Dark Chocolate is Great for You, Lard is Healthy?

THE GREATEST MEDICINE OF ALL… IS TEACHING PEOPLE HOW NOT TO NEED IT

The Sweet Treat You Can Indulge in Guilt-Free

Written by Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D.

Good news! Two new studies show dark chocolate has powerful benefits for the body and the mind.

Polyphenols improve circulation

In the first study, Italian researchers wanted to see if eating dark chocolate would improve symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD). The study had a simple cross-over, "before-and-after" design and involved 20 patients.

In the first phase of the study, the patients walked on a treadmill in the morning. Then, two hours after eating 40 grams (a little less than your typical full-sized chocolate bar) of dark chocolate with more than 85 percent cacao, they walked again on the treadmill.

Researchers measured how far and how long the patients walked during each session.

Then, on a different day, the patients repeated the process…except this time, they ate a milk chocolate bar with cacao content below 30 percent.

Again, researchers measured walking time and distance during both sessions.

It turns out, the patients' walking time and distance significantly increased after eating the dark chocolate. But neither improved at all after eating milk chocolate.

Researchers concluded that eating dark chocolate results in more blood supply to the legs. Which makes sense, as dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols , already known to help reduce oxidative stress and improve blood flow in peripheral arteries.

Of course, walking stamina is a very important aging indicator. In fact, other studies show that walking faster, longer, and further is the single best predictor of longevity. Which is just another reason why I recommend taking a daily walk.

Dark chocolate reigns supreme, again

In another "leg" of this study, so to speak, researchers measured the participants' blood levels of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a well-known polyphenol, after eating both dark and milk chocolate.

It turns out, the patients' levels of EGCG and other polyphenols significantly increased after eating dark chocolate. Again, there was no increase at all after consuming milk chocolate. Which comes as no surprise to me, as milk chocolate has far fewer polyphenols in the first place!

Now, I know many people drink green tea because it also contains some EGCG. But remember you'd have to drink eight cups or more of green tea a day to get an "active dose" of EGCG. And that amount may actually become toxic to your health from other constituents in green tea, such as oxalic and tannic acids.

So, really, you're far better off sticking with dark chocolate…or even coffee, which also contains related polyphenols at higher doses than tea.

Good for the mind too!

In the second study, Italian researchers looked at the effects of dark chocolate on cognitive health. Specifically, they assessed brain activity 30 minutes and 120 minutes after the participants consumed 48 grams dark chocolate with 70 percent cacao and 30 percent cane sugar.

Researchers found that eating dark chocolate enhanced the brain's neuroplasticity—which is the brain's ability to adapt to change and create new neurological pathways. They also found it had a positive effect on stress levels, inflammation, mood, memory and immunity.

Amazingly, the lead researcher said that before this study, they had, "looked at the influence of chocolate on neurological functions from the standpoint of sugar content—the more sugar, the happier we are."

But, seriously, of course it's not the sugar.

Again, it's the polyphenols in cacao that boost brain function. Or, more specifically, special polyphenols called flavonoids.

These flavonoids are highly potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents with known mechanisms that are beneficial for brain and heart health.

When all is said and done, these important findings actually remind me of an old Italian saying, chi va piano, va sano; chi va sano, va lontana. Roughly translated, it means: "He who goes quietly/softly, goes safely; he who goes safely, goes far."

Now we know the journey goes better with dark chocolate…

Lard Rated One of the Top 10 Healthiest Foods

Analysis by Dr. Joseph Mercola

 

 

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• A 2015 analysis supports the notion that animal fats are a healthy and important part of the human diet, ranking pork lard the eighth healthiest food out of 100
• Pork fat’s nutritional fitness score was 0.73 — one of the highest scores within the “fat-rich” category.
• Only dried chia seeds (with a score of 0.85), dried pumpkin and squash seeds (0.84) and almonds (0.97) scored higher, and these seeds and nuts are all loaded with high levels of oxalates
• Valuable nutrients found in lard are vitamin D, omega-3 fats, monounsaturated fats (the same fats found in avocados and olive oil), saturated fats and choline

When buying commercially-available lards, make sure they’re not hydrogenated. Most are, and hydrogenated lard will contain trans fat (although products containing 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving can claim to be trans fat free on the label)

For the highest quality and nutrition, make sure the pork fat you buy is from organic pastured (free-range) hogs

For decades, saturated fats like butter, lard and tallow were said to cause heart disease. Responding to such health concerns, the food industry replaced saturated fats with hydrogenated oils that are loaded with trans fats, giving rise to a whole new market of low-fat (but high-sugar) foods.

Americans' health plummeted in tandem with this system wide change, and millions have been prematurely killed by it. As it turns out, trans fat, found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, acts as a pro-oxidant, contributing to oxidative stress that causes cellular damage.

Trans fat is also a major contributor to insulin resistance, currently affecting an estimated 8 in 10 Americans, and many researchers agree that there is no threshold at which trans fats are safe.

Interestingly, an analysis of more than 1,000 raw foods published in PLOS ONE in 2015 ranked raw separated pork fat, also known as pork lard, as the eighth healthiest food on a list of 100. Even more interesting, but perhaps not surprising, considering the timing of the publication, these findings didn’t gain much media traction until recently.

Trans Fats Are Just Now Being Eliminated From Our Diet

The late Dr. Fred Kummerow, author of “Cholesterol Is Not the Culprit,” was the first researcher to note that trans fat — not saturated animal fat — clogs your arteries and promotes heart disease. Moreover, trans fats prevent the synthesis of prostacyclin, which is necessary to keep your blood flowing.

When your arteries cannot produce prostacyclin, blood clots form, which can lead to sudden death. Trans fat has also been linked to dementia. In 2013, Kummerow sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for failing to take action on trans fats in light of the overwhelming scientific evidence against it.

Two years later, in 2015, the agency finally removed partially hydrogenated oils (a primary source of trans fat) from the list of “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) list of food ingredients, and as of June 18, 2019, food manufacturers are no longer allowed to use partially hydrogenated oils in foods due to their health risks.

Processed foods manufactured before this date, however, are allowed to remain on the market until January 1, 2021. (Compliance dates vary depending on whether manufacturers had “limited use” permissions for partially hydrogenated oils, but these are the final dates where all use must cease.)

The PLOS ONE analysis published in 2015 adds further support to the notion that animal fats are a healthy and important part of the human diet, and that man-made replacements are unlikely to be better than what’s been safely used in the past. As noted in The Healthy Home Economist, lard:

“formed the lipid backbone of European cuisine from castle to corner store for much of its post Roman history … Much of the ancient world enjoyed this nutrient rich fat since farmers can raise pigs in almost any climate and circumstance on almost any foodstuffs. Rendering lard is an easy process and the resultant fat lasts for years if made properly. This sets it apart from the more fragile butter.”

Unfortunately, instead of reverting back to healthy saturated fats like lard, butter or coconut oil, partially hydrogenated oils are primarily being replaced with other nonsaturated vegetable oils that produce toxic cyclic aldehydes when heated.

These byproducts appear to be so harmful they may even make trans fats look benign in comparison, and we may not realize the full ramifications of this switch until a decade or two down the line.

“The nutrient balance of a food was quantified and termed “nutritional fitness.”

Nutritional fitness offers a way to prioritize recommendable foods within a global network of foods, in which foods are connected based on the similarities of their nutrient compositions.

With regard to pork fat, its nutritional fitness score was 0.73 — one of the highest scores within the “fat-rich” category. Only dried chia seeds (with a score of 0.85), dried pumpkin and squash seeds (0.84) and almonds (0.97) scored higher.

Valuable nutrients found in lard include:

Vitamin D16

Omega-3 fats

Monounsaturated fats (the same fats found in avocados and olive oil}

Saturated fats

Choline

The Health Benefits of Choline

Choline is a nutrient that many are deficient in, largely because they shun egg yolks, which contain the highest amounts. Choline is crucial during fetal development, and is essential for healthy brain, nervous system and cardiovascular function.

Importantly, choline is used in the synthesis of phospholipids in your body, the most common of which is phosphatidylcholine, better known as lecithin, which is required for the composition of your cell membranes.

Studies also stress its importance for liver health, and it may actually be a crucial key for the prevention of fatty liver disease — including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is largely driven by high-sugar diets as opposed to excess alcohol consumption.

Choline is needed to carry cholesterol from your liver, and it enhances secretion of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles in your liver. A choline deficiency could result in excess fat and cholesterol buildup. Studies have also linked higher choline intake to a decreased risk for heart disease and breast cancer.

A single hard-boiled egg can contain anywhere from 113 milligrams (mg) to 147 mg of choline, or about 25% of your daily requirement. One cup (205 grams) of lard contains 102 mg of choline. That measurement is most likely based on conventionally raised hogs, however. The choline content of organic pastured pork lard could potentially be higher — or, if it comes from a wild hog, it could be as high as 399 mg.

Make Sure Your Lard Is Organic and Pastured

As mentioned, pork lard is rich in the same monounsaturated fats found in avocados and olive oil. However, an important, if not crucial, detail not addressed in the PLOS ONE study is the difference between lard from conventionally raised pigs and that from organically raised pigs. As noted by The Healthy Home Economist, conventional pigs are:

 “Raised on a diet of GM corn and soy (and sometimes peanuts), along with other low quality calorie sources, tainted with high amounts of glyphosate residue (Roundup), antibiotic laced feed, deworming drugs, and who knows what else …

The pigs also live in high stress, downright hellish environments. These places appear to be the perfect home for antibiotic resistant bacteria to thrive … Residues from the feed, drugs, and stress these animals receive end up in their meat and fat … Not surprisingly, the nutritional profile of the meat and fat from conventional pigs is poor.

Tests from the Weston A. Price Foundation discovered that lard from pastured pigs contained 10,000 IU of vitamin D per tablespoon … This nutrient level is hundreds of times the amount in the USDA food database, which is based on conventionally raised hogs.”

Organic pastured pigs are raised much differently. Healthy foods, low stress and outdoor grazing all contribute to much healthier meat and lard.

What You Need to Know About Pork Lard

When buying commercially-available lard, you’ll want to make sure it’s not hydrogenated. Most are, and according to The Healthy Home Economist, hydrogenated lard typically contains about 0.5 grams of trans fat per 13-gram serving.

Knowing the dangers of trans fat, and the fact that there’s no safe level of consumption, hydrogenated lard is clearly an unwise choice. Most hydrogenated lards will state “zero trans fat,” but this is because of a labeling loophole that allows manufacturers to label it as trans fat free as long as it contains 0.5 grams of trans fat or less per serving. So, don’t be fooled.

What’s more, unhydrogenated lard may still have undergone processing to improve texture and extend shelf life. Chemicals such as bleaching agents, deodorizing agents and preservatives such as BHT may be used for this.

The thing is, traditionally rendered lard is tremendously stable as is. At most, you may want to refrigerate it to improve shelf life, but in many cases, that’s not even necessary.

There are also two primary types of lard: leaf lard and regular lard. Leaf lard is made from the visceral fat found around the kidneys of the pig. It’s highly prized by many culinary experts and pastry chefs, and is also more expensive.

One factor that makes pork lard so good for cooking and baking is the fact that it has virtually no flavor, so it doesn’t interfere with the taste of other ingredients. Leaf lard is particularly tasteless. Beef tallow, on the other hand, which is another healthy animal-based fat, tends to have a more distinct flavor, making it useful for select dishes but not universally appropriate, taste wise.

Rendering lard before using it in a dish accomplishes two goals: First, it preserves the fat by removing excess water and other impurities that might otherwise cause it to spoil; rendered lard is shelf-stable, just like olive oil or clarified butter.

Second, it produces a luxuriously creamy, spoonable fat that not only melts instantaneously in a hot pan, but also yields beautifully flaky pastry.”

The Fall and Rise of Pork Lard

As mentioned, lard has been used for thousands of years. It didn’t fall out of favor until the invention of Crisco — made from hydrogenated cottonseed oil — in 1911. While Crisco was purposely formulated to resemble lard, it was nothing like it.

Since advertising claims back then were unregulated, Procter and Gamble sold Crisco as being healthier than animal fats, and consumers believed it. It took 90 years before researchers finally discovered that this new, "better-for-you" compound, now known as trans fat, actually increases your risk of getting heart disease, whereas animal fats do not.

The good news is, many are now starting to recognize the wholesomeness of lard, and with that recognition, it’s starting to find its way back into kitchens and certain restaurants.

Other Healthy Cooking Fats

Aside from organic pastured pork lard, other healthy cooking fats include:

•    Coconut oil — It has a number of valuable health benefits, including a positive effect on your heart and antimicrobial properties. It’s also a great source of energy, thanks to its medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs). When consumed, the MCFAs are digested and converted by your liver into energy that you can immediately use. Coconut oil also helps stimulate your metabolism to encourage a healthy weight profile.

•    Grass fed butter — Raw, organic butter made from healthy grass fed cows’ milk contains many valuable nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E and K2. It also contains minerals and antioxidants that support good health.

•    Organic ghee — Used for cooking for thousands of years, ghee is another good choice.

•    Olive oil — This oil contains the same kind of healthy fatty acids as lard that can help lower your risk of heart disease. While the standard recommendation has been to avoid using olive oil for cooking and to only use it cold, a 2018 study in which 10 popular cooking oils were compared, contradicts this advice, showing extra-virgin olive oil actually scored best for both oxidative stability and lack of harmful compounds produced when heated.

A word of caution is warranted, however. Fake olive oil abounds, so it’s important to take the time to investigate your sources. Tests reveal anywhere from 60% to 90% of the olive oils sold in American grocery stores and restaurants are adulterated with cheap vegetable oils or nonhuman-grade olive oils, which are harmful to health in a number of ways.

Until next time, stay healthy and happy

JD Roma

The information on this blog is provided for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, and medical advice and services are not being offered. If you have, or suspect you have, a health problem you should consult your physician (preferably a Naturopath).