Nutrition Facts
Canadian pork has trimmed down and is leaner than ever. Today's consumers who are concerned with healthy eating to support their active lifestyles can enjoy pork knowing that it is a lean and nutritious meat.
How did pork get so lean? Through:
Dispelling the Myths
Consumers like today's pork not only because it is nutritious and tasty, but also because there is such a variety of cuts to choose from. There are hundreds of lean pork recipes that consumers can easily prepare and cook in 15 - 30 minutes.
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Focus on Fats
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating suggests choosing leaner meats, like pork, more often. The food guide recommends 2 to 3 servings of meat and alternatives a day. The size of a meat serving ranges from 50 to 100 grams depending on your age, body size, activity level, whether you are male or female, and if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating also encourages Canadians to enjoy a variety of foods and to reduce the total amount of fat we eat.
Fat is present in many foods and can be visible or invisible. Visible fat includes trimmable fat on meat and under the skin of chicken. Invisible fat refers to the fat used in processing or preparation of foods ( for example, potato chips, muffins, french fries, etc), as well as the fat we add to our food (for example, butter and margarine to breads and vegetables, cream sauces on pasta, and dressing on salads.).
The largest proportion of fat in the Canadian diet comes from fats and oils (31%), which include butter, margarine, salad dressings, mayonnaise and fat used for frying.
Fresh meat (pork, beef, lamb and veal) contributes only 8.5% of the total fat in the Canadian diet, of which pork contributes less than 2%!! The benefit of eating pork and other meats, is that you get many other key nutrients which help maintain a healthy body.
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Pork Is Slimmer and Trimmer Than Ever Before
Grams of Fat per 85 gram/ 3 oz serving roasted, lean only
Source: Canadian Nutrient File, 1991 and University of Moncton, 1994
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Sources of Fat in the Average Canadian Diet
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1992
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Daily Nutrient Needs
To help you better understand nutrition information, keep in mind the following daily nutrient requirements for moderately active men and women, 25-49 years old.
Teenagers and very active people generally need more calories and fat; men and women over 49 years of age, children or less active people may need less than these figures indicate.
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Nutrient Content of Pork Cuts
per 85 gram / 3 oz serving, lean only
Source : University of Moncton, 1994 and USDA Handbook 8-10, 1992
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Pork Packs a Punch
Pork provides many important nutrients that contribute to a well balanced diet.
Healthy Eating Tips
Canadian pork has trimmed down and is leaner than ever. Today's consumers who are concerned with healthy eating to support their active lifestyles can enjoy pork knowing that it is a lean and nutritious meat.
How did pork get so lean? Through:
- improved breeding and feeding practices.
- a revised grading system which rewards pork producers for producing leaner meat.
- better trimming of fat at the processor level and in grocery stores.
Dispelling the Myths
| Myth | Fact | |
| Pork has too much fat. | All fresh pork cuts, except spare ribs, qualify as "lean" when trimmed of visible fat: that is, they contain less than 10% fat. In fact, pork loin, centre cut, the source of many chops and roasts, is 42% leaner than in 1987! | |
| Pork has too many calories. | Lean cuts of pork average between 150 and 200 calories per 90 gram serving. | |
| Pork is high in cholesterol. | A 90 gram serving of pork tenderloin has less cholesterol than a skinless chicken breast. | |
| Pork must be cooked until it is very well-done. | Pork is so lean that it will dry out if it is cooked too long! For a moist and tender meat, pork should be cooked to medium, or an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C). |
Consumers like today's pork not only because it is nutritious and tasty, but also because there is such a variety of cuts to choose from. There are hundreds of lean pork recipes that consumers can easily prepare and cook in 15 - 30 minutes.
^ Back to Top
Focus on Fats
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating suggests choosing leaner meats, like pork, more often. The food guide recommends 2 to 3 servings of meat and alternatives a day. The size of a meat serving ranges from 50 to 100 grams depending on your age, body size, activity level, whether you are male or female, and if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating also encourages Canadians to enjoy a variety of foods and to reduce the total amount of fat we eat.
Fat is present in many foods and can be visible or invisible. Visible fat includes trimmable fat on meat and under the skin of chicken. Invisible fat refers to the fat used in processing or preparation of foods ( for example, potato chips, muffins, french fries, etc), as well as the fat we add to our food (for example, butter and margarine to breads and vegetables, cream sauces on pasta, and dressing on salads.).
The largest proportion of fat in the Canadian diet comes from fats and oils (31%), which include butter, margarine, salad dressings, mayonnaise and fat used for frying.
Fresh meat (pork, beef, lamb and veal) contributes only 8.5% of the total fat in the Canadian diet, of which pork contributes less than 2%!! The benefit of eating pork and other meats, is that you get many other key nutrients which help maintain a healthy body.
^ Back to Top
Pork Is Slimmer and Trimmer Than Ever Before
Grams of Fat per 85 gram/ 3 oz serving roasted, lean only
| PORK CUT | 1994 | 1987 | ||
| Tenderloin | 3.1 g | 4.1 g | ||
| Leg, inside round | 3.5 g | 6.5 g | ||
| Loin, centre cut | 5.8 g | 9.9 g | ||
| Shoulder butt | 9.2 g | 11.2 g | ||
| Loin, rib end | 10.1 g | 11.7 g | ||
| Side Ribs (lean + fat) | 18.7 g | 21.5 g |
Source: Canadian Nutrient File, 1991 and University of Moncton, 1994
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Sources of Fat in the Average Canadian Diet
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 1992
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Daily Nutrient Needs
To help you better understand nutrition information, keep in mind the following daily nutrient requirements for moderately active men and women, 25-49 years old.
| Calories | Fat | Protein | ||||
| Women | 1900 | 65g | 51g | |||
| Men | 2700 | 90g | 64g |
Teenagers and very active people generally need more calories and fat; men and women over 49 years of age, children or less active people may need less than these figures indicate.
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Nutrient Content of Pork Cuts
per 85 gram / 3 oz serving, lean only
| Cut | Calories Kcal |
Fat grams |
Protein grams | |||
| tenderloin roasted |
139 | 3.1 | 26 | |||
| leg, inside round roasted |
138 | 3.5 | 25 | |||
| loin, centre cut chop broiled |
159 | 5.3 | 26 | |||
| loin, centre cut roast roasted |
157 | 5.8 | 24 | |||
| loin, tenderloin end roasted |
165 | 6.1 | 26 | |||
| shoulder butt roasted |
190 | 9.2 | 25 | |||
| loin, rib end roast roasted |
193 | 10.1 | 24 | |||
| picnic shoulder roasted |
194 | 10.7 | 23 | |||
| side ribs braised |
270 | 18.7 | 24 |
Source : University of Moncton, 1994 and USDA Handbook 8-10, 1992
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Pork Packs a Punch
Pork provides many important nutrients that contribute to a well balanced diet.
- Pork is a very high source of protein. It contains each of the eight essential amino acids needed to build, repair and maintain body tissues.
- Pork is the best dietary source of thiamin and a good source of other B vitamins including niacin, riboflavin, vitamins B6 and B12.
- Pork is a good source of minerals particularly iron and zinc. About half the iron in pork is "heme iron" - the most readily absorbed and digested type of dietary iron.
Healthy Eating Tips
- Enjoy a wide variety of foods.
- Use little or no fat when cooking and serving food. e.g. butter, margarine, oil and regular salad dressing. Use breadings, rich sauces and gravies only occassionally.
- Avoid frying foods in oil. Instead choose low fat cooking methods such as broiling, baking, stir frying, barbecuing, braising or microwaving.
- Balance high and low fat food choices throughout the day or week.
- Roast or broil meat, fish and poultry on a rack so any fat can drain off.
- Trim visible fat from meat and remove skin from poultry before cooking.
- Make soups and stews a day ahead. Chill and remove fat from the surface before reheating.
- Choose cereals, breads, other grain products, vegetables and fruits more often.
- Achieve and maintain a healthy weight by enjoying regular physical activity and healthy eating.
- Make one change at a time ... small changes add up!
- Remember that all foods can be enjoyed in a healthy diet. Balance is the key.
Pick Pork! website designed by The Studio of Wendy J. Inc. & database integration by The November Group
© Copyright 2004 All rights reserved.
© Copyright 2004 All rights reserved.
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