Pigs might be sweet and have cute little snouts but they are dirty animals. Once you visit a country where they are free to roam and you see them in their element, you reconsider eating them. (I remember once watching a pig in the mountains of Mexico walk into a “bathroom” after a friend who had gotten sick walked out.) Pigs are scavengers and will eat whatever they can find, including insects, leftover food scraps, feces, the dead carcasses of sick animals- even their own young.

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But why does that mean we shouldn’t eat them? Well, pig’s digest their food in about four hours (it takes a cow about twenty-four) and that quick digestion process leaves a lot of toxins, something cows and humans are able to shed during the digestive process, present in their bodies. Pigs also don’t have sweat glands, another detoxifying tool.

So, that pork chop you might consider eating, because it’s leaner, is actually loaded with more toxins than beef and chicken. And, often times, pigs are carrying a variety of parasites in their bodies, parasites that can be difficult to kill even when cooking.

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The CDC reports that more than 100 viruses come to the U.S. each year from China through pigs (the largest producer of pigs) and some of these viruses are incredibly dangerous to humans.1

“One of the biggest concerns with eating pork meat is trichinellosis or trichinosis. This is an infection that humans get from eating undercooked or uncooked pork that contains the larvae of the Trichinella worm.

This worm parasite is very commonly found in pork. When the worm, most often living in cysts in the stomach, opens through stomach acids, its larvae are released into the body of the pig. These new worms make their homes in the muscles of the pig.2

(If you are faint of heart maybe don’t watch the video below. Also, just a caution, there is some foul language in the video.)

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As you all know, I don’t eat meat. However, I don’t suggest to you every day that you should stop, I only suggest you be wise in your food selections. So, I’m not going to suggest you don’t eat pork. I will, however, caution you to eat only organic pork and remind you to make sure it’s been cooked to the correct temperature.

Love you my Health Nuts!
XO-

Erin

Sources and References

  1. Medcare, July 26, 2017.
  2. Medcare, July 26, 2017.