Roasted Pork Tenderloin - Healthy Recipes Blog (2024)

FAQs

Is pork tenderloin a healthy meal? ›

- Pork packs nutrients in every lean serving. A 3-ounce portion of tenderloin is an excellent source of protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorous and niacin as well as a good source of potassium, riboflavin and zinc. Yet, it contributes only 6 percent of calories to a 2,000-calorie diet.

Sear + Roast

This cooking method is a surefire way to make moist and juicy pork tenderloin without much fuss. Searing the meat first gives it that golden-brown crust before a quick roast in the oven finishes it off. It's an easy, crowd-pleasing meal for any night of the week.

Focus on extra lean meats.

The key is knowing which cuts are extra lean. These contain less than 5 grams of total fat, less than 2 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 mg of cholesterol per 100 grams of product and per labeled serving size*¹. For pork, this includes boneless pork sirloin roast and pork tenderloin.

We cook our pork to 145°F. This means the pork will be barely pink in the middle, safe to eat, and juicy. If you do not like it pink in the middle, cook it a bit longer, but keep in mind that staying close to 145°F will result in the juiciest, most tender piece of meat.

Pork is a type of red meat that is rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals, but it is also high in fat and cholesterol. In particular, some pork cuts are high in saturated fatty acids, so-called bad fats. Excess saturated fats can increase your risk of developing heart problems, obesity, and other long-term illnesses.

Pork tenderloin is slightly higher in calories and fat compared to chicken breast, but the difference is minimal. When cooked without extra fats, both can fit well into a low-calorie, high-protein diet. Cholesterol levels in meats have often been a concern for heart health.

The size and structure of a tenderloin make it perfect for cooking quickly on high heat. You want to be able to brown the outside while still keeping it a little pink on the inside.

Searing (quickly browning at high heat) the outside of a pork roast before continuing with cooking is a great way to seal in flavor. Roasts should have a hint of pink in the centre after cooking.

Drizzle the olive oil over the pork rind and the meat, rubbing it in with your fingers for best results (if you need more oil, add more). Season the rind with a generous amount of sea salt (about 1 tablespoon). Transfer pork to a roasting dish and roast for 50 minutes, or until the rind crackles.

While pork belly and processed pork options such as ham and sausage are not generally low cholesterol meats, some pork options may be okay. One example is pork tenderloin. It is a relatively lean cut, and trimming any additional fat before cooking can help limit its impact on cholesterol.

Is pork tenderloin bad for high cholesterol? ›

If you have high cholesterol, you should talk with your doctor about what you eat, including meat. There are good, lean choices. For example, you can consider chicken or turkey breasts without skin; pork tenderloin; or beef round, sirloin, or tenderloin. Avoid highly processed meats (bacon, ham, lunchmeat, etc.).

If you're looking for the healthiest pork options, you want lean cuts -- tenderloin, loin chops and sirloin roast. Bacon and other fatty cuts are very high in artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol and not for everyday eating.

If you're not confident in your cooking skills, there is one foolproof way to guarantee your pork ends up on the tender side, even if you cook it too long: Soak it in a brine or a marinade. According to Hazel, these kinds of preparations always produce the most tender outcomes.

Foil-wrapped pork tenderloin is a great way to prepare this cut of meat to lock in flavor and moisture. Pork loin may not be as apt to dry out, but covering your pan with foil while roasting helps the meat retain its juiciness.

If fresh pork has reached 145°F (62.8 °C) throughout, even though it may still be pink in the center, it should be safe. The pink color can be due to the cooking method or added ingredients.

Lean cuts of pork, like the tenderloin, serve up protein with fewer calories, making them a good choice for weight loss. When it comes to losing weight, getting a handle on how many calories you're eating is important, but so is making sure you're getting an appropriate balance of carbs, fat and protein.

Choosing the leanest cut for weight loss…

Much like beef, some cuts of pork can be high in saturated fat. However, there are some great lean options that can be wonderful to incorporate into the diet. Tenderloin is one of the leanest cuts of pork available.

Although many people think that beef is healthier than pork, we must look at this conclusion from a few perspectives. When looking at the base nutrients such as protein and fats they are nearly identical. If we compare fatty cuts of pork and fatty cuts of beef, the pork has larger amounts of healthy fats.

Lean pork is every bit as good for your body as lean beef and chicken. In one study, substituting lean pork for beef and chicken led to less body fat and better heart health. For a spicy take, try ancho-rubbed pork tenderloin.