Eating lean cuts of pork can be just as healthy as other white meats

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If you are a meat lover and trying to cut back on fat and cholesterol in your diet, you do not need to limit your meat selections to chicken and turkey. The nutrition profile for some cuts of pork compares favorably with other white meats such as chicken or turkey breast. For example, pork tenderloin has the same amount of fat and slightly fewer calories than a skinless chicken breast of the same size. Adding some lean cuts of pork to your diet can be a great way to add variety. Pork is a great source of lean protein if you pick the lean cuts. Adding protein to your meals helps make your meal more satisfying, for a longer period of time. Consuming a meal with limited protein can leave you hungry a few hours after eating. Pork provides a good source of protein and contains a variety of nutrients found in meats, including iron and zinc.

Lean cuts of pork

The tenderloin is the most well-know lean cut of pork. Other cuts of pork that also are very lean include the top loin chop and roast, center loin chop, rib chop and sirloin chop. A 3-ounce broiled chicken breast without the skin has 140 calories and 3 grams of fat. The same portion of broiled pork tenderloin has 120 calories and 3 grams of fat, and the pork sirloin roast has 173 calories with 8 grams of fat. When shopping for pork, look for the word "loin" to help you identify the lean cuts of pork.

As with all cuts of meat, you should closely look for fatty streaks throughout the product. If the raw meat item has a lot of fat streaks running throughout, it is a high-fat item. Leaner cuts of meat will have a strip of fat along the edge that can be trimmed away to make the cut lean. Generally, pork steak, ham, and pork sausage are higher in fat. A 3-ounce portion of pork steak has 229 calories and 13 grams of fat.

Cooking pork

The cooking method you use for pork will depend on the cut of meat you are using. It is suggested that all pork be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees to make sure all bacteria are destroyed. In the past, pork needed to be cooked to higher temperatures to kill the trichina, a parasite that could be found in pork. Today trichinosis is not a concern because of the change in feeding practices for pigs.

Grilling, baking or broiling the lean cuts of pork will help to minimize the fat and calories added during cooking. Using the crock-pot can be another lean cooking method for pork. Try the recipe for barbecue pork included in this article for an easy way to prepare a low-fat meat item. Serve the pork on a whole-grain roll with a fresh fruit salad and a vegetable tray at your next family gathering.

Ham, hocks and bacon

Most ham tends to be high in fat, however, some types of ham can be a lean meat choice. Both ham and bacon are sometimes made from turkey. You might expect the turkey ham and turkey bacon to be low in fat. However, these products are not always your best choice. It is best to check the nutrition facts label on ham to help you determine if the item is lean. A good rule of thumb for purchasing packaged meat is to pick items that have 3 grams of fat or less for every 100 calories.

Bacon is a high-fat pork cut. You can purchase lower-fat bacon products, but even the reduced-fat bacon items remain high in fat. If you enjoy bacon and you are watching your total fat and saturated fat intake, it is prudent to enjoy it in moderation. Canadian bacon is much lower in fat than regular bacon and can be substituted in some recipes that call for regular bacon.

All cuts of bacon and ham are high in sodium. If you are watching your sodium use, you may want to limit your intake of bacon and ham, and select unprocessed cuts of pork.

ON THE MENU

Barbecue Pork

3 pounds boneless pork loin roast

2 (8-ounce) cans crushed pineapple in juice, undrained

3/4 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup chili sauce

2 tsp. finely shredded orange peel

1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black

pepper

For the sauce, combine undrained pineapple, barbecue sauce, chili sauce and orange peel. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat and cook pork roast until brown on all sides. Place pork roast in a low cooker. Pour sauce over the roast and turn it to coat all sides of the meat. Cook on high heat for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or on low heat for 6 to 7 hours. Remove roast from slow cooker and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve sauce with sliced meat.

Serves 12.

Nutrition information for 3 ounces: 195 calories, 23 grams protein, 7 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 593 mg sodium, 11 grams total carbohydrate and 1 gram fiber.

- Recipe courtesy of Teresa Smith