Is lard residue healthy? Finally there is a reliable answer

Expert of this article: Zhang Zhaomin, Master of Food Science, Senior Engineer

Crispy and delicious, fragrant and not greasy...the protagonist we are going to talk about today is - lard residue!

Lard residue exists in the memories of many people. In that relatively underdeveloped era, many families would use fat to make lard for cooking, and the remaining lard residue was often a delicious side dish.

So the question is, why is lard so delicious? Can eating lard regularly prevent cancer? Or will it clog blood vessels? Let's find out.

Why is lard so delicious?

Usually, in order to obtain more oil yield when boiling lard, pig lard is chosen as the raw material, because the adipose tissue of pig lard is composed of a tissue matrix with a small amount of protein and water.

However, nowadays, few families make lard specially. When cooking lard residue occasionally, fat with relatively low fat mass ratio is often used as raw material. Under the action of heating, fat will be continuously released from the fat tissue cells, most of the water will be removed, and the remaining protein-containing fat residue will become lard residue.

Since lard residue generally has a low water content and a loose texture, it tastes crispy. At the same time, during the cooking process, lard residue will also undergo some non-enzymatic browning, such as carbonyl-amine reaction (commonly known as Maillard reaction), which will produce some dark brown substances and caramel flavor components.

It is this special color, flavor and taste that makes it loved by most people.

Is lard dregs nutritious? Can we eat more of them?

Lard has certain nutritional value, mainly the fat (fatty acids) and a small amount of protein.

For example, taking the raw material of lard residue as an example, according to the data of my country's Food Composition Table (6th edition), in addition to 2.4% protein and 88.6% fat, fat also contains a small amount of vitamins and a variety of mineral elements. In an era when materials were relatively scarce and the food processing industry was not yet developed, lard residue may have played a more positive nutritional role.

However, since the fat in lard is mainly saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid and stearic acid, long-term intake of excessive animal fat is more likely to cause obesity.

Moreover, the melting point of general fats and oils will also affect our body's digestion and absorption of them. For example, fats and oils that are lower than normal body temperature (such as 37°C) are relatively easier to emulsify in the digestive tract, thereby achieving a higher digestibility.

The melting point of animal fats is generally higher than that of vegetable fats. For example, the melting point of fat in lard residue (similar to lard) is about 36~50℃, the melting point of common soybean oil is about -18~-8℃, and that of peanut oil is about 0~3℃, and so on.

Therefore, considering your own health and easier digestion and absorption, you should not eat too much lard residue.

Can eating lard residue regularly prevent cancer?

Lard is a common food that has no positive biological effect on human health. Its main component is fat, and mainly saturated fat.

Generally speaking, eating saturated fat regularly is not good for your health, but may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Therefore, eating lard residue frequently can neither cure diseases nor prevent cancer.

Will eating lard clog your blood vessels?

Any food we eat is basically composed of protein, fat, sugar (carbohydrate), water, vitamins and minerals.

Among them, proteins, fats and sugars are macromolecular nutrients that cannot be directly absorbed by the human body. They first pass through the digestive tract and are broken down into absorbable small molecules such as amino acids, glycerol, fatty acids, etc. under the action of various digestive enzymes. These digested small molecules then pass through the digestive tract mucosa (such as the small intestinal mucosa) into the blood and lymph.

Therefore, eating lard residue will not clog your blood vessels.

How should lard residue be eaten?

Lard residue has a high fat content and is a high-energy food. Eating too much of it can easily lead to excessive energy intake.

Moreover, during the production process, people often fry the food repeatedly for a long time to remove as much moisture as possible in order to obtain a crispier taste. However, under the action of high temperature for a long time, oils will undergo complex chemical changes such as hydrolysis, condensation, and polymerization, which may produce a variety of ingredients that are harmful to the human body.

So, how should lard residue be eaten?

1. Avoid frying ingredients repeatedly for a long time, and avoid waiting until the lard residue becomes too dark in color before removing from the pan.

2. Control the amount of food consumed. According to the dietary guidelines for Chinese residents, the daily energy supply of adults should not exceed 30% from fat. If calculated based on a daily energy requirement of 2,000 kcal (about 8,400 kJ), the daily intake of fat should not exceed 68 grams. We also get fat from other foods and vegetable oils, so it is enough to eat a little lard residue.

3. Considering that lard residue has a relatively high saturated fat content, it is not suitable for the elderly, people with cardiovascular diseases, etc.

In summary

Lard residue is a high-energy food

It is crispy and delicious

You can eat it occasionally

But don't eat too much~

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