Article content
The media increasingly encourage people to follow a healthy lifestyle, which is associated with excluding certain unsuitable foods from the diet. For a long time ordinary pork lard was among the forbidden foods. Only recently has it become apparent that, in moderate amounts, it does not harm health—in fact, quite the opposite. Moreover, it is a multifunctional product that you can (in its unsalted form) use, for example, for rubbing on scars, for preparing facial cosmetics, or for greasing leather shoes.
The myth of lard’s harmfulness persists, although it has been refuted many times
Many theories about certain foods are caused mainly by ignorance and a lack of interest in new information. One product with a bad reputation is pork lard. The risk of high cholesterol is often mentioned, while all the benefits resulting from its consumption are ignored. The myth of lard’s harmfulness has caused most “healthy” households to use only vegetable oils, e.g. sunflower, rapeseed, olive, etc. However, it turns out they are not always as beneficial as claimed, especially if we fry with them and expose them to high temperatures.
Use oils or lard? Ideally choose a combination of both
Vegetable oils are dominated by unsaturated fatty acids, which oxidize quickly and are prone to rancidity, whereas lard consists mainly of saturated fatty acids whose properties are much better. In addition, they are an important building block of cell walls, improve immune system function and stimulate the nervous system. Animal fats, such as lard, played an important role in human life thousands of years ago.
Among other things, the body obtains from them:
- omega-3 fatty acids,
- fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K),
- antioxidants,
- many other substances.
If you reach for lard, always choose the least processed products without unnecessary additives. It’s worth buying products from reputable manufacturers, because poor quality can affect your health.
