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What is the benefit of eating pork?

Benefits of eating pork

Pork is the culinary name for the meat gotten from domestic pigs and is eaten by a variety of persons in many different countries. With evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC according to extensive research, pork is considered to be the most commonly consumed meat in the world especially in eastern Asia, but its consumption is forbidden in certain religions, such as Islam and Judaism.

Pork can be eaten in several forms. It is often eaten unprocessed, but cured (preserved) pork products are also very common. These include smoked pork, ham, bacon, and sausages but the most advisable and preferred is when it is properly cooked mainly because of the many diseases and parasites, some of which can kill a person, that can be found in Pork.

History shows that pigs were domesticated in Mesopotamia around some 15,000 years ago. But consumption of pork was relatively low up until the 20th century, and was often restricted to the autumn-winter part of the year. Around the 20th century, humans rethought the idea 0f animal consumption which led to an increase in industrial animal farming.

Benefit of Pork Meat

Currently, statistics show that the world now produces 4 times more meat than 50 years ago. Over 80 billion animals are slaughtered each year for meat, with pig meat being the most popular type of meat globally (although poultry is increasing most rapidly).

What are the negative effects of eating pork?

Like most red meat (yes, pork is categorized as red meat), although if consumed in small quantities of under 70 grams (2.5 ounces) / day, red meat is not as harmful to your health, but studies have shown that consumption of pork is associated with a significant risk of several chronic conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer.

The major (but not only) negative effects of eating pork is its high content of saturated fats and cholesterol. In 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that red meat is probably carcinogenic to humans. Several types of cancer have been linked to pork. For example, a research study in 2011 found that for each additional 100 grams of red meat (either pork or beef) consumed per day, the risk of colorectal cancer increases by 17%. Correlations were also observed for pancreatic and prostate cancer, although the associations were not as strong.

Grilled Pork

World Health Organization (WHO) experts have concluded that the exact risk is hard to establish, but overall, pork consumption seems to be linked with higher cancer risk. In their words, there is “sufficient evidence” to draw a link between the consumption of processed meat products and cancer.

Along with being one of the most popularly consumed meat in the world, below are some of the negative effects of eating pork:

  1. Hepatitis E: health advocates advocate for the consumption of liver for its high vitamin A content and massive mineral buildup. However, this will not be the case for pork liver as it has been identified as the top food-based transmitter of hepatitis E, a virus that infects 20 million people each year and can lead to acute illness (fever, fatigue, jaundice, vomiting, joint pain and stomach pain), enlarged liver and sometimes liver failure and death.
  2. Multiple Sclerosis: one of the most surprising risks associated with pork — one that’s received remarkably little airtime — is multiple sclerosis (MS), a devastating autoimmune condition involving the central nervous system. The robust link between pork and MS has been known at least since the 1980s, when researchers analyzed the relationship between per capita pork consumption and MS across dozens of countries.
  3. Yersinia: is caused by Yersinia bacteria and in the US alone, Yersinia causes 35 deaths and almost 117,000 cases of food poisoning each year. Its chief entry route for humans has been traced to be undercooked pork. Studies show that Yersiniosis’s acute symptoms are rough enough ranging from fever, pain, bloody diarrhea — but its long-term consequences are what should really ring alarm bells. Victims of Yersinia poisoning face a 47-times higher risk of reactive arthritis, a type of inflammatory joint disease triggered by infection.
Uncooked Pork Loin Chop
Uncooked pork loin chop with rib

Is pork good for your skin?

Consuming Pork can be very beneficial to your entire body which will include your skin. However, there is no direct study to show the correlation between pork consumption and skin glow.

Here are Six (6) surprising benefits of consuming pork:

  1. Intake of High-Quality Protein: pork provides a source of high-quality protein – an essential food nutrient for the human body. It contains high concentrations of amino acids once ingested. Pork is like a natural protein powder.
  2. Trimmable Fats: Unlike other types of red meat, pork contains incredibly high amounts of fat. Your body needs calories and it can get some of it from pork fats. Pork fat generally ranges between 10-16% but the rates can be much higher while considering numerous factors as trimming levels.
  3. Improved Exercise Performance: The secret to physical fitness and good health is to exercise regularly. However, you will have to supplement your exercise sessions with a healthy diet. Pork is one such dietary supplement. Aside from being highly portentous, pork comes with an array of nutrients that can work miracles on your muscles. Such nutrients include taurine, beta-alanine, and creatine. Beta-alanine is a fine form of amino acid found in pork. Once in your body, this valuable nutrient helps in the production of carnosine, which is a crucial element in muscle development.
    Raw Pork
    A close up of a raw cut of meat called a Pork Shoulder
  4. Rich in Vitamins: Besides being high in proteins, pork is also rich in essential vitamins, such as vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. Vitamin B6 is crucial in creating red blood cells in the body, regulating the crucial nervous system and maintaining a proper cognitive ability among many others. This is highly crucial in inhibiting chances of succumbing to anxiety and many brain dysfunctions. Vitamin B12, on the other hand, helps to improve brain function and blood formation. It is commonly found in foods of animal origin.
  5. High in Glycine: Pork contains a significant amount of glycine. Since glycine is a rare nutrient, it can rarely be found in animal meat. In pork, glycine is mainly found in the skin. Pork skin basically contains 11,919 mg of glycine for every 100 grams of meat. Apart from pork skin, glycine can also be found in pork rinds and pork belly. Glycine is one of the amino acids essential to the body’s synthesis of the antioxidant glutathione.
  6. Great Source of Selenium: which is of utter importance to your body. Pork contains a significant amount of this mineral, which crucial to maintaining proper thyroid functioning.

Grilled Pork

Is pork healthier than beef?

Please note that pork and beef are both healthy meats, but it’s best to consume low-fat cuts. Beef cuts are lower in total fat, but low-fat pork cuts typically have more nutrients.

Meat is an excellent source of protein as well as other nutrients. If you’re trying to compare beef and pork to see which meat is best, keep in mind that both of these typically have more saturated fat than other animal products. If you’re going to eat red meat, try to choose leaner cuts when possible. You can also ask your local store to determine the best leaner cuts to purchase.

Pork and beef are both classified as red meat. Studies show that red meat is typically considered unhealthier than other animal products, like chicken and fish. This is because meats like pork and beef tend to have more saturated fat, and saturated fat has been found to increase your cholesterol and is considered bad for the health of your heart.

Roasted Pork
Roasted shoulder of pork on a cutting board

It is important that you try to avoid products that may have variable amounts of fat, like ground beef or ground pork. According to the American Heart Association, these products are only considered to be lean when they have a fat content of 15 percent or less.

Did you find this article insightful? Read on more interesting topics here

Credit:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-pork-bad

https://momblogsociety.com/7-crazy-healthy-benefits-of-eating-pork-you-may-not-know/

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