Does Eating Pork Cause High Blood Pressure?

Most food products derived from animals are high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Both of these factors have been shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure. High amounts of sodium have also been linked to high blood pressure and many forms of pork, including ham and bacon, contain large amounts of salt for preservation and flavoring. Food preparation, such as fried pork chops or deep-fried pork tenderloins, can also cause an increase in fat levels and may lead to higher blood pressure as well. Additionally, foods that use internal parts of the pig--such as livers, the brain, or the intestines--are going to be much higher in cholesterol that can also play a role in high blood pressure.

Everyone should try to eat a healthy diet and consume meat products--including pork--in moderation. If your numbers have reached a certain level or if you have certain risk factors, then paying attention to what you eat is even more important. Hypertension (the technical term for high blood pressure) is a reading of more than 140/90 mm/Hg. People who have a blood pressure reading of more than 120/80 mm/Hg are considered to have prehypertension and need to take actions to prevent their condition from getting worse. If you have a family history of heart disease, are over 55, diabetic, if you smoke or if you are overweight, you should be concerned about the risk of high blood pressure. These are all serious risk factors that can be aggravated with a poor diet.

Making lifestyle changes is the best way to combat high blood pressure. For example, you can cut down on your processed pork products and opt for leaner chops. Other dietary changes, such as eating more fiber, reducing calorie intake and boosting vegetable consumption can help you maintain better health all around. Getting more exercise is also important for improving the health of your heart. Finally, physicians will often prescribe high blood pressure medications to patients who are unable to get their numbers under control on their own.

Despite all of the potential ways pork can contribute to high blood pressure, you can still enjoy "the other white meat" as part of your diet. The good news is that pork is typically leaner than in the past, so you're going to get less saturated fat than before. You can minimize saturated fat levels in pork by choosing the leanest cuts you can find. Remembering appropriate portion sizes is also important. When eating pork, you should have a single serving, which is about three ounces. Remember not to fry or batter your pork, because this can make it less healthy. Baking, grilling or roasting can be good options.

Typically, pork is a better choice than red meat. Unfortunately, too many people do not see the ways pork can be added into their diet in healthy ways. For example, you can purchase some very lean pieces of pork, cut them into small pieces and cook them on the stove top in olive oil with some carrots and other vegetables to create a delicious stir fry. If you're worried about properly seasoning the pork chops, choose spices instead of salt.