Many Poles cannot imagine a traditional Sunday lunch without pork chop, but at the same time pork is considered fatty and unhe althy. We buy pork loin, pork neck or ham mainly because of the favorable price and taste, not nutritional value. Is it right? Which pork should you choose and how to prepare it to make it tasty and he althy?

Pork is very popular in Poland. We buy it for the price, taste and ease of preparation, but not for its nutritional value. In the minds of consumers, pork functions as meat high in fat and cholesterol, high in calories and difficult to digest. Meanwhile, ham and low-fat pork are great sources of easily digestible protein that are low in fat. With a little creativity, they can be easily prepared as light dietary meals.

The way pigs are reared and the animal breeds used in breeding have changed a lot in the last 20 years. This entailed a significant change inthe nutritional value of pork . In order to determine at what level the content of nutrients in individual elements of the pig carcass is currently shaped, detailed studies were carried out in 2013 under the supervision of Dr. Eng. Tadeusz Blicharski, the results of which are presented in the publication "The current dietary value of pork, its importance in the diet and impact on the he alth of consumers". The obtained results were compared with the American USDA standards from 2013 and the 2011 "Tables of the composition and nutritional value of food" commonly used in Poland. According to the survey, the commonly quoted values ​​for pork are no longer relevant. This is due to intensive breeding activities, during which the lean meat content in the pig carcass has increased over the years and the fat content has decreased. In 1990-2012, pig meat content increased from 43 to 57 percent, while most of the data was not updated at that time.

Pork: nutritional values ​​

The calorific value of the individual elements of the pork carcass differs from each other and depends on the presence of intramuscular and intramuscular fat. The fewest calories are provided by ham - 118 kcal / 100 g, and the most by bacon - 322 kcal. The most popular pork loin on Polish tables currently provides 152 kcal in 100 g, ifit is used in the dish along with meat-crust, i.e. membranes and fat adhering to the meat. We often give up on meatballs during processing. Pork loin, which is deprived of it, the so-called The skimmed pork loin contains 122 kcal. If we compare the previously considered fatty pork with dietary chicken, it turns out well. Lean parts of pigs are more caloric than chicken breasts (approx. 100 kcal / 100 g) by only approx. 20 kilocalories! Of course, not all pork carcass elements can be recommended in dietary and low-calorie nutrition, but properly prepared: skimmed pork loin, sirloin and ham can be included in this statement. The current calorific value of pork loin is lower by 13 percent than the values ​​commonly found in the literature, ham - by 55 percent, and pork neck by 20 percent.

Protein, fat and caloric content of the pork carcass elements

Pork carcass element

Content kcal / 100 g

Protein content in g / 100 g

Fat content in g / 100 g

Pork loin

152

21,20

7.70

Low-fat pork loin

122

22.99

1,92

Ham

118

22.04

3.31

Łopatka

145

19.29

7.50

Pork neck

213

16,18

16,48

Ribs

309

13.97

28.17

Bacon

322

14.22

29,43

Pork meat has a variable protein content depending on the part of the carcass. The least amount of protein is in bacon and ribs (approx. 14 percent), and the most in ham and skimmed pork (22-23 percent). Such a high amount of protein and low fat content qualify ham and skimmed pork loin as lean meats. The high content of wholesome protein, especially in lean parts of pork, indicates the importance of this meat in nutrition. It is characterized by similar values ​​to poultry meat, commonly regarded as the most dietary. The digestibility of lean pork is very high as a result of its lowfat content, and the protein from it is used by the body in 80% (90% of rabbit and 75% of chicken).

Remember that adding fat during cooking makes meat more difficult to digest! For a he althy lifestyle, you should avoid the fatty parts of pork: lard, dewlap, groin, bacon and ribs, and eat shoulder and neck occasionally.

The amount ofcholesterolin pork is almost the same as in poultry and is not higher than 55 mg / 100 g. The recommended amount of cholesterol supplied to the body with food should not be more than 300 mg per day. To exceed these recommendations, you would need to eat more than half a kilogram of pork loin. In addition, according to the latest research, it has been found that cholesterol in food does not adversely affect blood cholesterol levels, and the most dangerous to he alth aretrans fatsand saturated fatty acids. So we should not be afraid of pork in terms of cholesterol. When it comes to pork fat, we can avoid subcutaneous fat altogether and choose items that have little intermuscular (visible) fat. We do not only have an influence on intramuscular (invisible) fat, but we do not have to worry about it. The intramuscular fat content usually does not exceed 3 percent, and this amount is necessary to shape the culinary and flavor of the meat. The fatty acid profile and the proportion of saturated to unsaturated fats in pork are at a decent level, but it is not enough to treat pork as a good source of unsaturated fatty acids necessary for the proper functioning of the body.

The level ofsodiumandpotassiumin pork depends on the fat content of the various parts of the carcass. The more fat, the higher the sodium content and the greater the s alty taste of the meat. The amount of sodium in pork is low (0.35-0.58 g / 100 g) compared to poultry (0.77 g / 100 g) and beef (0.74 g / 100 g). In pork we find a lot of easily digestibleironandzinc . It is characterized by a high content ofvitamins from the B groupandvitamin E .

Content of vitamins and minerals in selected parts of the pork carcass

Low-fat pork loinHamPork neckBacon
Sodium (mg / kg)352.98-399.17427.32-448.32437.72-465.40513.87-585.35
Potassium (g / kg)3.93-4.053.82-4.013,25-3,552.43-2.97
Iron (mg / 100 g)2,86-3,374,17-4,366.07-6.362.45-3.93
Zinc (mg / kg)14,10-16,5216,30-19,5829.98-32.3916.87-19.01
Vitamin B1 (ng / g)3,11-5,841,47-2,492.79-4.063.31-5.04
Vitamin B6 (ng / g)4.30-7.467,89-9,2026,38-29.9912.40-15.12
Vitamin B12 (ng / g)0.04-0.050.06-0.070.060.10-0.13
Vitamin A (µg / g)na/ 0.05na/ 0.050,170,34
Vitamin E (µg / g)5.085.4110,219,11

na - content below the detection limit of the chromatograph 0.01 percent

Consumption of pork in Poland

In 2014, the average Pole ate 71 kg of meat and offal, of which 38.5 kg was pork. It is eaten very commonly in our country, but in Europe we do not stand on the podium. Spaniards, Danes, Austrians, Germans, Portuguese and Belgians eat more pork than us.

Work has been underway for years to continuously increase the meat content and reduce the fat content of pigs. For this purpose, typical Polish breeds of pigs, such as the Polish white fold and the great white Polish pig, are crossed with foreign breeds, e.g. duroc, landrace and yorkshire. Over the past two decades, the meat content in the pork carcass has increased from 43 to 57 percent, which has resulted in a significant improvement in its nutritional value. In stores, we can buy meat mainly from standardized farms, coming from large plants. Then we are sure that we choose non-fat meat. Supporters of traditional methods of breeding animals and natural food can go directly to the farmer.

Worth knowing

Pork knuckle in beer or pork chop in breadcrumbs seem to be dishes of Old Polish cuisine. However, it is not so. Pork did not enjoy the interest of noble courts until the 19th century. Pork was considered to be difficult to digest and was primarily the food of the lower social classes. However, pork lard was commonly used in dishes. In cookbooks from the 17th and 18th centuries, pork does not appear at all or very rarely, and only as an addition to dishes or as an ingredient in sausages. The nineteenth century is a time of democratization of tastes and tastes, and great chefs more and more often reach for pork.Traditional dishes that are most associated with pork come from this period, not from the old Polish cuisine. Pork meats and sausages play a very important role in our culinary tradition. We are famous all over the world for sausages like lisiecka, juniper, hunter and kabanosy.

How to choose a good pork?

Ham, pork loin, pork neck, ribs, bacon … All parts of the pork carcass can be bought in butcher shops, discounters and large supermarkets. What to look for when choosing pork? The only determinant should not be the price.

When buying pork, consider the color and smell.

Pork is one of the red meats and this is what its color should be. Too light is usually a sign of wateriness and too softness of the meat. The dark pink color indicates that the meat comes from young, six-month-old animals that were fed and handled in accordance with the principles of welfare. This color also indicates an appropriate method of storage and maintaining an appropriate low temperature, slowing down the growth of microorganisms and extending the freshness of the product. Pay attention to the smell - it should be very delicate and barely perceptible. If we feel any unpleasant or foreign smells, it is a sign that the meat is stale or has been poorly stored and has absorbed smells from the environment. Sometimes a characteristic urine smell is felt while preparing a dish. This means that the meat comes from pigs that have not been castrated. Such meat is not harmful, but for many people the smell is unacceptable, and unfortunately it can only be felt during cooking. If you are buying prepackaged meat, pay attention to labels and use-by dates. It is best to choose vacuum-packed meat - without air access, it stays fresh longer. It's also harder to fake its expiry date. It is safer to buy meat without pickles and prepare it yourself. Marinades can easily mask the taste and smell of not necessarily fresh meat, and often add to its price. If you want to freeze meat, it's best to do it right after you buy it. Thanks to this, you will avoid the growth of bacteria. Pork can be stored in the freezer for about 6 months. The fatter the meat, the shorter the safe freezing period, as the fat becomes rancid even at low temperatures.

This will be useful to you

How to prepare pork to be the tastiest?

  • The flagship pork chop in breadcrumbs should be fried in lard or oil, then pour off the fat and fry the chop in clarified butter.
  • Meat with excess fat, e.g. pork neck is bestfry in a little oil, as a lot of fat is naturally found in the meat and it will melt away.
  • Marinated meat with oil should also be fried in a little fat. Marinades are not necessary, but to make the meat more tender, it is worth adding an acidic ingredient to the marinade, e.g. lemon juice, wine vinegar, wine, tomato puree or buttermilk and leave for 8 hours.
  • How to prepare a pork neck or sirloin steak so that it is not dry? Before frying or grilling, it should be at room temperature. Fry it on both sides until golden brown in hot fat and do not prick it! After all, we want to keep juices in the meat. After removing it from the pan or grill, let the meat rest for 5 minutes.
  • Whole sirloin, pork loin or ham is fried first on both sides and then baked in the oven. However, the most easily digestible meat can be obtained without frying.
  • Baking in foil is a good idea, which reduces the preparation time and the addition of fat.
  • Lean parts of pork are also suitable for steaming. Then we get a dietary and easily digestible dish.

TRY RECIPE: Pork shoulder: recipe for a juicy and crispy pork shoulder roast

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