Monounsaturated fats have one double bond replacing a single bond in the carbon chain. Double bonds in fatty acids are unstable and can break with heat. Polyunsaturated fats are the most unstable, because they have numerous double bonds in the carbon chain. When the double bonds in mono- or polyunsaturated fats break, the fatty acid undergoes a process called oxidation. Why are oxidized fats bad? While we inevitably have some free radicals in our body, we should minimize these damaging molecules as much as possible to protect health and reduce inflammation.
Pastured hogs consuming a diet supplemented with grain or coconut will have a lower percentage of polyunsaturated fat — a good thing! Our great-great-grandparents consumed lard and butter and experienced extremely low rates of heart disease.
Lard is part of a healthy diet and will not give you heart attack:. Like me, many of you choose to cook with coconut oil because it is a heat-stable cooking fat. Coconut oil does impart a mild-to-moderate coconut flavor to dishes, however. And while I enjoy the flavor, sometimes I want a neutral-flavored option. It creates a divinely brown crust to vegetables and meats without a distinct flavor. Due to the neutral flavor, it also works exceptionally well in baked goods see 7.
You will likely be able to find pastured lard at a similar price. When it comes to healthy cooking fats, lard is definitely the most affordable. For example, my other favorite cooking fats — coconut oil and grassfed butter — cost exponentially more. Lard is the second highest food source of vitamin D, after cod liver oil.
Also important, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin so it requires fatty acids — including saturated fatty acids — to be absorbed and utilized in the body. Lard provides the perfect package of vitamin D along with the required fatty acid cofactors.
Other food sources of vitamin D, including pastured egg yolks and liver, pale in comparison to the amount of vitamin D in lard. There is a catch, however: only lard from pastured hogs contains vitamin D , since the pigs must have access to sunlight to synthesize the D and store it in their fatty tissues. Grocery store tubs or sticks of lard are from confined, antibiotic-laden pigs and should be avoided. Purchase your lard from a butcher or farmer who can tell you how the pigs are raised.
Pigs are easily adaptable animals that can thrive nearly everywhere. Raising pastured hogs is a practice that produces a sustainable source of meat while improving the health of the environment. By rooting and foraging, hogs help to turn over topsoil and naturally fertilize the ground.
A bagillion acres of genetically modified, pesticide-drowned, synthetic-fertilizer-laden corn used to produce corn oil. Just saying…. Purchasing a pastured pork and lard from your local farmer has a very low carbon footprint. With an unusual chemical composition, pure lard contains no trans fats. Butter is 45 per cent monounsaturated fat. Lard and butter have the same trace amounts of cholesterol — about 95 milligrams per grams of fat, says Bellissimo.
Lard has about half as much saturated fat as butter, but about double the saturated fat found in olive oil. As omnivores, swine eat everything from mice to worms to grain to grass. Lard is fattening. Like any fat, it boasts about nine calories per gram.
But lard, in its pure form, is hard to get. Since the trend toward plant-based oils began more than two decades ago, lard has been vilified and all but vanished from supermarket shelves. This is your best bet to avoid potentially harmful trans fats, but keep in mind fresh lard will not keep as long as the shelf-stable variety. Lard is not made up exclusively of saturated fats, it actually contains a good amount of unsaturated fats as well! And there are certain dishes that require the texture of lard.
Using lard in these dishes is a healthier option than a highly processed replacement like vegetable shortening, but lard should still be enjoyed in moderation and you should still make room for more unsaturated fats like olive oil in your diet. Support from readers like you helps us do our best work. And sign up for our FREE newsletter here for daily health, nutrition, and fitness advice.
Weight Loss. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Ab Exercises for a Stronger Core. Maximilian Stock Ltd. What is lard and how is it used? Is lard healthy or unhealthy? Eating fats with your carbohydrates can help prevent a sugar crash later.
One tablespoon of lard , for example, has 5g saturated fat, 5. One tablespoon of butter , in comparison, has 7. Olive oil , on the other hand, has 1. Is it healthy to cook with lard? What alternatives are there?
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