In our world, a huge number of ingredients are known that can be used both for consumption in the daily diet and for other purposes. Pork fat, the benefits and harms of which will be discussed in this article, is not only a good source of calories, but also a popular product used in cooking for various dishes around the world. But due to constant negative statements from doctors and nutritionists, the demand for it is gradually falling. As statistics show, every year the consumption of pork fat is gradually decreasing. However, it is still used in traditional medicine. And this is no accident, because the product is not only rich in a large amount of nutrients, but also has a number of useful properties. It can act as a main component in the preparation of various medicinal and cosmetic products.
Composition and energy value
Let's take a closer look at this. As noted earlier, lard is an incredibly valuable product, the value of which is underestimated by many. The composition of pork fat includes many useful substances:
- amino acids;
- vitamins A, D, K and E;
- iodine;
- magnesium;
- sodium;
- iron;
- phosphorus;
- copper;
- potassium;
- selenium;
- lecithin.
100 grams of rendered pork fat (the benefits and harms of the product are a matter of dispute among many experts) contains almost 900 calories. In terms of its energy value, it surpasses products made from the fat of other animal species. At the same time, it contains exclusively pure fats, which have a number of useful properties. If you use lard correctly, you can significantly improve your daily diet: you can use the product for frying and cooking various dishes. Unlike oils of vegetable origin, fat oxidizes much more slowly, therefore, during heat treatment, it practically does not form harmful substances.
Useful properties
This aspect should be given special attention. Nutritionists and some doctors have been urging the public to stop eating visceral fat for years now. They motivate this by the high calorie content of the latter and he alth hazards. However, people do not cease to be interested in the question of how pork fat is useful. If you study the chemical composition of the product, thenyou can find out that it contains a large amount of nutrients needed by our body. The use of lard will help replenish the supply of vitamins, minerals and valuable amino acids. But that's not all. It also has the following useful properties:
- strengthens immunity;
- improves the functioning of the central nervous system;
- normalizes cholesterol;
- increases bone strength;
- detoxifies the body;
- stabilizes emotional and mental state;
- improves the functioning of the heart and circulatory system;
- reduces the risk of developing many diseases of various etiologies;
- promotes weight loss.
Thus, the benefits of pork fat are simply invaluable. Firstly, it has a positive effect on the body, and secondly, it can be used to prepare various medicines used to treat skin and joint diseases, heartburn, cough, bronchitis and runny nose.
Possible harm
And this aspect needs to be familiarized. Doctors say that if you follow the measure when using lard, then nothing terrible will happen. However, any product has certain benefits and harms. Pork fat is no exception. When abused, it can have certain negative effects on the body. Among the main harmful properties of lard are the following:
- high calorie content;
- constant feeling of hunger;
- poor quality product may contain dangerous and toxicsubstances;
- can lead to the development of an allergic reaction when applied to the skin, if a person has an individual intolerance to the product.
Because lard is a good source of calories, obese people should avoid eating it. In addition, pork fat, whose he alth benefits and harms must be considered if you want to use it for cooking, has a number of contraindications. Among the main doctors are the following:
- liver failure;
- various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
- postoperative period;
- inflammation of the gallbladder;
- atherosclerosis;
- pancreatitis;
- duodenal problems;
- hepatitis.
Thus, given the benefits and harms of pork visceral fat, we can conclude that many people, including medical professionals, are too categorically opposed to it. The product is of much greater he alth value than the danger.
Use in cooking
Let's take a closer look at this. Internal pork fat, the benefits and harms of which are not known to everyone, is widespread in many countries around the world. It is used not only as an alternative to vegetable oils for frying foods, but also for preparing various dishes. The main advantage of the product is that when heated, it does not emit substances harmful to he alth, which makes food safer and he althier. In addition, fat has excellent taste andgives dishes a unique flavor. Its scope is very wide. The product is even used for canning and baking.
Studies have shown that lard is ideal for frying, as it is better absorbed in the body than any vegetable oils. The main reason for this is that even after heat treatment, the product retains all its beneficial properties. That is why the use of pork fat in cooking is widespread today. At the same time, it is an important component not only in the preparation of homemade food, but is also one of the key ingredients in some gourmet dishes.
Cooking lard at home
Many modern people have no idea how to use pork fat. And even more so, they do not know how to properly melt the fat into lard. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this. To get a quality product, you do not need any special tools and fixtures. The entire cooking process is carried out in a conventional saucepan. Now let's look at it in more detail.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Wash the piece of bacon thoroughly under running water and trim the meat completely.
- Put in a bowl, add a little s alt, cover with cold water, which changes periodically, and leave for 12 hours.
- Cut the lard into small cubes or sticks and transfer to a saucepan with a thicker bottom.
- Put on a slow fire until completely evaporatedliquid.
- Strain the rendered fat through several layers of cheesecloth and pour into jars.
Despite the fact that this recipe is very simple, nevertheless, it will allow you to get a quality lard with a unique taste and aroma. It can be used for frying, added to first courses or simply spread on bread.
It is worth noting that internal pork fat, the benefits and harms of which were discussed in detail earlier, has a long shelf life. It does not lose its taste and useful properties for a long time if kept at a temperature of -5 to -8 degrees. In addition, the product can be preserved, which will further extend the shelf life. If desired, bay leaves, minced garlic, s alt, black pepper, or any other spices your heart desires can be added to the lard. So it will become even more fragrant and tasty.
Healing uses
So what do you need to know about this? People have long discovered the benefits and harms of pork fat. For many centuries, various medicines have been prepared from it, which have been used to combat a wide variety of ailments. The greatest value is lard. This is a well-melted lard that does not contain s alt and other products.
Compresses based on pork fat help well with warts. Garlic grated on a fine grater is added to it in a ratio of 2 to 1 and mixed thoroughly. The resulting mixture is laid out on gauze, rolled up in several layers, and applied to the desired area of the body twice a day. Similar treatmentcontinues until the complete disappearance of warts.
Pork fat is good for coughing - in this case, it is used for grinding. Take 2 parts of a quality product mixed with 1 part of medical alcohol or vodka. Next, add 5 drops of fir oil and mix everything well until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. The tool is used to rub the chest and back before going to bed. To achieve maximum effectiveness in the treatment of bronchitis, you need to sweat thoroughly.
With various skin problems, an ointment based on lard is excellent. If you get a severe burn, then peel and finely chop one medium onion and fry it on 500 grams of pork fat. After that, let the mixture cool, add 5 aspirin tablets crushed to a powder and apply to the affected area of the body several times a day. These procedures not only relieve pain well, but also activate the regenerative processes in the epidermis, so that the wound will heal much faster.
If the skin is irritated, another recipe will be effective. First you need to prepare a decoction of chamomile, marigold and coltsfoot, mixed in equal proportions. Raw materials are poured into 175 ml of water, brought to a boil, boiled for 5 minutes, after which they are allowed to brew for one hour. The finished decoction is mixed with lard in a ratio of 1 to 4 and applied to problem areas of the skin with a frequency of 6 hours.
What diseases does it help?
As noted earlier, it helps pork very wellcough fat. However, it can also be used to treat many lung conditions. With tuberculosis, it is necessary to consume two tablespoons of lard twice a day, seizing them with honey. If you have found pneumonia, then you need to mix mint, raspberry leaves and lemon zest, pour 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. After that, the broth is filtered, mixed with 70 grams of melted fat and taken in a teaspoon twice a day.
Lard is very effective in various diseases of the joints. In case of inflammation and pain, they are rubbed with a thin layer of fat, after which they wrap the treated area with a film and a warm scarf until morning. After a while, you will notice noticeable improvements. With radiculopathy, lard is mixed with red pepper and milk and used to rub the back.
If you suffer from hemorrhoids, then the lard is slightly warmed up, mixed with honey in a ratio of 2 to 1 and applied to the affected areas with a cotton pad. In addition, it can be melted to a liquid state, mixed in equal amounts with honey and microclysters can be made.
When you have a runny nose and a cold, it is recommended to drink hot tea with milk, to which a teaspoon of melted fat is added. This treatment is best done at bedtime, and then immediately lie down under a warm blanket. To increase the body's resistance to negative environmental factors and to prevent various diseases, a rosehip broth is prepared, to which 0.5 teaspoons of lard and honey are added. Such a remedy is not only very tasty, but also useful.
Pig fat in cosmetology
Lardhas a beneficial effect on skin he alth. From it you can make anti-aging face masks. For them, rub the zest from one lemon, pour a glass of boiling water and let it brew for 7-8 hours, after which it is filtered. Next, take 50 milliliters of broth, add 100 grams of lard, 2 tbsp. l. cream with a high percentage of fat, 1 tsp. honey and lime juice, after which all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous consistency is obtained. The resulting mixture is applied to the skin of the face three times a week for 20 minutes. After just a few 7-10 days, you will notice how the epidermis acquires a he althier color and wrinkles disappear on it.
From melted fat you can also make face cream. To do this, put 200 grams of the product in a metal bowl, add a tablespoon of honey and aloe juice to it, and then melt in a water bath without boiling. The cream is applied to the skin in the evening after washing off cosmetics.
How to choose the right lard for melting?
This article has examined in detail the benefits and harms of pork fat. If you decide to use it for cooking and medicinal purposes, then it is very important to prepare high-quality lard. To do this, you need to correctly approach the choice of fat. When buying, you need to pay attention to the following criteria:
- Smell. It should be pleasant and subtle. If the smell of urine is heard, then this indicates a low quality of fat.
- Color. A good product is always pinkish white. The presence of other shades indicates stale or incorrectstorage.
- Meat layers. They should not be, because otherwise the fat will be unsuitable for melting.
- Thickness. The optimal value is from 3 to 6 centimeters.
When choosing fat, never taste it. Due to the lack of heat treatment, it may contain various parasites.
Conclusion
As you can see from this article, the harm of pork fat is greatly exaggerated. It has a lot of useful properties, which makes it an incredibly valuable product. If you do not abuse lard, but use it in reasonable quantities for cooking, then nothing bad will happen. Therefore, do not needlessly worry about the myths and stereotypes that have developed in society.
