For Health Professionals
Research has shown that pork is not only nutritious, but can also play an important role in weight loss diets by improving feelings of fullness and by increasing resting energy expenditure.
Proceedings of the IMS Symposium: Protein Requirements for optimal health throughout all life stages presented September 2013 in Granada, Spain
Given protein's critical role in current and future dietary requirements for an increasing world population and the emerging science suggesting the potential inadequacies of the current protein recommendations, the International Meat Secretariat (IMS) hosted a symposium on protein requirements for optimal health throughout the lifecycle during the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) International Congress of Nutrition in Granada, Spain, September 2013. The agenda included four renowned protein scientists who provided evidence based information about the nutritional qualities of meat and its role in a healthful, sustainable diet.
Replacement of fat with pork-meat protein increased 24-hr EE by 4.7% along with a decrease in energy intake
Mikkelsen PB, Toubro S, Astrup A Effect of fat-reduced diets on 24-h energy expenditure: comparisons between animal protein, vegetable protein, and carbohydrate. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 72:1135-41.
In this study, young, healthy, overweight subjects were provided with different diet interventions to compare the effects of pork-meat protein, soy protein, and carbohydrate on their 24-hour energy expenditure. Respiratory chamber tests showed that 24-hour energy expenditure was higher with pork than with the soy or carbohydrate. Substitution of carbohydrate with 17-18% of energy as protein (from either pork or soy) produced a 3% higher 24-h energy expenditure; while animal protein produced 2% higher energy expenditure than did the vegetable protein from soy. This study provides additional evidence that protein from meat may be important in improving reductions in body weight and fat mass in overweight individuals.
Women who ate more protein, with pork as their only source of meat, felt fuller longer after meals and achieved a greater preservation of lean body mass with weight loss.
Leidy HJ, Carnell NS, Mattes RD, Campbell WW. Higher protein intake preserves lean mass and satiety with weight loss in pre-obese and obese women. Obesity. 2007;15(2): 421-9.
Researchers at Purdue University found that female subjects following a 12-week high protein diet had more positive outcomes than those given "normal" protein diets. The women in the study followed either a high-protein diet (30 % of energy from protein, 45% carbohydrate, 25% fat) or a normal-protein diet (18% protein) calorie-restricted diet. For the higher protein diets, subjects consumed cooked pork (loin, ham, or Canadian bacon) products comprising 40% of their protein intake, while the normal protein subject were given milk comprising 13% of their protein intake. While both groups lost weight, the subjects eating more protein from pork reported more positive overall mood, felt fuller longer after meals, reported more feelings of pleasure during dieting compared to those who ate less protein. Those on the higher protein pork diet also had a greater preservation of lean body mass after losing weight.
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