Is cooking with lard healthier? doctor clarifies

For many years, animal fats were seen as the villains of healthy eating, so preparing some frying with lard became practically synonymous with developing cardiovascular diseases.

However, according to Dr. Dayan Siebra, vascular and orthomolecular physician, this is not true. As he explains, the use of lard in the kitchen is much more recommendable than the use of vegetable oils.

Lard: Girl, Villain and Girl Again

Until the beginning of the 20th century, lard was very present in human food, as it was a more available and cheaper product than vegetable oils.

According to Dr. Siebra, despite the predominance of this animal fat, our ancestors did not have as many problems related to cholesterol and the cardiovascular system as we have today, which leads to a questioning about the real influence of lard in these diseases.

However, with the advance of industrial production, vegetable oils have become more affordable and easily found products.

Adding this to a massive campaign to propagate the supposed benefits of these products, these oils have almost entirely replaced lard, as the doctor explains, and thus it has become a villain, along with other animal fats.

As explained by the doctor, there are no reports of heart attacks in the United States until 1911, when only lard was used – it was from that time that vegetable oils began to enter the country’s diet. In 1930, however, there were already 300 records of acute myocardial infarction, a problem that exceeded 30,000 cases in 1960.

From this information, Dr. Siebra claims that for nearly 60 years, “false experts” have been trying to convince the world that animal fat, especially lard, is bad for health, while vegetable oils would be excellent substitutes.

This exchange, however, would not be so recommendable. According to the doctor, when heated to high temperatures (such as those necessary for frying food), vegetable oils release toxic substances that can lead to the emergence of various types of cancer – something that lard does not or at least does in some cases. less quantity.

Benefits of pork lard

In addition to being stable when heated to high temperatures and releasing fewer toxic substances, lard offers other benefits pointed out by Dr. Siebra:

1. Protect the heart

Saturated fats offer cardiovascular health risks only when their amount is very different from the amount of unsaturated fats. In the case of lard, the composition of fats is 40% and 45% respectively, which represents an excellent balance.

In addition, the high content of unsaturated fats helps in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases by contributing to the regulation of triglycerides and cholesterol levels, increasing the “good” (HDL) and decreasing the bad (“LDL”) – which prevents the formation of fatty plaques in blood vessels.

2. Reaches frying temperature faster

As lard reaches the ideal temperature for frying food faster than vegetable oils, it is possible to reduce both preparation time and gas consumption, as explained by Dr. Siebra.

3. It has a more interesting nutritional value

Lard offers nutrients such as vitamins from the B, C and D complex, as well as minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and iron.

In fact, this fat is second only to cod liver oil when it comes to vitamin D content, which makes it an excellent helper for the body’s absorption of calcium.

4. Helps fight depression

Because it is rich in oleic acids of the omega 3 type, lard is a fat that can act in the fight against depression.

The most likely explanations for this are the protective effects on neurons, mood stabilization and reduction of inflammatory processes that these fatty acids have.

After all, is lard better for cooking?

You already know that when they are subjected to high temperatures, oils and fats undergo a change in their molecular structure (oxidation process) and give rise to dangerous substances. An example of these substances are aldehydes, which even in small amounts already pose risks of heart disease and cancer.

According to a study by the BBC, the oils richest in polyunsaturated fats, such as corn and sunflower oil, are the ones that produce the most aldehydes.

Meanwhile, fats and oils rich in saturated and monounsaturated fats, such as lard, give rise to a much smaller amount of these compounds. In this way, this fat is a good alternative to prepare our foods, according to Dr. Siebra defends.

However, according to the BBC study, the best option for preparing fried foods is olive oil, which has only 10% polyunsaturated, 14% saturated and 76% monounsaturated fats, releasing even less toxic substances.

Anyway, it is worth remembering that even lard and olive oil are very caloric ingredients and that fried foods, if consumed in excess, are harmful to health. Therefore, even giving preference to foods prepared with these fats, it is necessary to consume them in moderation.

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.