Lard is healthy!
In recent generations, lard has seemed to completely disappear from home kitchens. Until the early 1900’s, lard was a staple cooking fat across the globe. It was the secret to perfectly flaky pie pastry, crispy fried chicken, melt-in-your-mouth biscuits and luscious gravy.
Now, when people hear the term lard, they immediately conjure up a vision of clogged arteries. It’s time to set the record straight – lard is a healthy cooking fat and deserves to make a comeback in kitchens everywhere.
1. Lard is heat stable
When it comes to determining the stability of a fat, it’s all about chemistry. Saturated fats have single bonds between all the carbon molecules of the fatty acid chain and are therefore the most heat-stable. That’s because single bonds, when it comes to the fatty acid carbon chain, are relatively difficult to break. Monounsaturated fats have one double bond replacing a single bond in the carbon chain. Double bonds in fatty acids are unstable and can break with heat. Polyunsaturated fats are the most unstable, because they have numerous double bonds in the carbon chain. When the double bonds in mono- or polyunsaturated fats break, the fatty acid undergoes a process called oxidation.
Why are oxidized fats bad? In a nutshell, oxidized fats = free radicals. Free radicals = cell damage. While we inevitably have some free radicals in our body, we should minimize these damaging molecules as much as possible to protect health and reduce inflammation.
According to Mary Enig, author of Know Your Fats, lard is typically 40% saturated fat, 50% monounsaturated fat and 10% polyunsaturated fat. (Pastured hogs consuming a diet supplemented with grain or coconut will have a lower percentage of polyunsaturated fat – a good thing!). The percentage of saturated fat in lard protects the more vulnerable mono/polyunsaturated fats from oxidizing with heat, making lard an excellent choice for cooking and baking.
2. 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. Our great-great-grandparents consumed lard and butter and experienced extremely low rates of heart disease. Lard is part of a healthy diet and will not give you heart attack:
- An analysis of more than 300,000 people published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that there is no evidence that saturated fat consumption raises the risk of heart disease (1)
- A low fat diet has been shown to increase triglycerides, which is a risk factor for heart disease (2)
- The Women’s Health Initiative studied nearly 50,000 post-menopausal women – one group of women were told to follow a low fat diet, and the other group continued to eat “normally.” After 8 years, there was no difference in the rate of heart disease or cancer between the groups. (3)
- Numerous other large studies have found no benefit to a low fat diet (4)
- The director of the large Framingham Heart Study concluded, “We found that the people who ate the most cholesterol, ate the most saturated fat, ate the most calories, weighed the least and were the most physically active.”
- Saturated fat intake raises HDL cholesterol, which is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease (5)
- The “diseases of modern civilization” including heart disease and diabetes skyrocketed as animal fats were replaced with factory fats including vegetable oils and margarine. Take a look at the graph here.
- The cholesterol content of lard is health-protective, not dangerous (see reason #9 below)
3. Lard is neutral flavored
Like me, many of you choose to cook with coconut oil because it is a heat-stable cooking fat. Coconut oil does impart a mild-to-moderate coconut flavor to dishes, however. And while I enjoy the flavor, sometimes I want a neutral-flavored option. That’s when I choose lard.
For sautéing and deep-frying, nothing beats the cooking properties of lard. It creates a divinely brown crust to vegetables and meats without a distinct flavor. Due to the neutral flavor, it also works exceptionally well in baked goods (see #7).
4. Lard is economical
I purchase quart-sized tubs of lard from my local farmer for $7.50 a quart. You will likely be able to find pastured lard at a similar price. If not, you can request pastured hog fat from your butcher and then render lard yourself (it’s very simple, here’s a tutorial).
When it comes to healthy cooking fats, lard is definitely the most affordable. For example, my other favorite cooking fats – coconut oil and grassfed butter – cost exponentially more.
5. Lard is high in vitamin D
Lard is the second highest food source of vitamin D, after cod liver oil. One tablespoon of lard contains 1,000 IU’s of vitamin D. Also important, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin so it requires fatty acids – including saturated fatty acids – to be absorbed and utilized in the body. Lard provides the perfect package of vitamin D along with the required fatty acid cofactors. Other food sources of vitamin D, including pastured egg yolks and liver, pale in comparison to the amount of vitamin D in lard.
There is a catch, however: only lard from pastured hogs contains vitamin D, since the pigs must have access to sunlight to synthesize the D and store it in their fatty tissues. Grocery store tubs or sticks of lard are from confined, antibiotic-laden pigs and should be avoided. Purchase your lard from a butcher or farmer who can tell you how the pigs are raised.
6. Lard is sustainable
Pigs are easily adaptable animals that can thrive nearly everywhere. Raising pastured hogs is a practice that produces a sustainable source of meat while improving the health of the environment. By rooting and foraging, hogs help to turn over topsoil and naturally fertilize the ground.
You know what’s not sustainable? A bagillion acres of genetically modified, pesticide-drowned, synthetic-fertilizer-laden corn used to produce corn oil. Just saying…
7. Lard is local
Purchasing a pastured pork and lard from your local farmer has a very low carbon footprint. I drive 5 minutes away to collect my weekly eggs, raw milk, pastured meat and lard at a designated pick-up spot. These items are delivered from a farm about an hour away. So my lard comes from a source that is a 65 minute drive away from my house.
My coconut oil, on the other hand, comes from the Philippines which is many, many more minutes away from my house. Just saying…
8. Lard is great for baking
You may not think that lard pairs well with sweet foods, but traditionally lard was used for deep frying donuts and making flaky pie crusts. If you haven’t made a pie crust with lard, you are in for a beautiful surprise! In baked goods, lard lends tenderness and moisture without a discernible flavor.
I love using it in my Sweet Spiced Coconut Flour Biscuits. Substitute lard for coconut oil, vegetable oil, shortening or butter in your baking recipes.
9. Lard is a healthy source of cholesterol
lard ranks #18 in foods richest in cholesterol. As a healing agent in the body, levels of cholesterol rise during periods of stress or when inflammation is present. Studies show that cholesterol consumption does not carry a cause-and-effect relationship with blood cholesterol levels. This is because the body produces the cholesterol it needs. Providing cholesterol through good quality fats, however, reduces the burden on the body to produce cholesterol. Dietary cholesterol from whole foods like lard supports inflammation management and hormone production.
As a matter of fact, numerous studies associate low blood cholesterol levels with:
- A higher risk of mortality (6, 7. 8)
- A higher risk of depression (9, 10)
- A higher risk of committing violent crime and suicide (11, 12)
- A higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (13, 14)
10. Lard is traditional
When I’m asked for simple advice for avoiding unhealthy foods, I give two simple rules of thumb:
- “Avoid any food with a TV commercial.”
- “Avoid any food that your great-great-grandmother wouldn’t have recognized.”
What are some examples of fats that don’t fit these guidelines? Canola oil, corn oil, fake butter, cooking spray and reduced-fat dairy products. Lard, however, was enjoyed by your ancestors thousands of years ago. My great-great-grandmother, a hard-working Danish woman who lived to the ripe old age of 107, grew up on copious dollops of lard, homemade sauerkraut and gallons of fresh milk from the family cow. You won’t see it advertised on TV, either, because large corporations won’t make money promoting the products of your local farmer.
Do you use lard in your home? Do you remember your grandmother or great-grandmother using lard in her kitchen?
I was raised on food cooked with lard. Nothing can compair with a lard pie crust….. does anyone know if tallow an be used in the same way if it is rendered and organic? Does it have the ss.e benefits?
I’ve done some cooking with tallow. It’s a good oil for frying, but I don’t like the taste for baked goods.
Have you tried making beef pot pies with it? While I can see it being a bit strong for dessert applications, I’ve read that there’s an old tradition of matching the crust’s fat to the filling’s meat when making savory baked goods.
I’d also be willing to chance it with mincemeat, since it contains both beef and tallow anyway.
Lard is also the best skin moisturizer, I mix it with shea butter
i agree, and recently noticed an aftertaste when baking a pie crust with lard.
I’ll go back to Crisco brand or generic shortening, which are both better than prefrozen pie crusts made exclusively of hydrogenated fats.
@ Char: Crisco and shortening *are* hydrogenated fats, often cottonseed which is one of the most pesticide treated crops.
Fry potatoes in it. Best french fries ever.
I can remember the 80s when we were told to cut right back on eating or cooking with saturated fats like lard and butter. Fast forward 35 years and we are now being told to eat such fats and oils again. My father only consumed dairy products and lard/butter throughout his 90 odd years of life. My mother was a fitness fanatic and died very much younger than my father. She also suffered dementia in her later years possibly caused by her ‘healthy lifestyle’? What to believe? Recently I have reduced my carbs consumption and the weight has fallen off; no more biscuits, cakes or bread, etc. I feel better.
Good for you, Steven!
As a Certified Personal Trainer and fitness buff myself, I’m glad to hear people like yourself discover the benefit of greatly reducing your carbs intake AND losing weight!
Unlike protein and fat, carbohydrates supply none of the elements necessary to build or repair tissue in the body, and provide no essential component. In fact, there is absolutely no dietary requirement for carbohydrates by the body at all!
Glad you feel better without them…keep up the good work 😉
Great article about using Lard and its health benefits. I’ve been on Keto diet and looking for alternative oil that i can use for cooking. I think i can put it on my Keto Friendly Oils list. ive tried coconut oil, avocado oil, Ghee and Grapseed oil and using Lard is new to my ears. Thanks for this!
Does anyone use lard to grease their cake pans for baking instead of Crisco?
What is Crisco?
???? you must be very young, Dave. That was cute…
Crisco was the brand name of a big can of lard they use to sell at the store market. We never used it.. my mother only cook with olive oil or butter….
This was in the end of the sixths…. I can still see the can in my memory…, it was like a big can of ground coffee, white and blue and the name ‘Crisco” in red big in the middle. Why do I remembered so well since we didn’t use it…? I don’t know…. Good question… Maybe some of my girlfriend’s mothers used it..
I hope I answer your question….?
Actually, Crisco wasn’t/isn’t lard, it was originally hydrogenated cottonseed oil. Cotton is one of the most pesticide treated gmo crops grown. Here’s a link I found that might help explain:
What’s Crisco made of if vegetables don’t make oil.
[Search domain http://www.meghantelpner.com/blog/vegetables-dont-make-oil-so-whats-crisco-really-made-of/%5D https://www.meghantelpner.com/blog/vegetables-dont-make-oil-so-whats-crisco-really-made-of/
What is actually in Crisco today? Since the original cottonseed cocktail, the formulation has changed to be able to throw a few healthwashing claims onto the canister.The cottonseed oil has been replaced with hydrogenated, genetically modified omega-6 rich soybean oil and fully hydrogenated palm oil (a very different substance than extra virgin, cold pressed palm or coconut oil).
I use lard to grease my frying pan when I scramble eggs for breakfast. Even better, is that I recover my own lard when we bake a ham. Just cut the lard tissue into 1X1 inch chunks, put them into a blender, cover with water, and blend until smoothe. Put into a pot, bring to a boil, and boil for about 5 minutes. take off the heat, and put aside to let the oil settle out. When it cools, the lard will harden in the top layer. Drain off the water. Repeat 3X. Each time put 2 table spoons of salt in the mix. The salt will dissolve in the aqueous layer and increase the specific gravity differential between the aqueous and fat layers. (I’m a chemist by education, and a LIPID chemist by application.) Each time you “wash” the lard, the lard layer will get cleaner. I really love the flavor my recovered lard adds to my eggs.
Is your product hydrogenated? I was reading a package of lard in the store and the ingredients were given as “hydrogenated lard and lard.” Farmer Johns brand of lard stated “pure lard” but I need to know how your product is made so I can tell my daughter (living in Texas) and cannot buy Farmer Johns brand if your brand is safe and free of trans fats.
Crisco is a brand name for shortening which isn’t good for us.
“Shortening” is made by artificially hydrogenating a liquid, or semi-liquid fat. The really bad part is that the process results in the production of “trans” fatty acids.
You’ve pretty much nailed it on the Lard issue, however you do need to take some serious lessons as to what is sustainable.
“You know what’s not sustainable? A bagillion acres of genetically modified, pesticide-drowned, synthetic-fertilizer-laden corn used to produce corn oil. Just saying…”
As inaccurate & sloppy as this statement is, laden with innuendo and hearsay, this is what has brought more people out of abject poverty and starvation than anything at anytime ever in all of history!
Keep up the good work!
That is an interesting point to consider. I appreciate you expressing that this is not a black-and-white issue.
Bill Baerg – I was JUST mentioning to a younger relative about “back in the day” grandmother use to use lard (bacon grease?) stored in a small coffee can on her kitchen counter, and that today a lot of food allergies are becoming common – even for our pets. I have heard both doctors and vets state “…contributing factors could be our genetically modified food chain as the industry is now, all about “farm to table” and everything is “now.”
August 6, 2019 at 1:25 am
You’ve pretty much nailed it on the Lard issue, however you do need to take some serious lessons as to what is sustainable.
“You know what’s not sustainable? A bagillion acres of genetically modified, pesticide-drowned, synthetic-fertilizer-laden corn used to produce corn oil. Just saying…”
“this is what has brought more people out of abject poverty and starvation than anything at anytime ever in all of history!”
The problem is, though, all of these grains have now caused more sickness than anytime in history. We aren’t living longer, we are just on more drugs to live longer.
An adult in the room. Thank You. Common sense and reason.
PRAISE THE LARD !!!
I like to keep lard in the house, but it isn’t at every grocery store. I consider lard a healthy kitchen item right up there with olive oil, a natural fat/oil without factory additives. Is good for biscuits and tamales, and if you’re out of butter/oil it can serve in a pinch to fry a breakfast, or grease a muffin pan. I’d expect to see it on the shelf at a Whole Foods or Sprouts as a healthy alternative staple. I really like that it will stay good for years.
For what it’s worth.
Try shopping at a food store that has ingredients for lots of Mexican dishes. My local H-E-B carries items based on specific localized consumer needs. One carries lard while another location doesn’t. But if you shop where there’s a taquiera inside, that store will usually carry lard. My favorite places to shop (and eat)!
I’m switching to lard! I found a farm online that has pasture-raised pigs and make their own lard. My mother grew up on a small farm in Maine, and her mother made and cooked with this exclusively all through the Depression. “Mama used a wood-burning stove,” my mother has told me, “and together with using lard for pie crusts, cakes and cookies, you just can’t get that same flavor today!” I sadly grew up on Crisco, but from what I’ve read over the last few years, we really shouldn’t be eating this stuff anymore!