Many people think that pork is the most savory of meats, according to "The Cambridge World History of Food." This is due to its high fat content. Pork butt, also known as Boston butt, is a highly marbled meat that comes from the shoulder of the pig. While the fat in the pork butt helps keep it moist during cooking, it also significantly increases its calories and saturated fat content.
Calories
A 3.3-oz. serving of pork butt contains 227 calories. By comparison, the same size serving of pork tenderloin, considered a lean cut of meat, contains 116 calories. While the pork butt is higher in calories than the pork tenderloin, it is your overall daily calorie intake that matters. Paying close attention to the calories in your food and balancing your intake can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Fat
Marbling in meat refers to the streaks of solid fat throughout the muscle, which enhances flavor, juiciness and tenderness. However, the more marbled a piece of meat, the more fat it contains. A 3.3-oz. serving of braised pork butt contains 12 g of total fat, 4.6 g of saturated fat and 98 mg of cholesterol. By comparison, a 3.3-oz. serving of roasted pork tenderloin, a less marbled meat, contains 3 g of total fat, 1 g of saturated fat and 57 mg of cholesterol. High intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease. You should limit your intake of saturated fat to less than 10 percent of your daily calories and cholesterol to less than 300 mg a day.
Protein and Carbohydrates
Pork butt is a high-quality source of protein. A 3.3-oz. serving contains 28 g of protein. Adult men need 56 g of protein a day, and adult women need 46 g of protein a day. One serving of braised pork butt meets at least 50 percent of your daily protein needs. Pork butt does not contain any carbohydrates.
Vitamins and Minerals
Pork butt is a good source of iron, zinc, niacin, thiamin and vitamin B-6. One serving of pork butt contains 1.82 mg of iron, meeting 10 percent of the daily value and 4.85 mg of zinc, meeting 32 percent of your daily needs. Iron is needed to make the protein that carries oxygen in your blood; zinc supports a healthy immune system. Niacin, thiamine and vitamin B-6 are types of B vitamins that your body needs in small quantities to help metabolize food into energy.
References
- USDA: Nutrient Database: Pork, fresh, enhanced, shoulder, (Boston butt), blade (steaks), separable lean only, cooked, braised
- USDA: Nutrient Database: Pork, fresh, enhanced, loin, tenderloin, separable lean only, cooked, roasted
- Cook's Thesaurus; Pork Should Cuts; Lori Alden
- Purdue University Animal Sciences: Marblin
- MedlinePlus; B-vitamins; February 2011
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron
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