Remember the 1980s, when pork was practically public enemy number one for your arteries? The fat was the villain. But the pork industry went on a massive diet over the last few decades. Today’s pork is, on average, 31% leaner than it was in the 1980s. That’s not a tiny flex; that’s a full-blown comeback story.
So, a boneless, trimmed pork chop is actually quite lean. We’re talking about 2.5 grams of fat per ounce for a loin chop. To put that in perspective, a skinless chicken breast has about 2 grams. Yeah, it’s that close. The high-fat, marbled cuts (like shoulder or spareribs) are the real troublemakers, not your average Sunday chop.
But Wait—What About the Cholesterol?
Here’s where we need to pause and throw a little science shade at old myths. Dietary cholesterol—the stuff in the meat itself—is not the big bad wolf we were taught to fear. Your own liver produces most of the cholesterol in your blood. The real culprits? Saturated fat and trans fat. And guess what? A properly trimmed pork chop is surprisingly low in saturated fat.
For a 3-ounce serving (about the size of a deck of cards—yes, that tiny), you’re looking at roughly 1.5 grams of saturated fat. Compare that to a single tablespoon of butter, which has 7 grams. The chop is practically an angel in disguise! (I know, I’m shocked too.)
Pork Chops Nutrition Facts: You Need To Know - Its MAM
