Maybe you shouldn’t feel so guilty consuming pork fat after all. According to a recent BBC report, scientists analyzed over 1,000 raw foods to rank how nutritious they are, and they discovered that pork fat is up there with the likes of chia seeds, almonds, and beet greens.
Each food item analyzed was given a nutritional score. The higher the score, the more likely that the food item would meet our daily nutritional needs when eaten in combination with other foods. The result of the study is a list of the 100 most nutritious foods, where pork fat ranks 8th.
Pork fat was given the nutritional score of 73. It bested other healthy food items like squash, salmon, and walnuts.
The study cited by BBC, titled “Uncovering the Nutritional Landscape of Food”, revealed the following top 10 most nutritious foods with their corresponding nutritional scores:
- Almonds – 97
Rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Promote cardiovascular health and may help with diabetes. - Cherimoya – 96
Fruit is fleshy and sweet with a white pulp. Rich in sugar and vitamins A, C, B1, B2 and potassium. - Ocean perch (a deep-water fish) – 89
A deep-water Atlantic fish sometimes called rockfish. High in protein, low in saturated fats. - Flatfish – 88
Generally free from mercury and a good source of the essential nutrient vitamin B1. - Chia seeds – 85
Tiny black seeds that contain high amounts of dietary fibre, protein, a-linolenic acid, phenolic acid and vitamins. - Pumpkin seeds – 84
Including the seeds of other squashes. One of the richest plant-based sources of iron and manganese. - Swiss chard – 78
A very rare dietary source of betalains, phytochemicals thought to have antioxidant and other health properties. - Pork fat – 73
A good source of B vitamins and minerals. Pork fat is more unsaturated and healthier than lamb or beef fat. - Beet greens – 70
The leaves of beetroot vegetables. High in calcium, iron, vitamin K and B group vitamins (especially riboflavin). - Snapper – 69
A family of mainly marine fish, with red snapper the best known. Nutritious but can carry dangerous toxins.
It is also healthier and more unsaturated than other meats like beef and lamb. Of course consuming pork fat needs to be done in moderation.
According to a Singapore-based nutritionist interviewed by the Chinese Daily, as quoted by Asia One:
“As long as it’s pure and unprocessed, it can be beneficial for the body. For example, meat is a better source of Vitamin B than fat, and essential omega-3 fatty acids are obtained from other foods.”