For a long time, pork rinds were only sold at gas stations and convenience stores. Now, you can also find them at regular grocery stores. Some companies offer gourmet flavors of pork rinds. Some high-end restaurants have even added gourmet pork rinds to their menus.
Pork rinds, also known as pork scratchings or pork cracklings, have become a popular high-protein, low-carb snack in recent years. With their crunchy texture and salty, porky flavor, it’s easy to see why people looking to cut carbs have turned to pork rinds as a substitute for chips, crackers, and other carb-heavy snacks.
But if you look closely at the nutrition labels on bags of pork rinds, you’ll usually see a statement that may seem confusing “Not a significant source of protein.” What gives? Aren’t pork rinds supposed to be a good source of protein? Let’s take a closer look at why pork rinds don’t provide as much protein as you might think
What are Pork Rinds?
Pork rinds are made from pork skin that has been fried or roasted until it becomes crispy The process of making pork rinds involves separating the skin from pork belly or other fatty cuts of pork, then drying, seasoning, and cooking it until it puffs up and becomes crispy.
The end result is a crispy crunchy snack that contains little meat and is mostly skin. Pork rinds are low in carbohydrates, but they’re also high in fat. A 1-ounce serving of plain pork rinds contains 9 grams of fat including 3.5 grams of saturated fat.
Why Don’t Pork Rinds Have Much Protein?
There are a few reasons why pork rinds aren’t actually a significant source of protein:
They’re mostly skin, not meat
Pork rinds are made from the skin of a pig, not the meat. Skin contains very little protein compared to lean cuts of pork. Most of the protein in pork comes from the muscle tissue (meat), which is removed to make pork rinds.
They lose protein during processing
The process of turning pork skin into crunchy pork rinds further reduces the already low amount of protein. As the pork skin is cooked, a lot of the moisture evaporates, resulting in a loss of water-soluble proteins. The high heat also degrades some of the protein.
They contain incomplete protein
Even with the small amount of protein that remains in pork rinds, it does not provide a complete protein source because it lacks sufficient amounts of some essential amino acids.
The protein in pork rinds is considered incomplete because it is deficient in certain “indispensable” amino acids, including:
- Methionine
- Tryptophan
- Histidine
Without adequate amounts of these essential amino acids, pork rinds do not contain all 9 of the essential amino acids required to form new protein in the body.
Nutrition Facts: How Much Protein is in Pork Rinds?
A 1-ounce (28 gram) serving of plain, unseasoned pork rinds contains:
- Calories: 192
- Total Fat: 15.7g
- Saturated Fat: 5.7g
- Cholesterol: 44mg
- Sodium: 291mg
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Protein: 13g
So while a 1-ounce serving of pork rinds does contain 13 grams of protein, it falls short of being a high quality, complete protein source due to the lack of indispensable amino acids.
To put this in perspective, here’s how pork rinds compare to other high-protein foods:
- 3 ounces (85g) of chicken breast contains 26g protein
- 1⁄4 cup almonds contains 8g protein
- 1⁄2 cup black beans contains 8g protein
- 1 egg contains 6g protein
As you can see, typical servings of meat, eggs, nuts, and legumes provide equal or larger amounts of protein compared to pork rinds. And these foods contain complete, higher quality protein with all the essential amino acids.
Should You Eat Pork Rinds for Protein?
Pork rinds can be enjoyed as an occasional snack, but there are better options if you’re looking to increase your protein intake. Here are some things to consider:
- Eat pork rinds in moderation. They’re high in sodium and saturated fat.
- Don’t rely solely on pork rinds for protein. Combine them with other protein sources like yogurt, eggs, beans, or nuts.
- Look for high-protein snacks if cutting carbs. Jerky, protein bars, Greek yogurt, and cottage cheese all contain more complete protein than pork rinds.
- Get most protein from whole foods. Lean meats, seafood, legumes, dairy products, and plant-based proteins like quinoa provide higher quality protein than processed pork rinds.
The Bottom Line
Pork rinds can be a tasty way to satisfy crunchy cravings on low-carb diets, but they shouldn’t be your main protein source. While pork rinds do contain some protein, they lack complete, high-quality protein with all the essential amino acids needed for good health.
If you’re following a low-carb diet, be sure to include other lean proteins like poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and low-carb dairy products to get all the essential amino acids your body requires. Pork rinds can be enjoyed in moderation as a replacement for carb-heavy snacks, but don’t rely on them as your sole source of protein.
Pork Rinds and Nutrition
A 14-gram (0.5-ounce) serving (6 pieces) of plain pork rinds contains:
- 80 calories
- 9 grams of protein
- 5 grams of fat (7% of daily value)
- 0 grams of carbohydrates
- 0 grams of fiber
- 0 grams of sugars
- 270 milligrams of sodium (11% of daily value)
- 20 milligrams of cholesterol (6% of daily value)
Pork rinds are not a good source of vitamins and minerals.
Unlike potato or tortilla chips, pork rinds have no carbohydrates. People on low-carbohydrate diets like the Atkins Diet, the keto or paleo diet plan, and people who like to eat a lot of meat like these. Â.
The Atkins Diet was developed in the 1960s by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins. Itâs a high-protein, high-fat diet that strictly restricts carbs.
The keto diet emphasizes high-fat foods, with about 60% to 80% of calories coming from fat. It provides some protein and less than 50 grams of carbs a day. This diet is named after a state of your body called ketosis, in which it burns fat for energy instead of glucose.
The Paleolithic (paleo) diet is based on foods that people who lived in the Stone Age and hunted and gathered did.
The paleo diet doesn’t allow processed foods, but some people who follow it say that pork rinds are a paleo-friendly snack.
Pork Rinds and Health Concerns
Processed foods. Pork rinds are a highly processed food. Processed foods tend to have more fat, sugar, and salt than fresh, unprocessed foods. Â.
People also tend to consume more calories when eating highly processed foods. The University of Sõo Paulo and New York University looked at 15,977 American adults and found that those who ate more ultra-processed foods had a higher body mass index (BMI) and more extra weight.
High in sodium. Because pork rinds are a processed food, they tend to be high in sodium. If you eat an 8-ounce bag, you’ll get up to 200% of the daily recommended amount (RDA) for sodium. Â.
When your diet is high in sodium, more water is pulled into your bloodstream. This increases the amount of blood and blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) can harm your blood vessels and organs. It tires out your heart because your heart is forced to work harder to pump blood.
High in saturated fat and cholesterol. Pork rinds have a lot of cholesterol and saturated fat, which is bad for you because it can raise your LDL cholesterol levels, which is the “bad” kind of cholesterol.
Pork Rinds: not a significant source of protein?
FAQ
Are pork rinds good for protein?
Do pork rinds count as meat?
Why does Swanson bone broth say not a good source of protein?
Are pork rinds more unhealthy than chips?
Are pork rinds healthy?
Pork rinds are not a good source of vitamins and minerals. Unlike potato or tortilla chips, pork rinds have no carbohydrates. They’re high in fat and protein, which makes them popular with people who are on low-carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins Diet or a keto or paleo diet plan.
Are pork rinds high in saturated fat?
The two main types of saturated fat in pork rinds are stearic acid and palmitic acid. Studies on stearic acid have found it to have a neutral effect on cholesterol levels.
What are pork rinds?
Pork rinds are a snack made from deep-fried pig skin. They’re also known as chicharrones. Pork rinds have long been staples at gas stations and convenience stores, but you can now also find them at mainstream grocery stores. Some companies offer gourmet flavors of pork rinds.
Are crispy pork rinds healthy?
Crispy pork rinds are high in protein and fat. They’re carb-free, which makes them appealing to those on a low carb diet. However, they’re very low in any beneficial vitamins or minerals. A medium-sized, single-serving bag which contains 2 ounces (57 grams) provides ( 2 ):