PORK RINDS: THE NEW HEALTH FOOD (1-2004)

Do you believe you are snack food savvy? If so, you should 
know the answer to this question: What snack food has seen 
its sales grow three times faster than other snacks over 
the past five years?  
 
If you're thinking potato chips, pretzels, popcorn or those 
low-fat snack crackers, think again.  
 
Don't squeal in dismay, but the salty snack that is 
becoming increasingly popular these days is the lowly pork 
rind.  
 
Pork rinds are made from slices of pig skin, often fried in 
lard or oil, or puffed up in a microwave oven.  
 
Pork rinds, sometimes called pork skins, bacon curls, or 
chicharrones, have been shunned as a snack food by many 
health-conscious consumers over the years. They were 
thought to be a heart attack waiting to happen. After all, 
what could be unhealthier than thick slices of pig skin 
cooked in lard?  
 
Well, think again. Many dieters are now rooting for pork 
rinds as a healthier alternative to the ubiquitous potato 
chip or tortilla chip as a way to satisfy their desire for 
a salty and crunchy snack. In fact, those dieters who are 
limiting their intake of carbohydrates instead of counting 
calories are behind the recent upswing in the sales of pork 
rinds.  
 
According to some producers, sales of pork rinds are 
expected to be up by 22 percent this year. That’s compared 
to increased sales of about 6 percent annually for other 
salty snacks.  
 
The low-carb diet craze has had other repercussions 
throughout the food and restaurant industry, too. Many 
restaurant chains have been adding low-carb entrees to 
their menus, and some burger chains are starting to offer a 
bunless option for their hamburgers. 
 
Most dietitians, of course, scoff at the idea of eating 
pork rinds to lose weight. They point out that a half-ounce 
serving of pork rinds, about one cup, contains 5 grams of 
fat, 9 grams of protein and 80 calories. That certainly is 
true, but a single serving of potato chips has 8 grams of 
fat, 11 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of protein and 140 
calories.  
 
Dieticians are often the last to get a clue when it comes 
healthy eating. In fact, author Jonny Bowden in his new 
book on low-carb diets calls dietitians the “Taliban of 
nutrition.” And Dr. Robert Atkins of the Atkins Diet fame 
once said, “My English sheepdog will figure out nutrition 
before the dietitians get it right.” 
 
Regardless, the fact remains that more people than ever are 
pigging out on the snacks. They are even fried fresh and 
sold at carnivals and fairs.  
 
Despite the warnings of intransigent dietitians, pork rinds 
have proven themselves to the public. People have found 
that their cholesterol levels do not skyrocket, that their 
blood pressure does not go up and that their hearts are not 
clogging with fat as a result of eating pork rinds. In 
fact, just the opposite usually happens. 
 
Although some people do not like the taste of pork rinds, 
or the thought of eating them, statistics continue to show 
that the public is warming up big time to this once-
maligned snack food.  
 
Now, if movie theaters would only start selling warm, 
freshly-made pork rinds, it would be a real movie-time 
treat. Move over, popcorn.