Pork Shoulder Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Pork shoulder is a source of high-quality protein, containing all essential amino acids (the building blocks of protein that the body cannot produce on its own) including lysine, leucine, and threonine .
While red meat is often associated with cardiovascular risks, a systematic review and meta-analysis specifically examining pork found null or even inverse associations between its consumption and body weight or body fat .
As a red meat, pork shoulder is categorized by major health organizations alongside beef and lamb, and its consumption is frequently monitored in dietary guidelines due to its saturated fat content and its potential link to chronic diseases when consumed in high amounts .
The nutritional profile of pork can be significantly altered by processing; while cuts like the Boston butt (upper shoulder) are often sold fresh, other shoulder cuts are frequently cured or smoked, which may change their sodium and preservative levels .

Interesting fact

Despite being from the front of the pig, the upper part of the pork shoulder is commonly called the 'Boston butt' because it was historically packed into specialty barrels known as butts for storage and transport.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

ELITE

SOURCE

Niacin

ELITE

SOURCE

Vitamin B6

ELITE

SOURCE

Pantothenic acid

168

kcal per 100g

Protein18.7g

Fat10.9g

Carbs0.01g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat1.63g

Monounsat4.42g

Saturated3.98g

Trans0.06g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

Gluten FreeDairy FreeKetoPaleo

Sustainability

Moderate

Pork generally has a lower carbon footprint than beef or lamb but higher than poultry or plant proteins.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Refrigerate

3–5 days

Keep in the coldest part of the fridge in original packaging.

Freeze

6–12 months

Wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 2 validated sources

French Food Database

2 contributing source foods

McCance & Widdowson

3 contributing source foods

Claim citations

Pork Meat Composition and Health: A Review of the Evidence - PMC

[1]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dietary Meat Categories and Descriptions in Chronic Disease Research Are Substantively Different within and between Experimental and Observational Studies: A Systematic Review and Landscape Analysis - PMC

[4]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Heterogeneity in Meat Food Groups Can Meaningfully Alter Population-Level Intake Estimates of Red Meat and Poultry - PMC

[5]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[PDF] Composition of Foods Raw, Processed, Prepared USDA National ...

[11]www.ars.usda.govars.usda.gov

Possible Impacts of Changes in Usda Grade Standards and ... - NCBI

[12]www.ncbi.nlm.nih.govncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

60.9

Version

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