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Nutrition:
Pork Is Vital to a Healthy Diet
Pork producers
have listened to consumers' preferences and concerns. Since
the 1980s, the fat content of pork has been dramatically reduced.
For example, the most popular selection of pork, the tenderloin
is now 42% lower in fat. This was achieved through: improved
breeding and feeding practices and better trimming of fat,
both at the processors and in the stores.
Today's
lean pork means pork plays a vital part in a healthy diet.
The key is to achieve a nutritional balance and practice moderation.
Each food group (grains, vegetables & fruit, milk products,
and meat & alternatives) provides part, but not all, of the
daily nutrient needs. So choose foods from all four-food groups,
and eat as wide a variety as possible from within each group.
When it
comes to good health and good eating, pork gets top marks.
Pork contains many of the nutrients recommended by many health
organizations to build and maintain a healthy body, including
six essential vitamins, four important minerals, protein and
energy.
America's
perception of pork is changing and consumers are beginning
to realize that pork is a desirable lean meat choice. Pork
is showing up in many dietary plans, including those of the
American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association,
American Diabetic Association, and other public health opinion
leaders.
Pork
Nutrition Facts
- Pork
provides protein, which is important for children to grow
well and build strong muscles.
- Pork
is a source of protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins.
- Several
years ago, serum cholesterol was pinpointed as a factor
in heart disease risk, today nutrition professionals agree
that dietary cholesterol is not the only culprit in raising
serum cholesterol; rather, total dietary fat and other lifestyle
factors are also at work.
- Numerous
pork cuts today are equivalent in fat content and calories
to lean poultry cuts.
- Most
public health organizations rely on the USDA Food Guide
Pyramid, which shows Americans how to build a balanced diet.
Lean pork fits well into this pyramid.
- The
USDA, American Dietetic Association, and American Heart
Association, in their respective dietary advice to the public,
consistently recommend meat as an important source of complete
protein and essential vitamins and minerals.
Pork
Nutrition and the National School Lunch Program
Congress
will soon be considering bills to reauthorize Federal Child
Nutrition Programs administered by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) including the National School Lunch and
Breakfast Programs. There has been a great deal of focus of
late on how many of the products currently on school menus
may or may not be contributing to childhood obesity. Many
news reports have focused on meat products in school lunches
as a contributing source of obesity, diabetes, cancer and
other chronic diseases.
In reality,
schools are serving more fruits, vegetables and grains since
implementation of the School Meals Initiative. Fewer than
30 percent of all breakfast menus included meat or meat alternates.
Intakes of pork and other meat products, luncheon meats and
hog dogs also have decreased. The fat content of school meals
continues to drop. Decreases in calories from fat and saturated
fat were achieved without negative impacts on the total calorie
and nutrient content of lunches offered to students. In addition,
lunches are also significantly lower in cholesterol and sodium
and higher in calories from carbohydrates than lunches offered
in years past.
With all
of the misinformation currently out there on meat products
and their nutrition content, NPPC is working to highlight
the breadth of nutritious pork products that are available
for National School Lunch and Breakfast programs. Researchers
are currently working with the U.S. pork industry to develop
products for school meals that combine pork and fruits or
vegetables and to test the resulting products in local school
districts. In addition, NPPC is working with Congressional
leaders to extend the commodity purchase program at a rate
of 5 cents per meal to the National School Breakfast programs.
The Council also is working to provide an incentive-based
pilot project whereby school districts are rewarded when they
offer lower fat pork products.
Facts
About Pork in School Lunches
- Schools
are currently serving pork entrees and still meeting the
nutritional goals for fat and saturated fat. Giving incentives
to schools to offer low fat pork products combined with
fruits and vegetables would help children meet their fruit
and vegetable goals while consuming high quality protein
and nutrients essential to their growth and development.
- Schools
depend highly on USDA commodities to keep food costs low.
USDA should broaden the healthy school environment initiative
to extend the use of commodities to cover breakfasts and
to provide incentives to schools that offer low fat pork
products, especially ones combined with fruits and vegetables.
- Children
and families have found lower fat pork products a good source
of protein and important nutrients. It is time for schools
to offer more of these low fat pork products at breakfast
as well as lunch.
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