Are Pork Rinds Healthy?
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Pork rinds: healthy high protein low carb keto snack?
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, we answer a viewer question who asked, are pork rinds healthy?
Specifically, are pork rinds a good option for a healthy high protein, low carbohydrate keto snack?
This is another episode from our #WayBackWednesday series, where we highlight the best questions from previous episodes of our #AskLiveLeanTV Q&A show.
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This question is from #AskLiveLeanTV Ep. 007.
Here’s today’s viewer question:
We didn’t get the name of the person but the following question comes from Snapchat: what do you guys think of pork rinds as a high protein low carbohydrate snack? Are pork rinds healthy?
Does Jessica eat pork rinds?
Jessica has only tried pork rinds once, and says she wasn’t a fan.
She personally just doesn’t like the idea of eating the deep fried skin of a pig.
I tend to disagree, because look at it this way.
One of the best parts of a Thanksgiving turkey is the turkey skin.
So eating pig skin is essentially the same thing.
Ultimately, it comes down to Jessica just not being a “skin eater”.
Does Brad like pork rinds?
During the filming of this video, I honestly never tried pork rinds before, but I had a feeling I would like them.
Since the filming, I tried snacking on pork rinds and thought they we ok.
But they definitely are not my favorite snack.
What are pork rinds?
Pork rinds, also known as cracklins and chicharrones, are fried pork skin.
They have a crunchy texture similar to potato chips but they are more fluffy and airy.
Based on this, a lot of people think pork rinds are not healthy for you.
Many people also place them in the same category as other unhealthy snack foods because pork rinds:
- are usually found in the snack food aisle
- have similar packaging as potato chips and tortillas
- are stocked on the same shelves beside potato chips and popcorn
Does that mean pork rinds are bad for you?
Lets dig in.
Pork rinds can be a healthy snack option if they are fried in their own pork fat and only contain a few ingredients.
Healthy pork rinds ingredients
- Pork skin
- Salt
Unhealthy pork rinds ingredients:
Pork rinds become unhealthy when food manufacturers add a bunch of garbage to the ingredients.
Let’s look at pork rinds calories and macronutrients
From a nutritional standpoint, Jessica admits that that macros on pork rinds are pretty stellar.
The calories and macronutrients listed below are based off of a serving size of 14g (1/2 oz) as per the nutrition facts label.
- Calories: 80
- Protein: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fat: 6g
Macronutrient % ratio of the calories from pork rinds:
- Protein: 40% of calories
- Carbohydrates: 0% of calories
- Fat: 68% of calories
Based on these macronutrients, pork rinds are primarily fat and protein, with no carbohydrates.
If you’re following a keto or paleo diet, this would make pork rinds a healthy snack option.
Are pork rinds a healthy type of fat?
Most people would assume a fried animal fat like pork fat would be bad for your cholesterol.
However, pork rinds are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, which is are found in high amounts in olive oil.
Oleic acid can have the opposite effect on your cholesterol as it may actually help reduce the amount of cholesterol that gets released into the bloodstream.
The other type of fat in pork rinds is saturated fat.
I’ve done many videos on why you shouldn’t shy away from natural sources of saturated fat, so look at this as a positive, not a negative.
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Pork rinds are also a good source of collagen and glycine which are important for your connective tissue, and healthy hair, skin, and nails.
Where do you find pork rinds at the grocery store?
As mentioned earlier, pork rinds are usually found in the snack aisle on the same shelves as the potato chips and popcorn.
Bottom line on are pork rinds healthy?
Make sure you look at the ingredients list on the pork rinds package.
If the pork rinds contain any of these ingredients:
- pork rinds (fried in their own pork fat)
- salt
- healthy oils
- natural herbs, spices, and seasonings
I personally give you the thumbs up.
But if you don’t want to eat it because it’s skin, don’t.
When it comes to making decisions on what you should eat, one of the criteria should be, do you actually enjoy eating it.
If you do, and it’s healthy and macronutrient friendly, then it’s positively a good thing.
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Question For You:
- Have you ever tried pork rinds?
- If so, do you like pork rinds?
Be sure to share your answers in the comment section below.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.