Pork: The Other White Meat?

Diet and Nutrition
1

One thing I have not heard anyone talk about in their diets is Pork…Why? Is there a reason for this, or is it just something that is overlooked?

Now im not talking bacon and country hams. I mean Tenderloins, (baked/grilled)pork chops, Porkbutt and what not.

Also I know some people find pork or rather a pig to be a “dirty” animal but Hog farming is not what it was 50 yrs ago. The pig it self if a different animal; leaner, cleaner and healthier. Its high in protein and has the Cholesterol needed for testosterone production.

So why is it that it seams to be overlooked and all we really hear about is chicken and turkey for “dieting” (dont like the word but that is another post in it self) And also Beef for the fats, Cholesterol, iron and all important protein?

Where is the love for pork?

2

If I’m going for the other white meat, I go with people. Or Soylent Green.

3

I eat quite a bit of pork. Bacon, chops, loins, etc. However, I buy all my pork from local producers.

You are right that pork production isn’t what it used to be, and that’s not a good thing. Industrial pork production is one of the most environmentally destructive and inhumane agricultural practices. The pigs are bred to be lean (which is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard, what’s the point of lean pork?), and for industrial uniformity, certainly not for flavor. I really can’t even eat conventional pork anymore because it is just plain nasty tasting.

But pigs who are raised on pasture, and who can root around (and hopefully find acorns), man they are mighty tasty…

4

[quote]swordthrower wrote:
I eat quite a bit of pork. Bacon, chops, loins, etc. However, I buy all my pork from local producers.

You are right that pork production isn’t what it used to be, and that’s not a good thing. Industrial pork production is one of the most environmentally destructive and inhumane agricultural practices. The pigs are bred to be lean (which is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard, what’s the point of lean pork?), and for industrial uniformity, certainly not for flavor. I really can’t even eat conventional pork anymore because it is just plain nasty tasting.

But pigs who are raised on pasture, and who can root around (and hopefully find acorns), man they are mighty tasty…[/quote]

LoL I agree they are tasty. An you cant live with in 5 miles of a hog farm and not smell it so I also know what you mean there. But i could care less how humane it is…im going to eat it so itll have to die either way. Plus i have seen how ppl clean a quarter hogs on the farm and it ant pretty.

But what i really want to know is why no one ever talks about it compared to Beef, chicken, ect…?

5

Pork winds up in our slow cooker about once each two or three weeks.

6


All I know about raising pork is to always be wary of a man who owns a pig farm…

7

I can’t eat pork that’s not grilled by my dad. Everything he does to it makes it leaps and bounds above the competition. And since I don’t eat pork unless he grills it, I stick to steak.

8

[quote]Himora22 wrote:
swordthrower wrote:
I eat quite a bit of pork. Bacon, chops, loins, etc. However, I buy all my pork from local producers.

You are right that pork production isn’t what it used to be, and that’s not a good thing. Industrial pork production is one of the most environmentally destructive and inhumane agricultural practices. The pigs are bred to be lean (which is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard, what’s the point of lean pork?), and for industrial uniformity, certainly not for flavor. I really can’t even eat conventional pork anymore because it is just plain nasty tasting.

But pigs who are raised on pasture, and who can root around (and hopefully find acorns), man they are mighty tasty…

LoL I agree they are tasty. An you cant live with in 5 miles of a hog farm and not smell it so I also know what you mean there. But i could care less how humane it is…im going to eat it so itll have to die either way. Plus i have seen how ppl clean a quarter hogs on the farm and it ant pretty.

But what i really want to know is why no one ever talks about it compared to Beef, chicken, ect…?[/quote]

When I say inhumane, I’m talking about quality of life of the animals, which as you can imagine is pretty horrendous since they are stuffed in buildings and kept alive with antibiotics, as well as the quality of life of the workers who have to breathe the toxic air, and the people who live near the facilities who have respiratory problems and can’t leave their houses most days. I realize we have to kill the animals in order to eat them, and I am also okay with that, as long as the animals were raised according to the tenets of animal husbandry, as opposed to those of industrial economics.

If you want to be cavalier about it, that’s your prerogative, but at least be aware that by buying conventional pork you are supporting a very destructive industry.

As for the nutritional question, I think the reason that pork is still vilified, or at least only encouraged “in moderation” whatever the fuck that means, is that nutritional thinking is still incredibly dogmatic. Pork was labeled as unhealthy many years ago due to the whole saturated fat-cholesterol myth that people accepted as gospel. And once something is labeled as fatty or is associated with cholesterol, then even to this day it will be shunned by nutritionists. It’s sad, but it’s a good reminder that you have to be careful with nutritional advice, as most of it is complete garbage. I mean, look at chicken breasts. They are supposed to be the ultimate muscle-building healthy meat, but they are utter shite. They are bland, dry, and flavorless. But god forbid someone tell health-conscious people to eat fatty meat like beef or pork…

As you said, pork is a high protein meat, and the fat profile (of real pork, not factory pork) is well-balanced. Oh, and it tastes fucking great. It should certainly be a part of a muscle-building diet.

9

[quote]Doug Adams wrote:
All I know about raising pork is to always be wary of a man who owns a pig farm…[/quote]

hahahahhahha

10

Nobody ever talks about it because the gurus never talk about it. It’s not just this site, it’s everywhere. Not that anyone is at fault either, it just doesn’t happen.

I however love pork chops and pork tenderloins, but shy away from them when cutting and opt for leaner sources of protein.

-dizzle

11

Isn’t it just because of the protein is less and the fat higher per unit weight than beef or chicken?

That’s why I’m a buffalo man - less fat than chicken, as much protein as beef :wink:

12

[quote]LightsOutLuthor wrote:
Isn’t it just because of the protein is less and the fat higher per unit weight than beef or chicken?

That’s why I’m a buffalo man - less fat than chicken, as much protein as beef ;)[/quote]

Yeah, that’s exactly it, which is the problem. So what it has more fat, fat is good. The low-fat myth has been exposed time and time again, and yet the same justifications still linger for eating lean meat.

13

[quote]swordthrower wrote:
LightsOutLuthor wrote:
Isn’t it just because of the protein is less and the fat higher per unit weight than beef or chicken?

That’s why I’m a buffalo man - less fat than chicken, as much protein as beef :wink:

Yeah, that’s exactly it, which is the problem. So what it has more fat, fat is good. The low-fat myth has been exposed time and time again, and yet the same justifications still linger for eating lean meat.[/quote]

It could also be the proliferation of Jewish bodybuilders.

Kidding.

I find that nutritional/scientific facts often spring up in mainstream culture as a ‘whoa, this is crazy talk’, then either gain acceptance or are adopted as ‘extreme’…but they stay in circulation, whether or not further evidence points to the contrary. To pull the ideas OUT of the perception of the general public is nearly impossible.

Think about fat.
Think about eggs.
Think about Low-carb, high protein diets.

You can ask anyone on the street their opinion, and often it matches the talking head ‘nutrition’ or ‘fitness’ experts writing for a local paper or filling time on a news show.

Doesn’t mean it’s right.

14

I buy pork butt for 99c/lb and slow cook it with a spice blend from JB’s PN… amazingly tasty. Slap 7 pounds of meat in the crock pot and by morning, you have a couple days worth of meat. What is better?

15

[quote]LightsOutLuthor wrote:
Isn’t it just because of the protein is less and the fat higher per unit weight than beef or chicken?

That’s why I’m a buffalo man - less fat than chicken, as much protein as beef ;)[/quote]

Pulling this right off the Nutrition

label pork tinderloin 4 Oz servings
21g Protein, 3g fat and 3g carbs

beef sirloin 3 Oz servings
protein 23g, 10g fat, 0g carbs

16

[quote]swordthrower wrote:
Himora22 wrote:
swordthrower wrote:
I eat quite a bit of pork. Bacon, chops, loins, etc. However, I buy all my pork from local producers.

You are right that pork production isn’t what it used to be, and that’s not a good thing. Industrial pork production is one of the most environmentally destructive and inhumane agricultural practices. The pigs are bred to be lean (which is the stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever heard, what’s the point of lean pork?), and for industrial uniformity, certainly not for flavor. I really can’t even eat conventional pork anymore because it is just plain nasty tasting.

But pigs who are raised on pasture, and who can root around (and hopefully find acorns), man they are mighty tasty…

LoL I agree they are tasty. An you cant live with in 5 miles of a hog farm and not smell it so I also know what you mean there. But i could care less how humane it is…im going to eat it so itll have to die either way. Plus i have seen how ppl clean a quarter hogs on the farm and it ant pretty.

But what i really want to know is why no one ever talks about it compared to Beef, chicken, ect…?

When I say inhumane, I’m talking about quality of life of the animals, which as you can imagine is pretty horrendous since they are stuffed in buildings and kept alive with antibiotics, as well as the quality of life of the workers who have to breathe the toxic air, and the people who live near the facilities who have respiratory problems and can’t leave their houses most days. I realize we have to kill the animals in order to eat them, and I am also okay with that, as long as the animals were raised according to the tenets of animal husbandry, as opposed to those of industrial economics.

If you want to be cavalier about it, that’s your prerogative, but at least be aware that by buying conventional pork you are supporting a very destructive industry.

As for the nutritional question, I think the reason that pork is still vilified, or at least only encouraged “in moderation” whatever the fuck that means, is that nutritional thinking is still incredibly dogmatic. Pork was labeled as unhealthy many years ago due to the whole saturated fat-cholesterol myth that people accepted as gospel. And once something is labeled as fatty or is associated with cholesterol, then even to this day it will be shunned by nutritionists. It’s sad, but it’s a good reminder that you have to be careful with nutritional advice, as most of it is complete garbage. I mean, look at chicken breasts. They are supposed to be the ultimate muscle-building healthy meat, but they are utter shite. They are bland, dry, and flavorless. But god forbid someone tell health-conscious people to eat fatty meat like beef or pork…

As you said, pork is a high protein meat, and the fat profile (of real pork, not factory pork) is well-balanced. Oh, and it tastes fucking great. It should certainly be a part of a muscle-building diet.[/quote]

Great answer. and again I agree with you about the hog farming. Half my family is from Mt. Olive and the other hafe is from Newton Grove and they are counrty as shit. So I know how it all works but dnot have the time or want to go into a disscution like this here. But again great answer thanks alot

17

[quote]swordthrower wrote:

When I say inhumane, I’m talking about quality of life of the animals, which as you can imagine is pretty horrendous since they are stuffed in buildings and kept alive with antibiotics, as well as the quality of life of the workers who have to breathe the toxic air, and the people who live near the facilities who have respiratory problems and can’t leave their houses most days. I realize we have to kill the animals in order to eat them, and I am also okay with that, as long as the animals were raised according to the tenets of animal husbandry, as opposed to those of industrial economics.
[/quote]

You should really check out a “modern” pig farm, with the exception of their waste products (which are stored in a well designed containment system) modern pig raising is as humane as any other animal for food production. The air is perfectly fine and the pigs have as much if not more room then your cows and chickens, less your talking about “free range” which almost never happens anymore.

18

Pork is a good sized part of my diet now. Mainly because it seems like the price of beef only goes up, up, and up. At least where I am. Most other land critters are cheaper too.

19

Also excellent source of Vit B1, 100g of sirloin or tenderloin has about a milligram. Far higher than other meats.

20

[quote]Himora22 wrote:
LightsOutLuthor wrote:
Isn’t it just because of the protein is less and the fat higher per unit weight than beef or chicken?

That’s why I’m a buffalo man - less fat than chicken, as much protein as beef :wink:

Pulling this right off the Nutrition

label pork tinderloin 4 Oz servings
21g Protein, 3g fat and 3g carbs

beef sirloin 3 Oz servings
protein 23g, 10g fat, 0g carbs[/quote]

Well, that’s primo cut of pork vs a mediocre cut of beef.
Compare a “pork steak” instead and your numbers are much different.

That being said I wasn’t saying that I agreed as much as “isn’t the reason people say that because…” of the reasons I gave. But I will stick with the buffalo meat comment :slight_smile:

(I can’t believe I’ve talked this much about pork.)