Lard is the undisputed champion in calorie content, the fat content in it reaches 90%, so many believe that it should be excluded from the diet altogether so as not to gain extra pounds. There is a misconception that lard is solid fat and no nutrients. In the meantime, consuming lard in the right doses and the right combinations will bring many benefits to your body.
Why is lard useful?
Lard, of course, is very high in calories, but this method of preserving pork fat, which appeared when there were no refrigerators, allows not only to increase the shelf life, but also to turn it into a great product, a small amount of which allows you to get rid of hunger for a long time. Pork lard is harvested and eaten salted, smoked, boiled and fried. Another advantage of this cooking method is the simplicity and availability of the ingredients required to make lard - in most cases their list is rather short: salt, garlic, black and red pepper. Within a few days you receive a finished product that you can eat daily and put it on the festive table without shame.
Real lard is not just a piece of fat from any part of the carcass, it is subcutaneous fat with the skin. It is in this part that biologically active substances are concentrated that make lard useful. This part of pork carcass contains a lot of vitamins A, D, E, and it also contains a polyunsaturated fatty acid - arachidonic. The body needs it, but it can only get it from a few products, including fat. Arachidonic acid is an active participant in metabolic processes, thanks to it, the burning of saturated fats is accelerated, it has the most beneficial effect on the endocrine glands, contributing to the complete absorption of calcium by cells. Lard contains selenium - a trace element that prevents the formation of tumors, supports the normal functioning of the heart and blood vessels and stimulates sexual function.
Nutritionists recommend eating 100-150 g of lard per week, preferably with warm or easily digestible food.
What to eat lard with
Like any other useful product, lard should be consumed in such food combinations that would enhance its positive effect on the body. For example, onions, garlic and hot peppers are ergotropic foods that speed up metabolism. So that the calories eaten with lard are not deposited on the sides, it should be used in combination with these wonderful companions. It has been proven that lard eaten with garlic even more actively cleans the walls of blood vessels from cholesterol, preventing its deposition.
After 50 years, the use of fat must be significantly reduced, doctors have proven that at this age, excessive consumption of animal fats has a detrimental effect on intellectual abilities.
Like all foods high in fat, lard needs to be consumed in small quantities and well, with vegetables and fresh herbs, which will also prevent the formation of excess fat cells. And, of course, lard must be eaten with bread, but bread must be bran or whole grain. As for drinks, lard is an excellent traditional appetizer with Russian vodka and Ukrainian vodka, which does not allow you to get drunk quickly.
