Pork Chop Iron: Getting Your Fill of This Essential Mineral

A juicy, savory pork chop can make for a tasty and satisfying meal. While pork chops are a lean source of protein, they also deliver a healthy dose of iron. This essential mineral plays several crucial roles in the body. But how much iron does an average pork chop actually contain? Let’s take a closer look at the iron levels in different types of pork chops.

Why Your Body Needs Iron

Iron has many vital functions in the body It helps form hemoglobin, a protein that enables red blood cells to carry oxygen to all your tissues Iron is also needed to make myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to your muscles.

Additionally, iron assists in energy production, immune function, brain development, and more Since your body can’t produce iron, you have to obtain it through foods like pork chops

The recommended daily intake is 18 mg for women aged 19-50 years old, and 8 mg for adult men. Those at highest risk for iron deficiency include pregnant women, infants, and teens going through growth spurts.

How Much Iron is in Pork Chops

While the iron content varies slightly based on the cut, pork chops are one of the richest food sources of this mineral. Different cuts include:

• Pork loin chop
• Rib chop
• Sirloin chop
• Shoulder blade chop

A 3-ounce pork loin chop contains:

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 21 grams
• Fat: 4 grams
• Iron: 1 mg (6% DV)

As you can see, one loin pork chop supplies 6% of the Daily Value for iron. While not extremely high, eating pork chops a few times per week can help boost your iron intake.

Here is how other common 3-ounce pork chop cuts stack up:

• Rib chop: 1.1 mg iron (6% DV)

• Sirloin chop: 0.9 mg iron (5% DV)

• Shoulder blade chop: 1.2 mg iron (7% DV)

On average, most pork chops contain about 1 mg of iron per 3-ounce serving, or 5-7% DV. So pork chops can be a handy iron source, especially when eating 2-3 servings a week.

Enhanced Pork Chops – Even More Iron

Some pork chops are enhanced through a sodium phosphate solution, which helps retain moisture and increases tenderness. Enhanced pork chops contain significantly more iron than regular chops.

A 3-ounce enhanced pork loin chop provides:

• Calories: 140
• Protein: 21 grams
• Fat: 4 grams
• Iron: 1.8 mg (10% DV)

The enhancement solution increases the iron content by about 1 mg per serving compared to non-enhanced pork chops.

Other enhanced pork chop iron levels:

• Enhanced rib chop: 2 mg (11% DV)

• Enhanced sirloin chop: 1.8 mg (10% DV)

• Enhanced shoulder chop: 2.1 mg (12% DV)

So opting for enhanced pork chops can almost double your iron intake compared to regular chops.

Risk of Absorbing Less Iron from Cooked Chops

While pork chops contain a decent amount of iron, some gets lost during cooking. Heating causes some minerals like iron to leach out into the cooking liquid. Acidic marinades also cause more iron loss.

One study found up to 40% of the iron was lost when grilling pork chops until well-done. Cooking to lower temperatures results in less iron loss.

To maximize iron absorption from cooked pork chops:

• Avoid overcooking
• Use non-acidic marinades
• Retain and incorporate cooking juices

Pork Chops Can Boost Your Iron Intake

A typical 3-ounce pork chop contains about 1 mg of iron, providing 5-7% of the Daily Value. Enhanced chops contain almost double the amount. Though some iron is lost in cooking, pork chops are still an excellent source of this mineral. Eating them just 2-3 times a week makes a worthwhile contribution to your daily iron requirements.