There’s a reason why a lot of diets discourage pork products in their coordinated meals. Pork is the bane of anyone wishing to get in better shape since it’s challenging to say no to a crisp and tender set of bacon strips. But if you’re looking to make a change and to update your diet, here are three big reasons why you have to let go of pork in your menu, no matter how difficult or painful it may be.
- Pigs aren’t the best animals to eat
Though pigs are part of the top three staple meat animals along with chicken and cows, pork may not be your best option to eat based on the pigs’ physical nature. Pigs do not have sweat glands which translate to them not being able to sweat, to release the excess toxins in their body. In eating pork, you’re eating unfiltered flesh with a good number of toxins inherent.
Though it’s debatable that pigs still have livers and kidneys to filter out the excess junk that their bodies generate, it’s a tough call to consider since pork contains a high amount of saturated fat and packs a massive punch of cholesterol to boot. Having these in your body could lead you to develop heart disease as an example.
- Home for worms
Yes, you heard that right. Pork is highly susceptible to being a haven for homeless worms. There’s a reason why pork meat needs to be stored in freezing temperatures before cooking. It’s because severely low temperatures lower the risk of having them present in your pork. Consider how I mentioned ‘lowers the risk’ instead of ‘killing them’ because even if you’ve frozen it well, worms can still be present in your pork if you haven’t cooked it well enough.
Here are a few common parasites that tend to live in pork meat:
- Taenia Solium. A nasty parasite that can cause lack of appetite and tissue infection
- Trichinella. A roundworm that causes myalgia, fever spikes, and severe edema
- Salmonella. A tricky bacterium that can hide inside pigs unnoticed even after their death. It can induce fever, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
- Pigs bred in the USA
Though we are in the land of the free, the US doesn’t always have the best track record regarding rearing pigs. Unlike farm cows that are allowed to graze around the fields, pigs are often kept in pens or even put inside claustrophobic living conditions as they require relatively low maintenance to breed.
As with any break-up, you will find it difficult to let go of something that you’re used to for a long time. Look for alternative dishes to try to get your edge off missing pork. There are some equally greasy-tasting yet superior foodstuffs you can look forward to from Asian cuisine to kosher restaurant in Manhattan. Saying goodbye to pork means you can say hello to a diverse new array of meat products; beef, fish, lamb, and more – all with higher protein values – makes for a healthier for you.
Image: Pixabay.com
