Lard and cholesterol: is it possible to eat fat with high cholesterol? New research, all for and against

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

"National strategic product" lard is incredibly popular in Ukraine and widely known abroad. It is also present in European cuisine no less than in Slavic. This is a very energetic product that gives a feeling of satiety for a long time, not to mention that it is also very tasty. There are many recipes for making lard, all of which are incredibly popular and have their own loyal fans. But it has long been believed that the consumption of lard is unhe althy due to its excessive cholesterol content. So is it or not? This will be de alt with in this article.

Fat and cholesterol. Relationship

Now nutritionists are no longer so critically opposed and recognize the great benefits that fat brings to the body. Let's figure out how fat and cholesterol are related to each other. We will also find out if it is contained in fat at all.

Pork lard is a subcutaneous animal fat in which all biologically active substances and livingcells. Its calorie content is incredibly high - 770 calories per 100 g of product. And, of course, there is cholesterol in it, as it is in any animal product, but to consider it unhe althy, you need good reasons. In order to find out if there is cholesterol in the fat, which is harmful to he alth, it is necessary to determine what its content is in the product.

In 100 g of fat, according to scientific data, there are 70-100 mg of cholesterol. Whether this is a lot, we will understand by comparing this indicator with other products. For example, beef kidneys contain much more of it - 1126 mg, and beef liver - 670 mg, in butter 200 mg of cholesterol. Paradoxically, but fat among them looks quite innocent and certainly not menacing. And even more surprisingly, the cholesterol content in fat does not even reach the indicators of such seemingly dietary products as chicken eggs, veal, heart, hard cheeses, and many types of fish.

Benefits and harms of eating fat

Getting the body the right animal fats is essential to its proper functioning. The optimal amount of fat is generally considered to be a daily allowance of 70 g, of which two-thirds are animal fats. The postulate that fat and cholesterol contained in it are a source of threat to the human body has not stood the test of time and has been confidently refuted by modern research. According to their results, pork fat has a large number of useful properties. It is literally crammed with exactly those substances that are absolutely necessary for proper operation.all systems of the human body. The lard was rich in vitamins A, F, D, E, as well as a number of B-group vitamins.

In addition, the palmitic, lanolin and oleic acids contained in the product are so high in concentration that they equate bacon with the endlessly advertised and widely recommended olive oil and fatty fish by nutritionists of all countries. According to such indicators, one should not talk about the dangers of this luxurious product, but about how lard positively affects cholesterol. According to scientific evidence, eating the right amount of lard every day significantly helps to reduce the amount of bad cholesterol and also makes an excellent prevention of vein diseases.

The high content of selenium in lard strengthens the immune system, and arachidonic acid helps to actively regulate the background of hormones and also works to strengthen the immune system.

Fat, which retains all bioactive components, enters the stomach and releases a lot of energy, so even its minimal consumption will allow you to forget about the feeling of hunger, help you warm up in the cold, and not succumb to fatigue at work. You can safely consider it a dietary product, because for all its satiety, it is very easily absorbed by the body, and also helps to reduce the burden on the digestive system.

Fat and weight loss

For those who seek to lose weight, doctors and nutritionists often impose a strict ban on fat, explaining this by its harmful properties. But it turns out that in the new trends in dietology it is already stronglyit is recommended that those who lose weight eat a small portion of fat 30-40 minutes before a meal in order to remove the feeling of hunger and not be insatiable during the main meal. Such a competent approach allows you to start a meal not very hungry and get full faster, which helps to reduce the amount of cholesterol that came with food.

Lard is also very convenient for a quality snack between meals - a small sandwich with this product can be safely carried in any purse for at least a whole day, because s alty lard will not deteriorate even in the greatest heat and remain safe for the intestines. By the way, it is very profitable and convenient to take it on hikes and trips, since it can be stored without a refrigerator for quite a long time.

So, answering the question of whether there is cholesterol in pork fat, it should be noted that there is still some amount of it in the product, but it is not as frightening as it was thought some time ago. Given the great benefits that fat brings to the human body, we come to the conclusion that such a meager amount of cholesterol can in no way significantly harm. A small amount of cholesterol in the pork product is also beneficial, as its presence creates an obstacle to the formation of bad cholesterol, simply blocking its synthesis in the human body.

Can I use the product with high cholesterol in the body?

The biological activity of fat is five times higher than that of butter. But this is despitethat the level of cholesterol in it is much lower. So does fat increase cholesterol if it contains it in such a small amount? And here you can give a twofold answer. If you use fat without measure, then this percentage will be enough to increase blood cholesterol. But the same applies to many other products, even the most innocent and completely dietary, which in small doses bring exceptional benefits, and in large quantities they are quite capable of causing harm.

However, the content of linoleic acid in fat, one of the three most essential acids that form vitamin F, significantly strengthens the position of lard in terms of its usefulness. This acid, in collaboration with linolenic and arachidonic acid, reduces the activity of the synthesis of harmful cholesterol, accelerates the processes of cholesterol metabolism in the body and does not allow its level to rise to a critical one. But even despite the very important functions of vitamin F in the organization of lipid metabolism, if you eat half a kilo of fat per day, your cholesterol level will definitely increase. At the same time, it will harm the pancreas and liver, since it will take a lot of bile and lipase to digest such an amount of cholesterol food.

How to use the product with high cholesterol in the body?

In order for fat with high cholesterol not to harm the body, but to benefit it, the daily intake of its consumption should be limited to 30 grams of the product. Otherwise, the load on the liver with the gallbladder increases, and for those people who have problems with these organs, suchoverloading them can be dangerous. Adjika, mustard or horseradish can help to digest the fat eaten faster, stimulating the work of the digestive tract. So, eating these delicious seasonings along with lard will greatly improve digestion.

The harmful properties of fat

Despite the enormous benefits that fat brings to the body, harm can also come from it. First of all, this concerns its immoderate consumption, when the amount of cholesterol received significantly exceeds the permissible limits, and neither the liver nor the gallbladder is able to cope with such an unbearable load.

Harmful factors include s alt used to prepare the product and preserve it from spoilage. Sodium, which is present in the blood, retains moisture in the body, preventing it from leaving freely, and thereby provokes edema. This is harmful for everyone, and especially for those who have problems with metabolic processes.

Don't eat old stuff

Try not to eat old fat that has been in the refrigerator for six months or more. Such a product not only loses its taste, but also accumulates carcinogens. The same applies to the smoked product, since this method of cooking deprives the lard of part of the vitamins and, thanks to the substances formed during the smoking process, provokes cancer.

Choose only high-quality and fresh fat for cooking, then the body will develop correctly and harmoniously.

The results of new studies of lard on cholesterol

Whether lard will be useful or harmful for each individual person can only be said depending on how much the product was eaten and what its quality is. A small amount of lard will not increase cholesterol levels, and excessive portions can not only increase the amount of cholesterol, but also harm the digestive organs.

According to the latest conclusion of the International Union of Dietitians, lard is the only animal product that contains:

• arachidonic acid, which affects the functioning of hormones, is essential for the good functioning of the heart muscle, and also prevents vascular atherosclerosis;
• oleic acid, anti-cancer;
• palmitic acid involved in metabolic processes and maintaining immunity.

Based on this postulate, new studies of fat and cholesterol were carried out. As a result, it turned out that it is impossible to exclude the product from the diet. For he alth, a balanced diet is very important, which includes all the vitamins, minerals and other useful substances necessary for the development of the body. The absence of fat in the diet will not give a positive effect, moreover, it will bring tangible damage to the body. It is only necessary to observe the necessary norms for the consumption of this product. For example, the amount of s alty fat for a normal he althy person should not exceed 50 grams per day in his diet. But if it is smoked fat, there is a big risk of getting a large dose of carcinogens.

Which fat is the he althiest?

The most useful fat is not frozen, but slightly heated in a pan before melting. Recent studies in this direction have shown that gentle heat treatment does not harm the usefulness of active ingredients, but allows them to be absorbed even better. So, scientists have proven that fried food cooked in lard is much he althier than that cooked in vegetable oil.

Conclusion

Now you know the relationship between fat and cholesterol. We examined the benefits and harms of the product. Summing up the above, we can state that there is cholesterol in fat, but not so much. Small portions of this product will not harm a he althy person at all, and they will even help a sick person to reduce the intake of harmful cholesterol from other foods due to that already received with fat. New research has challenged old ideas about cutting fat out of people's diets because of its high cholesterol content. On the contrary, new facts have been proven of the undoubted benefits of this amazing product, consumed in the required quantities to ensure the good functioning of all body systems.