Dr. Hüseyin Kâmi BÜYÜKÖZER
As we stated in our previous article published under the same title, we will be discussing this topic in a series of nine articles.
With this article, we are publishing the third installment in our series.
3- HORMONAL AND BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS OF PORK MEAT AND FAT?
Allah (c.c) has created all animals, including the pig. However, the same Allah (c.c) has declared pork both forbidden (haram) and impure (najis). As believers, we do not need to question why it has been declared haram or why it is considered impure—our faith in Allah (c.c) is sufficient. However, out of curiosity, we may research and find certain answers. There is no prohibition against such research.
Pork and lard are not forbidden only to Muslims; they have also been prohibited for Jews and Christians because the pig “develops by feeding on carrion and filth.” In the Old Testament, it is stated: “It [the pig] is unclean for you. You must not eat its meat.” Similarly, in the New Testament, there is no mention of Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) consuming pork.
Pigs can eat the feces of all animals, including their own. Their sexual behavior also differs from that of other animals such as cattle, sheep, and goats. Like dogs, pigs lick each other’s sexual organs after mating. However, such behavior is not observed in other mammals like cattle, sheep, and goats.
Why is pork fat different from other animal fats?
Fats, which serve as an energy source, are lipids. These can be of plant or animal origin. Triglycerides are natural fats composed of one molecule of glycerol and three molecules of fatty acids. Fatty acids can be either saturated or unsaturated. The more unsaturated the fat, the higher its melting point. The iodine value of a fat indicates its degree of unsaturation. The iodine value of pork fat is 65, while that of beef fat is 45, and sheep fat is 32.
After consumption, the emulsification of fats occurs in the stomach with the help of gastric lipase. Triglycerides are hydrolyzed by pancreatic lipase into glycerol and fatty acids. These fatty acids and glycerol are then used as an energy source by various tissues such as muscles, the heart, kidneys, and liver.
While herbivorous animals have unsaturated fatty acids in their triglyceride molecular structures, carnivorous animals have saturated fatty acids. If pancreatic lipase encounters a triglyceride molecule composed of saturated fatty acids, it cannot hydrolyze it. Carnivorous animals such as dogs, mice, cats, and pigs have saturated fatty acids in their fats, making them resistant to triglyceride hydrolysis.
If a person consumes the fat of a herbivorous animal, the fat can be hydrolyzed, absorbed in the intestines, and later resynthesized and stored as human fat. However, the fat of carnivorous animals and pigs cannot be hydrolyzed or synthesized into human fat.
