Pork, Part of a Healthy Diet
Dec 15 |
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Following a healthy and well-balanced diet is one of the most important things you can do to achieve and maintain overall health. Luckily, many cuts of pork are lean and can be part of your healthy diet, even if you are trying to eat "heart smart", manage diabetes, lose weight or just generally eat well.
Research has shown the benefits of eating adequate amounts of lean protein in your diet include stabilizing blood sugar, increasing satiety (the feeling of fullness after eating), and maintaining lean muscle mass even if losing body weight. The fat in pork is tran-fat free and mostly mono-and poly-unsaturated, so trimmed pork is suitable for even cholesterol-lowering or "heart-healthy" diets.
Lean pork, when trimmed of visible fat, is nutrient-dense, satisfying, and good for you.
Which cuts of pork are leanest*?
- Pork tenderloin
- Pork chops and pork steaks
- Pork roasts
- Pork leg (or ham)
- Pork cutlets/Pork Scaloppini
*Per 100 gram (cooked) serving, trimmed. Source: Canadian Nutrient File, 2007b
Keep pork lean with these easy tips:
- Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking
- Bake, broil, BBQ or microwave foods more often
- Use less added fats such as butter, oil, salad dressings or sauces
- Eat less fried or deep fried foods
- When choosing luncheon meats, sausages or prepackaged meats, choose those lower in salt
