6 Reasons to Add Lard to Your Diet

More From Prevention Is lard healthy or unhealthy? Lard is primarily a fat source, and has basically zero protein or carbohydrates. But despite what you might have heard about fats, this is. Coast Packing: Lard is Packed with Vitamin D If you're like most people in the industry, you love lard for the flavor it imparts to popular dishes. It's the difference-maker in refried beans, tortillas, tamales, carnitas and scads of other offerings that make Mexican food so special.

Lard made from pastured hogs is an excellent source of Vitamin D. The only real food better for

1. Lard Is Easy On Your Wallet (And Your Body) We all have this perception that cheap foods are not good for your body. Take ramen noodles for example. But it's not the case for lard. Lard packs a lot of health benefits without punching your wallet. That is a rarity nowadays. We wonder why so much of America is overweight. [1] What sets tallow and lard apart, then? The difference is a matter of sourcing. Tallow is rendered beef fat, while lard is rendered pork fat. Keep reading to learn more about the similarities, differences, and health benefits of tallow and lard. What is lard? Lard is pig fat that has been rendered down into a more stable form. Lard is heart-healthy "Lard is an animal fat, and it is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Doesn't that mean it raises my risk for heart disease?" The pervasive myth that animal fats increase the risk of heart disease is just that - a myth. Lard (yes, pig fat) is one food that many point to as packed with vitamin D. Is lard your vitamin D ticket? No. Lard has very small levels of vitamin D even if the pig is eating grass. I discuss the issue in the video below (or jump over to YouTube for a gander here ). Your very best source of vitamin D is still sunlight.

Rendered Pork Lard Botany Bay Farm

Vitamins and Minerals Lard is not a significant source of vitamins or minerals. However, lard from pigs raised on pasture can be high in fat-soluble vitamins D and K2. There is more information on this later. Key Point: Lard is a source of dietary fat, and it may also provide vitamins D and K2. Is Frying With Lard Healthy? In fact, lard is one of the highest dietary sources of vitamin D—a nutrient in which about 42% of U.S. adults are deficient. Because lard contains more saturated fat than veggie oils, it. What is Lard? Lard is pork fat. There are two types you can get for making lard. Leaf lard and back fat. Leaf lard is the fat around the kidneys and is considered the best type of fat for making lard. It has a very neutral flavor and is ideal for baking purposes. The back fat is also acceptable though some say it renders a stronger pork flavor. Vitamin D: A tablespoon of lard from pasture-raised pigs has about 1,000 IU of vitamin D, and by comparison, 1 tablespoon of butter has 9 IU of vitamin D, while the same amount of olive oil has none. Lard is one of the highest dietary sources of vitamin D, and about 42% of U.S. adults have been found deficient in this vitamin .

What Is Lard, and Is It Healthy? Where to Buy Lard

Detailed discussion of lard as a Vitamin D rich, traditional fat. When it's healthy and when it's not based on sourcing from quality pastured pig farms versus conventional sources that can be toxic, hydrogenated, and/or highly processed. Archaeological evidence indicates that pigs were one of humanity's earliest domesticated animals. 1. Pasture-Raised Lard 2. Salmon 2. Atlantic Mackerel 3. Oysters 5. Egg yolks 6. Various Other Fish Foods High In Vitamin D: The Bottom line What is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone that our bodies produce when exposed to ultraviolet-B rays from the sun. That's why it's often called the "sunshine vitamin." Lard is high in Vitamin D. It has about 1000 IU (international units) per tablespoon depending on what they are fed and how much sunlight the animals get. Our pigs are raised under ideal conditions- in the open air and sunshine, for high doses of vitamin D! More Vitamin D means less seasonal mood swings, sounds good to me! According to Mary Enig, author of Know Your Fats, lard is about 40 percent saturated, 50 percent monounsaturated, and contains 10 percent polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is also one of our richest dietary sources of vitamin D.

6 Reasons to Add Lard to Your Diet

Vitamin D — Lard is the #2 food source for vitamin D, only trailing cod liver oil. One tablespoon actually contains 1,000 IUs! Heat Stable — Pork fat isn't destabilized by higher heat. This means it's much healthier and less of a cancer risk than other oils that smoke at high temperatures. Packed with Vitamins D and B, it's a potential immunity booster. Fact is, one tablespoon of lard contains 1,000 international units of vitamin D, a nutrient more than 40 percent of Americans are lacking. The same amount of butter contains 9 IU, and olive oil contains none. Scientists actually rank lard #8 out of the100 most nutritious foods.