As the world’s most widely eaten meat, pork is something to celebrate – which may be why October is declared National Pork Month. Learn more about the important commodity with these Illinois pork facts:
- Pork is most commonly consumed as ham – either as an entree or lunchmeat – in the United States.
- Illinois ranks No. 4 in the nation for pork production.
- In 2022, Illinois produced 2.85 billion pounds of pork.
- Pike County is the largest pork-producing county in Illinois.
- As of Dec. 1, 2022, Illinois had a hog inventory of 5.5 million head.
- The pork industry contributed more than $2 billion in cash receipts to the Illinois economy in 2022.
- The pork industry supports more than 57,000 jobs in Illinois. This includes farmers who take care of the pigs, feed and equipment suppliers, transportation, and processing.
- Bacon is the most popular pork item found on restaurant menus, with ham and breakfast sausage coming in second and third places, respectively.
- Pork is full of protein, vitamins, and minerals, making it a stand-out addition to your dinner table. In fact, pork is low in sodium and provides a good source of potassium, earning it an American Heart Association Heart Checkmark!
- In addition to earning a Heart Checkmark, pork is full of necessary vitamins and minerals required in our daily diets. Some of these include (in percentage of daily diet requirements):
- 5% Iron
- 6% Magnesium
- 8% Vitamin B12
- 11% Potassium
- 14% Zinc
- 19% Riboflavin
- 20% Phosphorous
- 37% Niacin
- 37% Vitamin B6
- 54% Thiamin
- All this plus 24 grams of protein is found in just one 3-ounce serving of pork. For reference, you would have to eat four hard-boiled eggs, or 6 tablespoons of peanut butter to match that amount of protein. (Eggs and peanut butter also have a much higher calorie count than a three-ounce serving of pork.)
If you’re looking to keep heart-healthy recipes in rotation, it is recommended to use leaner cuts of pork with less fat such as pork loin, pork sirloin, or pork tenderloin. Consider stocking up on these options when you purchase pork to fill your freezer! ilpork.com/real-pork/profile/real-healthy.
