I would like to note right away that fat was eaten initially not in Ukraine, as many people mistakenly believe. It became known that long before the Ukrainians raised pigs, the Chinese also raised pigs. And the first place in salting is provided to residents of Italy.
Fat: calorie content, benefits and contraindications
Just ten years ago, experts did not allow the consumption of fat, whose calories are very high, especially for children, the elderly and people who have serious diseases. It was also believed that lard is almost the most difficult to digest food. For ten years, the view on this issue has changed a lot. In specialized medical literature, articles began to be published on the benefits of fat, proper cooking and eating. Also now, experts say that the body digests lard much faster than meat. Let's talk about the properties of fat.
Of course, lard, whose calorie content is not more than 800 kcal (mature pig), is very useful. True, for small children and the elderly, this calorie content will be quite high. For them, fat is much more suitable, the calorie content of which does not exceed 600 kcal. It must be borne in mind that the smaller the age of the animal, the lower the calorie content of fat. For example, the calorie content of the fat of a young piglet is about 600 kcal.
If you take people living or working in the Far North, as well as those who go on long hikes and just lead an active lifestyle, then you need to keep in mind the following point. Calories entering the human body are displayed for a very long time, and they are simply necessary for people who are actively moving, working physically and spending a lot of energy. It will almost always be useful for them to have a bite to eat bacon (for example, in combination with bread and herbs). Pork fat , the calorie content of which is quite acceptable for people leading a mobile and intense lifestyle, will in no way affect the mass of a person.
It is worth noting that we are accustomed only to pork fat. However, various peoples eat fat of sheep, bears, cows and badgers.
Fat contains arachidonic acid, which belongs to the class of unsaturated fatty acids. It is needed in order for a person to have a well-functioning brain, liver and adrenal glands. In addition, arachidonic acid perfectly improves the metabolism of cholesterol in the human body. It affects the cells of the body and stabilizes the hormonal background. In addition, other practically non-replaceable acids are present in fat. These include palmic, linoleic, linolenic and oleic acid, which are contained in fat in the same volumes as in vegetable oil. In addition, fat contains a large amount of vitamins A, D, E and carotene.
It is impossible not to say that lard, whose calorie content is quite high, makes it possible to use it in the preparation of delicacies. Thus, the calorie content of fat becomes its dignity. It is possible to prepare such delicious dishes from lard as boiled lard, smoked lard, salty lard, melted and fried lard.
As for the presence of cholesterol in fat, in moderate amounts it will not be superfluous. This is an integral part of all membranes and muscles in the human body.
It is important to note that lard will positively affect the body immediately after a person stops eating it in large portions. Do not overload your body with a lot of fat. After all, this is like, for example, medicine: if you drink one tablet, it will become easier, and if 10 - then there will be an overdose. Moreover, with the lifestyle that many people in our countries lead (and it is very difficult to call it active), even with regular eating of 30 g of fat, an extra kilogram can appear in a person.
In general, nutritionists advise eating only lard, which is prepared by the salt-dry method. Also, they do not recommend consuming lard for people with liver disease. In other cases, there is no significant restriction for the inclusion of fat in the diet.