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Pork as a Disease Maker: How Did the Myth Come About?

The prejudice is just as stubborn as it is unjustified: eating pork is said to have a negative impact on human health. In this context, meat is often referred to as a “disease-maker”. According to the myth, it contains too much fat, too much cholesterol, and triggers allergies. Pork, like other types of meat, can be part of a healthy and balanced diet, provided you eat it in moderation and follow the usual nutritional recommendations: no more than 300 to 600 grams of meat, ham or sausages should be on the menu per week stand.

A common misconception is that pork is generally very rich in fat. However, that is wrong. On the contrary, some pork cuts are particularly lean. These include, for example, chop, schnitzel, or filet. Other parts, such as the bacon from the belly, are actually very rich in fat. However, depending on how you prepare the meat and what dishes you want to use it for, very lean pork isn’t always a better choice.

The allegedly very high cholesterol content is also often cited in order to expose pork as a disease-causing substance. It is true that the liver and kidneys actually contain a relatively large amount of cholesterol. However, this also applies to the innards of other animals. In addition, offal is generally rarely on the menu. The other parts of the pork, on the other hand, do not provide any more cholesterol than other types of meat. So there is nothing wrong with eating pork in moderation.

Pork is also suspected of triggering allergies. However, allergies caused by meat are generally very rare. On the other hand, cross-allergies can occur more frequently: in exceptional cases, the consumption of pork can lead to digestive problems in people allergic to cat hair. Otherwise, it is sufficient to cook the meat carefully to render most allergens harmless.

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Written by John Myers

Professional Chef with 25 years of industry experience at the highest levels. Restaurant owner. Beverage Director with experience creating world-class nationally recognized cocktail programs. Food writer with a distinctive Chef-driven voice and point of view.

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