Protein is a major structural component of cells, tissues and organs. It also builds muscle mass and provides energy when carbohydrates and fat are not immediately available. Between 10 and 35 percent of your total calories should come from protein, which provides 4 calories per gram. For a typical 2,000-calorie diet, youll need 50 to 175 grams of protein each day, depending on your activity level. Pork is full of protein, but not all cuts of pork are lean and healthy.
Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of pork. A 4-ounce cut of broiled pork tenderloin has about 160 calories. Nearly 75 percent of the calories come from protein, while only about 25 percent of the calories come from fat. Meats, including pork, do not have carbohydrates. Youll get 30 grams of protein, amounting to 120 calories from protein, from 4 ounces of cooked pork tenderloin.
A large grilled pork chop weighing 8 ounces, has around 425 total calories. Pork chops are higher in fat than pork tenderloin. Roughly 52 percent of the total calories come from protein, while the remaining amount comes from fat. This size grilled pork chop has a total of 55 grams of protein, which equates to 220 calories from protein.
Pork sausage is loaded with fat and calories and should not be a major source of protein in your diet. A 10-inch-long Polish pork sausage, for example, has 740 calories. Less than 20 percent of the calories in this type of pork sausage come from protein. Youll get 32 grams of protein, which is 128 calories from protein, from a 10-inch Polish pork sausage. About 78 percent of the 740 calories come from fat and about 2 percent come from carbs. Sausage has a trace amount of carbs, which comes from the casing and spices.
Pork is relatively high in saturated fat, a type of harmful fat that leads to high cholesterol and an elevated risk of heart disease. You shouldnt have more than 10 percent of your total calories come from saturated fat, which has 9 calories per gram, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010. Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, you can have a maximum of 22 grams of saturated fat per day. Four ounces of broiled pork tenderloin has less than 2 grams, an 8-ounce grilled pork chop provides 5 grams and a 10-inch Polish pork sausage has nearly 24 grams of saturated fat. References
Melodie Anne Coffman specializes in overall wellness, with particular interests in womens health and personal defense. She holds a masters degree in food science and human nutrition and is a certified instructor through the NRA. Coffman is pursuing her personal trainer certification in 2015.
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Amount Per 1 chop (219 g)
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| Calories 505 |
Is it true that pork chops are healthier than steak?
When decent cuts of both are compared, pork looks to be slightly better nutritionally, with the exception of beef being higher in Iron and Zinc. Beef is consumed two times less globally than pork.
How many calories are in a grilled pork chop that weighs 10 ounces?
Pork Chops (Top Loin, Boneless) have 408 calories per 10 ounces. The percent Daily Value (DV) of a nutrient in a portion of food indicates how much it contributes to a daily diet.
A complete source of high quality protein
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and protein is essential for so many bodily functions, from building muscle to assisting in the production of hormones that keep our mood up.
Each of us needs a group of so-called essential amino acids because they’re something our bodies can’t make on their own — and pork chops contain all of them.
Pork chops are also a very rich source of protein. A large one delivers more than a third of your daily protein needs.
Another reason that protein is so valuable is because it’s very filling — more so than the other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fat). It’s a nutrient that gives you the staying power you need between meals (5).
FAQ
How many calories are in an 8 ounce boneless Pork Chop?
How much protein is in the 8 oz center cut Pork Chop?
How many calories are in a 8 ounce grilled bone in Pork Chop?
How many calories are in an 8 ounce grilled pork steak?
