Column #104

The number of myths surrounding food seems to know no limits. Of the most pervasive and unhinged are the hoard of myths regarding pork. Now, if you have religious beliefs about eating certain foods, that’s a separate issue. I’ve never attempted to change anyone’s religious beliefs. But I also recognize that if I combined all religious food taboos together, the only thing left to eat would be grain. Then the sickness rate would soar way higher than it is now.

So, I’ll put philosophy, religion, and rumors aside that promote anti-pork myths and talk about facts.

Myth: Pigs have poor detoxification systems.

Truth: In all animals toxins are cleared in the liver and kidneys. Just like people, pigs have one liver and two kidneys.

Myth: Due to a scavenger lifestyle pigs are primary carriers of viruses and parasites.

Truth: Pigs eat mostly grasses and roots. But they also eat meat, vegetables, fruit, and nuts. They will eat a dead animal. But a dead animal in the wild doesn’t last long. And fresh kill is certainly not a cause for viruses and parasites. If so, man should not eat beef either.

Myth: The digestive system of a pig is unique in that it metabolizes food very quickly through one stomach in a process that takes about four hours. A cow takes twenty four hours to digest what’s eaten and it is able to get rid of excess toxins during the digestive process. The pig’s digestive system doesn’t allow for this and the toxins are carried into the fat cells and organs of the pig itself.

Truth: Ruminants require four stomachs because they eat cellulose which is like wood. They use specialized bacteria to breakdown the roughage into nutrients they need. Pigs have a different digestive system. In all cases humans and animals (including ruminants) can absorb toxins via digestion.

Myth: Pigs do not have sweat glands. Perspiration is a key method the body uses to for detoxification and the pig is not designed to perspire. When we consume pig meat we get all of these pathogenic microorganisms and environmental toxins into our system. The animal is just not designed to eliminate toxins effectively.

Truth: Most livestock do not sweat like humans. Humans are somewhat unique in that regard. In humans, sweating releases traces of toxins (less than one percent of the body's total content), but in reality, the sole purpose of sweating is to prevent overheating. The liver and kidneys (not the sweat glands) are the body's true detoxifiers. They filter toxins out of the blood and the body releases them through urine and feces.

Myth: Pig meat has twice as much fat as beef. A three ounce T-bone steak contains 8.5 grams of fat; a three ounce pork chop contains 18 grams of fat.

Truth: Pigs are fattier than beef. But nobody forces people to eat the fat while forbidding them from eating the lean. And when it comes to Omega-3 pork, we want to eat a lot of fat because of it’s superior Omega-6 to Omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA) ratio which is a huge plus for the anti-cancer ketogenic diet.

Myth: From the perspective of minimizing parasite load, the healthiest way to consume pork is to cook it at very high temperatures.

Truth: Cooking pork is the same as for any other meat. Pathogens are killed when the temperature hits 160 degrees. Pathogens are pathogens. Pigs do not have special pathogens that are more heat resistant.

Myth: Pasture-fed pork products are much safer as they should naturally have lower parasite loads and a better EFA ratio and antioxidants.

Truth: A pasture raised pig will pick up the same parasitic load that wild pigs pick up. The diets of all of the pasture raised pigs I’ve known have been primarily grain and their resulting EFA ratios reflect their heavy grain-based diet. Pork from Whole Foods will have EFA ratios exceeding 20:1. Omega-3 pigs have exceptionally low EFA ratios below 2:1 because of their special diet, not because they are pastured. All animals will have antioxidants in them. All animals with outside access will pick up parasites, including ruminants.

The irrational fears for pork are really amazing. In the USA, the annual pounds of meat per capita consumed is: beef is 57.1, pork 50.1, and chicken 91.3. If pork was causing a health issue, obviously there would be thousands of reports about it in the nutritional journals. Show me one.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

Don’t miss these links for additional reading:

Is it true that pigs do not have sweat glands and, therefore, are not able to get rid of toxins in their bodies? i.e. making the pork meat unhealthy to eat.

Is there any authentic medical research regarding pork that it is harmful for humans? by Sanjeev Sabhlok

The Great Pig Conspiracy from Mark’s Daily Apple

Fresh Pork from Farm to Table from USDA FSIS

Per Capita Consumption of Poultry and Livestock, 1965 to Estimated 2017, in Pounds