Just recently, a study conducted by scientists and food analysts ranked pork fat in the 8th spot in the list of 100 most nutritious foods. It aired in the BBC news titled, “Uncovering the nutritional Landscape of food.” Yes! Pork fat just made it to the top 10 out of 100 nutritious foods. So, have we been wrong for a long time? According to studies, pork fat is bad for our cholesterol and overall health. Is this just a mere misconception? So now, to make things clear, let us delve into this topic head-on. Over the years, pork fat has been over underrated when it comes to health benefits. People who have problems with their blood pressure, cholesterol, and conscious to their weight avoid pork fat at all costs. But the recent BBC news included pork fat as one of the nutritious foods needed to meet our daily needs.
Pork fat received a fitness score of 73%, higher than squash, salmon, and walnuts. To sustain the daily nutritional needs of our body, we need to eat a variety of foods. We cannot get all the required nutrients in just one food, so a basket of different kinds of foods was presented in this study. Each basket contains combination of foods with other nutrients needed to meet our daily requirements for health. When they picked the ideal baskets with the most foods that meet our daily needs, many chose baskets that contained pork fat. Those combinations of foods are according to the daily requirements of nutrients needed for a healthy body. Pork fat is most of the time present in those ideal baskets.
What Is In Pork Fat That Makes It Nutritious Foods?
Saturated Fats
Our daily requirement of nutrients includes a tiny bit of saturated fat, which pork fat contains. But our needs may vary from the food we eat in one day. The ideal baskets in the recent study included a variety of foods that meets our daily requirements. So if this day you consume other food that also has saturated fat this day, then pork should be out on your menu. For example, in a 2000-calorie diet, you only need to consume 12% saturated fat a day. “Too much of something is bad,” as they say. So more than 12% of saturated fat a day is not healthy at all.
Living And Eating Healthy
The recent news on the BBC about the 100 nutritious foods only teaches us the nutrients that comply with our daily needs to live healthily. It does not say that pork fat is enough to sustain the daily nutritional requirements. Yes, it includes the most nutritious foods, but with the combination of other foods and, of course, we should only eat it in moderation to sustain our daily need for saturated fat. Living healthy depends not only on the food that you eat but also on the way you live. Though eating healthy lowers our risk of having health problems, our lifestyle plays a vital role in our health. Exercise and adequate sleep are also needed to maintain a healthy body and mind.
Final Thoughts
Some of us are confused about this study, and some are trying to justify pork fat. I hope this article has somehow cleared up the doubts and confusion. Remember the combination of foods that will meet your daily health needs. Every person’s needs may differ from the other, so it is essential to know what’s yours. Ask advice from your doctor or dietician.
