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 preparing various dishes around the world. But due to constant negative comments from doctors and nutritionists, the demand for it is gradually falling. According to statistics, the consumption of pork fat is gradually decreasing every year. However, in traditional medicine it is still used. And this is no accident, because the product is not only rich in a large number 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 dwell on this in more detail. As noted earlier, lard is an incredibly valuable product, the value of which many underestimate. 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.
Almost 100 calories are contained in 100 grams of melted pork fat (the benefits and harms of the product are a subject of controversy among many experts). In its energy value, it surpasses products made from the fat of other animal species. Moreover, it contains exclusively pure fats, which have a number of useful properties. If you properly use lard, you can significantly improve your daily diet: you can use the product for frying and cooking various dishes. Unlike oils of vegetable origin, fat is oxidized much more slowly, therefore, during heat treatment, practically no harmful substances are formed in it.
Beneficial features
This aspect should be given special attention. Nutritionists and some doctors have for many years been urging the population to abandon the use of interior fat. They motivate this by the high calorie content of the latter and harmfulness to health. However, people do not cease to be interested in the question of what is the benefit of pork fat. If you study the chemical composition of the product, you can find out that it contains a large amount of nutrients that our body needs. The use of lard will help replenish the supply of vitamins, minerals and valuable amino acids. But that is far from all. It also has the following useful properties:
- strengthens the immune system;
- improves the functioning of the central nervous system;
- normalizes cholesterol;
- increases bone strength;
- cleanses the body of toxins;
- stabilizes the 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 invaluable. Firstly, it has a positive effect on the body, and secondly, it is possible to prepare various medicines from it that are used to treat skin and joint diseases, heartburn, cough, bronchitis and a runny nose.
Possible harm
And with this aspect you need to familiarize yourself. Doctors say that if you follow the measure when using lard, then nothing bad will happen. However, any product has a certain benefit and harm. Pork fat is no exception. If abused, certain negative effects can be exerted on the body. Among the main harmful properties of lard, the following can be distinguished:
- high calorie content;
- constant feeling of hunger;
- low-quality product may contain dangerous and toxic substances;
- It can lead to the development of an allergic reaction when applied to the skin, if a person has an individual intolerance to the product.
Since lard is a good source of calories, obese people should refuse to use it. In addition, pork fat, whose health benefits and harms must be taken into account if you want to use it for cooking, has a number of contraindications. Among the main doctors distinguish the following:
- liver failure;
- various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
- postoperative period;
- gallbladder inflammation;
- atherosclerosis;
- pancreatitis
- problems with the duodenum;
- hepatitis.
Thus, given the benefits and harms of pork interior fat, we can conclude that many people, including medical workers, are too categorically opposed to it. A product is far more valuable to health than danger.
Cooking use
Let's dwell on this in more detail. Internal pig 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 products, but also for cooking various dishes. The main advantage of the product is that when heated, it does not emit harmful substances, which makes food more safe and healthy. In addition, fat has excellent taste and gives dishes a unique aroma. 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 oil. The main reason for this is that even after heat treatment, the product retains all its useful 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 when cooking homemade food, but also one of the key ingredients of 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 lard in lard. In fact, there is nothing complicated about this. To get a quality product, no special tools and devices are needed. The whole cooking process is carried out in a conventional pan. Now let's look at it in more detail.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Wash a piece of fat thoroughly under running water and completely cut the meat.
- Put in the dishes, salt a little, fill with cold water, which periodically changes, and leave for 12 hours.
- Cut the fat into cubes or small cubes and transfer to a pan with a thickened bottom.
- Put on a slow fire until the liquid has completely evaporated.
- Strain the melted fat through several layers of gauze and pour into jars.
Despite the fact that this recipe is very simple, nevertheless, it will allow you to get a high-quality lard with a unique taste and aroma. It can be used for frying, added to first courses or just 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 you keep it at a temperature of -5 to -8 degrees. In addition, the product can be preserved, which will further extend the shelf life. If desired, you can add bay leaf, chopped garlic, salt, black pepper or any other spices that your heart desires to add to the lard. So it will become even more fragrant and tasty.
Medicinal use
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 were used to combat a wide variety of ailments. Of greatest value is lard. This is a well-melted lard, in which salt and other products are not added.
With warts, compresses based on pork fat help well. 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 cheesecloth, rolled up in several layers, and applied to the desired area of the body twice a day. Such treatment continues until the warts disappear completely.
Pork fat helps with coughing well - in this case, it is ground. Take 2 parts of a quality product mixed with 1 part of medical alcohol or vodka. Then add 5 drops of fir oil and mix well until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. The tool is used to rub the chest and back before bedtime. To achieve maximum effectiveness in the treatment of bronchitis, it is necessary to sweat well.
For 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 in 500 grams of pork fat. After that, allow the mixture to cool, add 5 tablets of aspirin crushed to powder and apply to the affected area 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 skin irritation occurs, another recipe will be effective. First you need to prepare a decoction of chamomile, marigolds and coltsfoot, mixed in the same proportions. The raw materials are poured into 175 ml of water, brought to a boil, boiled for 5 minutes, after which they are allowed to infuse for one hour. The finished broth 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 previously mentioned, pig oil from coughing helps a lot. However, it can also be used to treat many lung diseases. With tuberculosis, you need to use two tablespoons of lard twice a day, seizing them with honey. If you have pneumonia, then you need to mix mint, raspberry leaves and lemon zest, pour 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. After this, the broth is filtered, mixed with 70 grams of melted fat and taken a teaspoon twice a day.
Lard is very effective in various diseases of the joints. With inflammation and pain, they are rubbed with a thin layer of fat, after which until the morning they wrap the treated area with a film and a warm scarf. After some time, you will notice noticeable improvements. With radiculopathy, lard is mixed with red pepper and milk and used to rub the back.
If you are tormented by hemorrhoids, then the lard is slightly warmed up, mixed with honey in a ratio of 2 to 1 and applied with a cotton pad to the affected areas. In addition, it can be melted to a liquid state, mixed in equal amounts with honey and make microclysters.
With a cold and a cold, it is recommended to drink hot tea with milk, in which a teaspoon of melted fat is added. Such treatment is best done before bedtime, and then immediately go to bed under a warm blanket. To increase the body's resistance to negative environmental factors and to prevent various diseases, a rosehip broth is prepared, in which 0.5 teaspoon of lard and honey are added. Such a tool is not only very tasty, but also useful.
Pork fat in cosmetology
Lard has a beneficial effect on skin health. From it you can make anti-aging face masks. For them, rub the zest with one lemon, pour a glass of boiling water and let it brew for 7-8 hours, then filter it. Next, take 50 milliliters of decoction, add 100 grams of lard, 2 tbsp. l cream with a high percentage of fat content, 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 three times a week for 20 minutes. After a few 7-10 days, you will notice how the epidermis acquires a healthier color and wrinkles disappear on it.
You can also make face cream from ghee. To do this, put 200 grams of the product in a metal dish, add to it a tablespoon of honey and aloe juice, then melt in a water bath, without boiling. The cream is applied to the skin in the evening after washing off the cosmetics.
How to choose fat for melt?
This article examined in detail the benefits and harms of pork fat. If you decide to use it for cooking and for medicinal purposes, it is very important to cook high-quality lard. To do this, you need to competently approach the choice of fat. When buying, you need to pay attention to the following criteria:
- Smell. It should be pleasant and subtle. If you hear the smell of urine, then this indicates a low quality of fat.
- Color. A good product is always pinkish white. The presence of other shades indicates stale or improper storage.
- Meat layers. They should not be, because otherwise the fat will be unsuitable for repetition.
- Thickness. The optimal value is from 3 to 6 centimeters.
When choosing bacon, never taste it. Due to the lack of heat treatment, various parasites can be present in it.
Conclusion
As you can see from this article, the harm of pig fat is greatly exaggerated. It has a lot of useful properties, which makes it an incredibly valuable product. If you do not abuse lard, and use it in reasonable amounts for cooking, then nothing bad will happen. Therefore, do not worry in vain because of the myths and stereotypes that have developed in society.