Pork Chop Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts

Nutritional summary

Pork chops are a dense source of protein and several micronutrients, including thiamin (vitamin B1), selenium, and zinc .
Fat content varies significantly by cut; the loin is the leanest option and aligns with institutional dietary guidelines for lower saturated fat intake .
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses have found that pork consumption is not associated with increased body weight or body fat, with some clinical trials even showing an inverse relationship .
Fresh pork loin chops provide heme iron (a highly absorbable form of iron), though the amount per serving is comparable to other common protein sources like eggs .

Interesting fact

The term 'chop' first appeared in the 17th century to describe a slice of meat with a bone attached, derived from the Middle English 'choppen' meaning to strike or cut.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

SUPER

SOURCE

Vitamin B6

SUPER

SOURCE

Niacin

SUPER

SOURCE

Selenium

188

kcal per 100g

Protein23.2g

Fat10.4g

Carbs0.00g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat1.28g

Monounsat4.50g

Saturated3.82g

Trans0.02g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

Gluten FreeDairy FreeKetoPaleo

Sustainability

Moderate

Pork generally has a lower carbon footprint than beef or lamb but higher than poultry or plant proteins.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Refrigerate

3–5 days

Store in the coldest part of the fridge

Freeze

3–6 months

Wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 3 validated sources

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Pork Meat Composition and Health: A Review of the Evidence - PMC

[1]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

USDA Nutrient Data Set for Fresh Pork (Derived from SR), ...

[3]www.ars.usda.govars.usda.gov

Perspective: The Place of Pork Meat in Sustainable Healthy Diets - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[PDF] Nutrients: Iron, Fe(mg) - USDA

[10]www.nal.usda.govnal.usda.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

59.6

Version

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