Next time you cook pork, make sure to marinate it first.

I came across an interesting study in the Fall 2011 issue of Wise Traditions (available online at westonaprice.org). Researchers examined how different pork preparations affect the blood. The study included five types of meat:

1. Unmarinated pastured center-cut pork chop
2. Apple cider vinegar-marinated pastured center-cut pork chop (marinated for 24 hours in the refrigerator)
3. Uncured pastured prosciutto
4. Uncured pastured bacon
5. Unmarinated pastured lamb chop

All meats were sourced from sustainable small farms raising pastured livestock. Meats (1), (2), and (5) were cooked over low heat in a cast iron skillet for up to an hour with a little water (no added fat) and salted to taste. The pork and lamb were prepared well done. The bacon was cooked until slightly stiff but not crispy or dry, and the prosciutto was eaten straight from the package.

After consuming the pork, subjects left the lab and were instructed to drink only water and avoid eating anything else. Five hours later, they returned for a post-meat blood test.

The Meat of the Matter

Here’s what the study found:

• Unmarinated cooked pastured pork led to blood coagulation and clotting five hours after eating. However, marinated cooked pork did not cause these effects.
• Processed pastured pork (bacon and prosciutto) did not cause blood coagulation or other visible changes.
• Unmarinated cooked pastured lamb also did not cause blood coagulation or visible changes.
• No changes were observed in white blood cell activity, white blood cell clumping, crystals, microbes, or spicules (indicators of liver stress) before or after consuming any of the five meat preparations.

Interestingly, the coagulation effects from unmarinated cooked pork appeared within ten minutes of the blood draw and persisted for over an hour under microscopic observation.

Take-Home Message

If you’re cooking pork, marinate it for 24 hours in apple cider vinegar. Add salt, garlic, and spices if you like, then store it in the refrigerator before cooking.