Pork Or Beef: Which One Is Better For You?

Pork Or Beef?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 156 grams of protein-rich foods daily. These proteins can come from animals, legumes, eggs or seeds, but let’s face it: we all have a special place in our hearts for red meat.

For years, there has been a constant battle of tastes over pork or beef meat. So which one is better: a juicy cut of pork or meat, a savory option found in so many recipes? Which type of meat is healthier and more environment-friendly? How can you cook each meat to obtain a safe, tasty result?

Today, I’ll answer all those questions and more so you can make the best culinary decisions. Ready?

 

Pork or Beef: Nutrition Facts

As I was mentioning before, both pork and beef are red meat, therefore they are less healthy than other categories such as fish or poultry. Nevertheless, each option contains plenty of important nutrients:

• Pork is richer in vitamins B1 and B2. It also offers 13% of the daily value of vitamin D required, which is a major plus considering that many people need to take supplements for it.
• Beef is very high in vitamin B12, a great ally for immunity, as well as iron and zinc.

 

Fat found in Pork or beef

Red meat is often considered less healthy than other options because it contains saturated fats. In time, this type of fat can have a negative impact on cholesterol levels and increase the risk of long-term illnesses. Generally, pork meat is more likely to contain healthy fats than a fatty beef cut.

According to the Mayo Clinic, though, a cow’s diet has a major influence on the types of fat found in its beef. Grass-fed beef, for instance, has considerably more unsaturated (healthy) fats including omega fatty acids.

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Cooking makes the difference

Regardless if you choose pork or beef, the way you cook can make a huge difference in terms of nutrition and health benefits.

The main rule of thumb? Avoid frying. This cooking technique only increases the amount of unhealthy fats and may have a negative impact on how your body absorbs other nutrients. The American Heart Association recommends baking, broiling, roasting and even stir-frying.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dietary Association shows that cooked pork have fewer advanced glycation end products (AGEs) than beef, which are often linked to heart disease and cancer. However, when comparing pork, beef and chicken, the latter had the least AGEs of all three.

Ultimately, the same study agrees that roasting and stewing meat at low temperatures is the healthiest way to cook meat because they reduce the amount of AGEs you consume.

 

What is your favorite beef/pork recipe? Let us know in the comments!