In different parts of the world, lard and oil are commonly used to accompany dozens of recipesHowever, they raise various doubts regarding maintaining a healthy diet.
Lard is a white semi-solid fat obtained from the fatty tissue of the pig, it is processed by cooking and rendering the fat. Its flavor is usually intense, meaty and has the aroma of pork.
It is commonly used in Mexican cuisine to fry, sauté, bake and make dough. It can also be used as a spread and as a base for sauces.
On the other hand, oil is known as a fatty liquid of vegetable or animal origin. It is obtained by pressing or extracting seeds, nuts or other plant or animal materials; The amount of fat that makes it up depends on that.
It is used for frying, sautéing, dressing, baking and as a base for sauces and mayonnaise. The choice of oil type depends on the smoke point required and the desired flavor.
Differences between lard and oils
- Lard: It contains a relatively high amount of saturated fat (around 50%).
- Oils: They vary greatly in their fat composition. Some, such as olive oil and canola oil, are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are considered beneficial for heart health. Others, such as coconut oil and palm oil, are high in saturated fat.
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What does the WHO say?
The WHO states that for a healthy diet in adults, certain fats should be avoided; less than 30% of daily caloric intake comes from fat (1, 2, 3). The entity recommends limiting the consumption of saturated fats to less than 10% of total daily calories to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
For this reason, “unsaturated fats (present in fish, avocados, nuts and in sunflower, soy, canola and olive oils) are preferable to saturated fats (present in fatty meat, butter, olive oil). palm and coconut, cream, cheese, clarified butter and lard), and trans fats of all types, in particular those produced industrially (present in frozen pizzas, cakes, cookies, pastries, wafers, oils cooking and spreads), and ruminant trans fats (found in meat and dairy products from ruminants such as cows, sheep, goats and camels).”
Specialists recommend that, to reduce fat intakeespecially industrially produced saturated fats and trans fats, you can “replace butter, lard and clarified butter with oils rich in polyunsaturated fats, for example, soybean, canola (rapeseed), corn, safflower and sunflower”.
It is important to remember that caloric intake must be balanced with caloric expenditure; free sugar consumption must also be limited to less than 10% of total caloric intake (2.7) as part of a healthy diet.
