Facts on Pork

Facts on Pork

1. It's Not Your Grandma's Pork

Today's pigs are raised differently than they were in the past, leading to meat that's much better for you. Pigs today are slimmer than those that Grandma ate for supper. Selective breeding, innovations in housing and new equipment aid this generation of hog farmers to raise slimmer, higher-quality hogs for nutritious, low-fat meat.

2. Vitamins Galore

Pork is one of the best sources of thiamine, or vitamin B1. This vitamin aids in nerve and muscle tissue repair and metabolizes carbohydrates. It also runs a close second to milk in its contents of vitamin B, or riboflavin. Pork is also tops in providing vitamin B3, or niacin, B6, B12 and pantheate. You need all of these vitamins to maintain a healthy body.

3. A Gold Mine of Minerals

Because of its phosphorus and magnesium, pork helps strengthen your bones and teeth and aids in the regulation of energy. Pork also provides a good supply of heme iron, the most easily digested type of iron. Finally, pork is a great source of zinc, which helps boost your immune system.

4. Grown as a Health Food

Many farms and companies study changes that can make pork even healthier. One company specializes in the creation of leaner pork products from the hoof to the table. Canadian farmers have found ways to increase the Omega-3 content of pork by shifting their pigs' diets to include flaxseed.

5. Lose Weight With Pork

The addition of pork to a diet can even make you skinny. Scientists at Purdue University found that adding six ounces of pork to a calorie-restricted diet helped study participants maintain twice as much lean mass while losing the same amount of weight as those who ate less protein. Also, women with pork in their diet felt fuller and less hungry than those who didn't.

Last updated on: Nov 18, 2009

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