Tag: Lard

In 2018, a BBC report ranked pig fat among the top ten most nutritious foods, challenging a long-held stigma. So, is it bad to cook with pig fat, or is this traditional kitchen staple making a comeback for good reason?

For decades, shortening was marketed as a healthier alternative to lard, but modern science has flipped this idea on its head. Choosing between shortening and lard involves weighing factors like processing, fat composition, and culinary results to determine which is truly worse for your health and cooking.

Lard is rendered pig fat, a fact that immediately answers whether it is a vegetarian or non-vegetarian food. This traditional cooking fat, once a kitchen staple, is directly derived from animal tissue and is therefore not suitable for vegetarian or vegan diets.

Hard fat is primarily a mixture of saturated fatty acid triglycerides, giving it a solid or semi-solid consistency at room temperature. The exact blend of ingredients in hard fat can vary significantly depending on its intended application, ranging from food products like margarine to pharmaceutical suppository bases.

According to the USDA, a single cup of typical Mexican restaurant refried beans can contain over 550mg of sodium, highlighting that while the base ingredient is healthy, the preparation method significantly impacts the final product. This raises the question: are restaurant refried beans healthy, or is their high fat and sodium content a concern?

While many cookies are accidentally vegetarian, a surprising number contain hidden animal-derived ingredients that can go unnoticed. This guide will help you understand which common ingredients to watch for to determine if all cookies are vegetarian and suitable for your diet.

For decades, animal fats were unfairly demonized, but recent research reveals a different story. Animal fat oil, including lard and tallow, is packed with essential fat-soluble vitamins and offers unique culinary advantages that modern vegetable oils often lack.

While commonly demonized, some studies suggest that certain types of pork fat contain a significant portion of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, similar to olive oil. This nutritional reality challenges the long-held assumption that all pork fat is detrimental to cholesterol levels.

According to North Carolina culinary history, fatback has been a staple in Southern cooking since colonial times. The term fat back refers to the firm, white fat from the back of a pig, which is used for flavoring, moisture, and rendering into lard. It is distinct from other fatty pork products like bacon or salt pork, as it contains little to no meat.

For decades, lard was unfairly demonized as an artery-clogging fat, but modern nutritional science is challenging this perception. So, is lard really bad for your health? This deep dive reveals the surprising truths behind this traditional cooking staple and its place in a balanced diet.