Pork Debunks Diet Myths During Dietetic Expo

With a roll of the dice, the Pork Checkoff separated nutrition facts from fiction, like "nutrient-rich lean pork is relatively low in calories" (true) and "the sodium nitrite in cured pork causes cancer" (false), during the world's largest gathering of food and nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association's (ADA) annual conference.

"We have a good message to share about pork's role in a healthy diet, and it's important for us to counter the common misconceptions that persist about pork," says Adria Sheil-Brown, manager of nutrition communication and research for the Pork Checkoff.

To reach out to the 10,000 registered dietitians, nutrition science researchers, policy makers, healthcare providers and other industry leaders at the ADA meeting in Boston this fall, the Pork Checkoff distributed two new fact sheets, including "Sodium Nitrite: Essential to Food Safety" and "Pork: Part of a Nutrient-Rich Solution to Obesity."

Visitors to the Pork Checkoff's spacious trade show booth were also invited to roll the dice and answer trivia questions about pork nutrition and safety. Everyone walked away a winner with digital meat thermometers, pedometers and the new fact sheets, which highlight that:

• A 3-ounce serving of lean pork provides about the same amount of protein as 1.5 cups of black beans, but with 21 percent fewer calories according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, SR23.
• A 2009 British Journal of Nutrition study found diets that include meat are more effective at preserving lean muscle among women, compared to vegetarian diets with the same amount of protein.
• A 3-ounce serving of pork offers 8% of the daily value of vitamin B-12, a micronutrient not found in plant-based foods according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, SR23..
• Sodium nitrite in cured meats including ham and bacon plays an essential food-safety role, preventing spoilage and blocking the development of the botulism toxin. Studies by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the American Cancer Society and the American Medical Association found no links between nitrites in food and the development of cancer. Not only is sodium nitrite a safe and regulated food additive, but industry efforts have also lowered residual nitrite levels in cured meat products in the United States by approximately 80 percent since the mid-1970s.

"Our fact sheets are backed up by science, and they give us another educational tool to spread the word that there's a place for lean pork in your diet," Sheil-Brown says.

To give ADA members a taste of pork's possibilities, Pork Checkoff representatives handed out recipe brochures, along with 500 samples of Five-Spice Pork and Apple Salad Skewers each day of the expo.

"Keeping pork top of mind among dietitians and other health specialists is an ongoing commitment for the Pork Checkoff, because these professionals play a key role in conveying pork's message to their patients and clients, who are also our consumers," Sheil-Brown says.

For more information, contact Adria Sheil-Brown, ABrown@pork.org, 515-223-2632 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 515-223-2632 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

Source: The Pork Checkoff