p>\n Health Benefits of Pork<\/strong><\/p>\n Pork is loaded with various healthy vitamins and minerals, as well as high-quality protein. Adequately cooked pork can make an excellent part of a healthy diet.<\/p>\n Maintenance of Muscle Mass<\/strong><\/p>\n Along with many other animal-based foods, pork is one of the best dietary sources of high-quality protein.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n In the most severe cases, muscle wasting may lead to a condition called\u00a0sarcopenia<\/a>, which is characterized by very low levels of muscle mass and decreased quality of life. Sarcopenia is most common among elderly people.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Inadequate intake of high-quality protein may accelerate age-related muscle degeneration, increasing the risk of sarcopenia (14<\/a>).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0Pork is an excellent source of high-quality protein, so it should be effective for the growth and maintenance of muscle mass.<\/p>\n Improved Exercise Performance<\/strong><\/p>\n Meat consumption is not only beneficial for the maintenance of muscle mass, it may also improve muscle function and physical performance.<\/p>\n Aside from being rich in high-quality protein, animal muscles (meat) contain a variety of\u00a0healthy nutrients<\/a>\u00a0that are beneficial for our own muscles. These include taurine, creatine, and beta-alanine.<\/p>\n Beta-alanine is an amino acid, which is used to produce carnosine in the body.<\/p>\n Carnosine<\/a>\u00a0is a substance that is important for muscle function (15<\/a>,\u00a016<\/a>).<\/p>\n High levels of carnosine in human muscles have, in fact, been linked with reduced fatigue and improved physical performance (17<\/a>,\u00a018<\/a>,\u00a019<\/a>,\u00a020<\/a>).<\/p>\n Following vegetarian or vegan diets, which are low in beta-alanine, may cut the amount of carnosine in muscles over time (21<\/a>).<\/p>\n In contrast, high dietary intake of beta-alanine (from supplements) may result in significant increases in the carnosine levels of muscles (15<\/a>,\u00a017<\/a>,\u00a022<\/a>,\u00a023<\/a>).<\/p>\n As a result, eating pork, or other rich sources of beta-alanine, may be beneficial for those who want to maximize their physical performance.<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0Like other types of meat, pork may help improve muscle function and exercise performance.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pork and Heart Disease<\/strong><\/p>\n Heart disease, also called cardiovascular disease, is the main cause of premature death worldwide.<\/p>\n It includes adverse conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure.<\/p>\n There are inconsistent results from observational studies on red meat and heart disease.<\/p>\n Some studies have shown an increased risk for both processed and unprocessed red meat (24<\/a>), whereas others showed an increased risk for processed meat only (25<\/a>,26<\/a>).<\/p>\n Others have not found any significant link (27<\/a>).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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 (28<\/a>,\u00a029<\/a>,\u00a030<\/a>), and most observational studies try to correct for these factors.<\/p>\n Another popular explanation involves the cholesterol and saturated fat content of meat.<\/p>\n However, dietary cholesterol has little or no effect on cholesterol levels in blood and is not considered a health concern (13<\/a>).<\/p>\n The link between saturated fats and heart disease is also unclear and many high-quality studies have not found any significant association (31<\/a>,\u00a032<\/a>,\u00a033<\/a>).<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0Moderate consumption of lean pork, as a part of a healthy diet, is unlikely to increase the risk of heart disease.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pork and Cancer<\/strong><\/p>\n Cancer is a serious disease, characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells in the body.<\/p>\n Many observational studies have found a link between red meat consumption and the risk of colon cancer (34<\/a>,\u00a035<\/a>,\u00a036<\/a>).<\/p>\n Other studies found no significant effects (37<\/a>,\u00a038<\/a>).<\/p>\n It is difficult to prove that pork actually causes cancer in humans.<\/p>\n This is because observational studies can only detect associations, but cannot provide evidence for a direct cause-and-effect relationship.<\/p>\n However, overcooked meat may contain a number of carcinogenic substances, most notably heterocyclic amines (39<\/a>).<\/p>\n Heterocyclic amines<\/a>\u00a0are a family of unhealthy substances found in relatively high amounts in well-done and overcooked meat, fish, or other sources of animal protein.<\/p>\n They are formed when animal protein, such as pork, is exposed to very high temperatures during grilling, barbecuing, baking, or frying (40<\/a>,\u00a041<\/a>).<\/p>\n 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 (42<\/a>,\u00a043<\/a>,\u00a044<\/a>,\u00a045<\/a>,46<\/a>).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Bottom Line:<\/strong>\u00a0In itself, pork is probably not a risk factor for cancer. However, high consumption of overcooked pork is a cause for concern.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adverse Effects and Individual Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n Eating raw or undercooked (rare) pork should be avoided altogether, especially in developing countries.<\/p>\n This is because raw pork may contain several types of parasites that can infect humans (47<\/a>).<\/p>\n Pork Tapeworm<\/strong><\/p>\n The pork tapeworm (Taenia solium<\/em>) is an intestinal parasite. It sometimes reaches a length of 2-3 meters (6.5-10 feet).<\/p>\n Infection is very rare in developed countries. It is a greater concern in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America (47<\/a>,\u00a048<\/a>,\u00a049<\/a>).<\/p>\n People get infected by eating raw or undercooked pork.<\/p>\n Most of the time, it is completely harmless and does not cause any symptoms.<\/p>\n However, it may occasionally lead to a disease known as cysticercosis, estimated to affect approximately 50 million people each year (47<\/a>).<\/p>\n One of the most serious symptoms of cysticercosis is epilepsy. In fact, cysticercosis is considered to be a leading cause of acquired epilepsy (50<\/a>).<\/p>\n Parasitic Roundworms<\/strong><\/p>\n Trichinella<\/em>\u00a0is a family of parasitic roundworms that cause a disease known as trichinosis or trichinellosis.<\/p>\n 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 (47<\/a>).<\/p>\n Most often, trichinellosis has very mild symptoms, such as diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and heartburn, or no symptoms at all.<\/p>\n However, trichinellosis can develop into a serious condition, especially in elderly people.<\/p>\n In some cases, it may lead to weakness, muscle pain, fever, and swelling around the eyes. In worst case scenarios, it can be fatal (51<\/a>).<\/p>\n Toxoplasmosis<\/strong><\/p>\n Toxoplasma gondii<\/em>\u00a0is the scientific name of a parasitic protozoan, a single-cell \u201canimal\u201d, which is only visible in a microscope.<\/p>\n It is found worldwide, estimated to be present in approximately one third of all humans (47<\/a>).<\/p>\n In developed countries, such as the United States, the most common cause of infection is the consumption of raw or undercooked pork (52<\/a>,\u00a053<\/a>,\u00a054<\/a>).<\/p>\n Usually, infection with\u00a0Toxoplasma gondii<\/em>\u00a0does not cause any symptoms, but in people with weak immune systems it may lead to a condition known as toxoplasmosis.<\/p>\n Symptoms of toxoplasmosis are generally mild. However, it may be detrimental to an unborn child and life-threatening in patients with weak immune systems (47<\/a>,\u00a055<\/a>).<\/p>\n Even though pork-borne parasites are uncommon in developed countries, pork should always be eaten when well-cooked all the way through.<\/p>\n![\"pork-roast-on-table\"](\"http:\/\/infarmco.com\/connect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/pork-roast-on-table-300x177.jpg\")
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