Your cholesterol level is one of the most reliable indicators of your risk for certain circulatory disorders including heart disease, heart attack and stroke. The best thing you can do to keep your cholesterol at a healthy level is to understand how the foods you eat -- including pork -- affect the cholesterol in your bloodstream.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL, or low-density lipoprotein, is considered the "bad" cholesterol and it can deposit in your arteries to form plaque. Plaque deposits can harden the arteries, restricting blood flow. This makes your heart work harder and you become more susceptible to problems including heart attack and stroke. Your body produces LDL cholesterol in response to the presence of saturated fats in your diet.
HDL Cholesterol
High-density lipoprotein, or HDL, is actually good for your circulatory health. It protects removes LDL from your bloodstream and returns it to your liver for excretion. When you consume monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats, your body produces HDL cholesterol.
Pork and Cholesterol
When looking at cholesterol and pork, it's the fat content of the pork that makes the biggest difference. This means different cuts of pork have different effects on your cholesterol levels. According to information distributed by the USDA, a 3-oz. lean pork chop contains 3.1 g of saturated fat and 4.6 g of unsaturated fat. A similar pork chop including fat contains 5 g of saturated fat and 7.2 g of unsaturated fat.
Bottom Line
Although specifics will vary from cut to cut, pork meat contains both harmful saturated fats and healthy unsaturated fats, at a ratio of about 1 1/2-to-1. This means that, overall, it will contribute to good heart health by stimulating your body to produce more HDL than LDL cholesterol. However, the saturated fat content means that it's not the best choice for people already suffering from high cholesterol.
