If you’re looking to hit the gym and build extra muscle, you’ll need the perfect source of protein. Although chicken takes center stage in most people’s diets, you should regularly consume pork. Protein is an essential food nutrient for the human body, and pork is a high-quality source for BJJ athletes. 

There are many ways you can incorporate the meat into your diet, but have you ever tasted a pork butt? If not, you’re missing out on one of the best pork dishes out there! Cook a Boston butt in the oven to achieve tender pulled pork that you can enjoy pre or post-workout.

So, if you’re a BJJ athlete and are looking for some dietary inspiration, keep reading.

Here are three health benefits of pork you probably never knew.

#1 Your Exercise Performance Will Improve

Most BJJ athletes want to achieve a physically fit body because many benefits come with being healthy. From reducing the risk of ailments to improved physical and mental health, staying fit and healthy is essential for the average person, and more so for the BJJ athlete.

The two main factors to staying active and healthy are exercise and a good diet. But, just because you hit the gym doesn’t mean that your diet should suffer.

One of the great dietary supplements is pork. It is an excellent source of high-quality protein. Not only does it improve muscle function and exercise performance, but it’s also useful for the growth and maintenance of muscle mass.

Besides giving your muscles an extra helping hand, it also helps to ingest multiple nutrients needed for a healthy body. Pork contains minerals such as taurine and beta-alanine. 

The mineral beta-alanine is an amino acid found in pork that works wonders with muscle development.  It can raise muscle carnosine levels and increase the amount of work you can perform at high intensities.

#2 It Is Rich in Vitamins

One of the great things about this meat is that it contains all nine essential amino acids that are vital for growth and performance. 

Not only is pork rich in protein, but it is also extremely high in essential vitamins too. From vitamin B6 to vitamin B12, pork meat provides many nutrients your body needs.

Vitamin B12 improves brain function and blood formation, and people who consume meat rarely lack this vitamin.

Vitamin B6 is essential for creating red blood cells in the body and regulating the crucial nervous system. It maintains proper cognitive ability. It also can act as a barrier for brain dysfunctions, such as anxiety and depression.

#3 It Is Heart-Healthy

Because it is naturally low in sodium and provides an excellent source of potassium, pork ranks highly for its ability to keep the heart healthy.

These two nutrients act together to regulate healthy blood pressure, with the grams of fat and sodium present in pork dishes meeting the American Heart Association Heart Checkmark criteria.

Also, if you’ve been out of exercise for a while, the protein and nutrients can speed up recovery. The recovery progress makes this meat essential, whether in or off-season and healing from injury or surgery.

The Bottom Line

Are you a BJJ athlete who wants to develop more muscle faster? You should implement pork into your regular diet. 

From being one of the primary sources of protein to containing many vitamins and nutrients you probably didn’t know about, pork can give you the stamina and strength to work at high intensities. Plus, with so many ways to cook it, from BBQ pulled pork to pork butt and chops, you’ll never get bored of this nutritious source of protein.