Column #104

The number of myths surrounding nutrient seems to know no limits. Of the most pervasive and unhinged are the hoard of myths regarding pork. Now, if you accept religious beliefs well-nigh eating certain foods, that's a separate consequence. I've never attempted to change anyone's religious beliefs. But I also recognize that if I combined all religious nutrient taboos together, the but thing left to eat would be grain. And so the sickness rate would soar manner higher than it is now.

So, I'll put philosophy, religion, and rumors aside that promote anti-pork myths and talk about facts.

Myth: Pigs have poor detoxification systems.

Truth: In all animals toxins are cleared in the liver and kidneys. Just similar people, pigs have i liver and two kidneys.

Myth: Due to a scavenger lifestyle pigs are principal carriers of viruses and parasites.

Truth: Pigs eat more often than not grasses and roots. Only they also eat meat, vegetables, fruit, and nuts. They volition eat a expressionless animal. Simply a dead animal in the wild doesn't terminal long. And fresh kill is certainly not a cause for viruses and parasites. If and then, man should not swallow beef either.

Myth: The digestive system of a pig is unique in that it metabolizes food very quickly through one tummy in a process that takes about four hours. A cow takes twenty 4 hours to digest what's eaten and it is able to get rid of excess toxins during the digestive process. The pig'southward digestive system doesn't allow for this and the toxins are carried into the fat cells and organs of the pig itself.

Truth: Ruminants require four stomachs because they eat cellulose which is like wood. They use specialized leaner to breakup the roughage into nutrients they need. Pigs have a different digestive arrangement. In all cases humans and animals (including ruminants) tin absorb toxins via digestion.

Myth: Pigs do not have sweat glands. Perspiration is a key method the torso uses to for detoxification and the pig is non designed to perspire. When we consume pig meat we get all of these pathogenic microorganisms and environmental toxins into our arrangement. The fauna is just not designed to eliminate toxins finer.

Truth: Most livestock do non sweat like humans. Humans are somewhat unique in that regard. In humans, sweating releases traces of toxins (less than one pct of the body'south total content), but in reality, the sole purpose of sweating is to prevent overheating. The liver and kidneys (non the sweat glands) are the torso's true detoxifiers. They filter toxins out of the blood and the torso releases them through urine and feces.

Myth: Sus scrofa meat has twice as much fat as beef. A three ounce T-bone steak contains 8.5 grams of fat; a three ounce pork chop contains 18 grams of fatty.

Truth: Pigs are fattier than beef. Simply nobody forces people to eat the fat while forbidding them from eating the lean. And when it comes to Omega-3 pork, nosotros want to eat a lot of fat because of it's superior Omega-6 to Omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio which is a huge plus for the anti-cancer ketogenic diet.

Myth: From the perspective of minimizing parasite load, the healthiest mode to eat pork is to cook it at very high temperatures.

Truth: Cooking pork is the aforementioned as for whatsoever other meat. Pathogens are killed when the temperature hits 160 degrees. Pathogens are pathogens. Pigs do not have special pathogens that are more heat resistant.

Myth: Pasture-fed pork products are much safer every bit they should naturally take lower parasite loads and a better EFA ratio and antioxidants.

Truth: A pasture raised sus scrofa will pick upwards the same parasitic load that wild pigs pick up. The diets of all of the pasture raised pigs I've known take been primarily grain and their resulting EFA ratios reflect their heavy grain-based diet. Pork from Whole Foods will take EFA ratios exceeding 20:1. Omega-iii pigs have exceptionally low EFA ratios below 2:1 considering of their special diet, not because they are pastured. All animals will have antioxidants in them. All animals with outside admission will pick up parasites, including ruminants.

The irrational fears for pork are really amazing. In the USA, the annual pounds of meat per capita consumed is: beef is 57.1, pork 50.1, and chicken 91.3. If pork was causing a wellness issue, obviously there would exist thousands of reports about it in the nutritional journals. Show me one.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional inquiry in publications, television set and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man , is available online.

Don't miss these links for boosted reading:

Is it true that pigs do not have sweat glands and, therefore, are non able to become rid of toxins in their bodies? i.eastward. making the pork meat unhealthy to eat.

Is there any authentic medical research regarding pork that it is harmful for humans? by

The Great Hog Conspiracy from Mark's Daily Apple

Fresh Pork from Farm to Table from USDA FSIS