Living Lean
According to a new study published in the February journal
Obesity, Purdue University researchers found that including protein from lean pork in your diet can help you lose weight while maintaining more lean tissue, including muscle. The pork dieters rated themselves more positively in terms of overall mood and feelings of pleasure during dieting compare to those who ate less protein.
Banish Diet Cravings
The women in the study followed either a high-protein diet or a normal-protein diet but the same amount of calories. The women who ate more protein, with pork as their only source of meat, felt fuller longer after meals.
Did You Know?
Pork truly is The Other White Meat®! According to a recent analysis by the US Department of Agriculture, pork tenderloin contains the same amount of fat and slightly less calories than the same serving of skinless chicken breast. What’s more, the same analysis found there are six cuts of pork that are considered either extra lean or lean by labeling standards. Now dieters have more options than ever to make lean, healthy choices when planning meals.
Compare Lean Pork with Lean Chicken
An updated analysis from the U.S. Department of Agriculture reveals many of today’s favorite pork options are among the leanest meats in the USDA database.
New research reveals pork tenderloin is just as lean as the leanest type of chicken, a skinless chicken breast. In fact, many cuts of pork from the loin (like pork chops and pork roast) are leaner than a skinless chicken thigh.
Six common cuts of pork have, on average, 16% less fat and 27% less saturated fat than 15 years ago. Here are five cuts of lean pork with a total fat content that falls between a skinless chicken breast and a skinless chicken thigh.
Based on 3-ounce cooked servings (roasted or broiled), visible fat trimmed after cooking.
Reference: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture Research Service, 2006.
Lean: Less than 10 grams total fat, 4.5 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol per serving.
Extra Lean: Less than 5 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat and 95 milligrams cholesterol per serving.
Tired of Chicken and Fish?
The high-protein diet included 6 ounces, or two servings, of pork every day. It’s easy to reach this goal by including lean cuts of pork like Canadian bacon with your eggs for breakfast, adding grilled or sautéed pork chop strips to your salad at lunch, or roasting pork tenderloin for dinner. Plus, TheOtherWhiteMeat.com is packed with recipes for every meal. Try one of these below!
A Few Healthy Pork Recipes
Chock-full of ham and eggs, these tasty burritos are a welcomed treat for the first meal of the day.
Starring the full-flavor of lean pork and fresh produce, this crisp-tasting salad makes for a great summer-time entrée. Serve pita wedges and mixed olives as easy side accompaniments to complete the meal.
Make some for now—and for later. Roast two ginger-seasoned pork tenderloins, then serve one with roasted root vegetables for a hearty meal, and use the second tenderloin for a zesty Asian pork-and-vegetable soup.