The words ‘pork fat’ and ‘nutritious’ don’t quite go together, but that may soon change, given a surprising finding by scientists which has gone viral recently.
A research made by scientists on raw foods showed some surprises in ranking the best nutritious foods in the world and as crazy as it seems, pork fat is the only raw animal food included in the group of first ten ailments that give us both energy and the best balance of our daily nutritional requirements.
Pork fat ranked 8th in a list of 100 foods, with a nutritional score of 74 – the higher the number, the more likely it will meet your daily nutritional needs. According to the scientist, lard is considered to be healthier than lamb or beef fat due to a high content of vitamin B and mineral as well for its unsaturated characteristics.
Also, pork fat contains oleic acid with 60% monounsaturated fat. Monounsaturated oleic acid has been found to be good for the heart, arteries, and skin, and also helps to regulate hormones. As a comparison, butter contains 45% monounsaturated fat.
Here are the top 10 most nutritious foods and their nutritional scores:
- Almonds, 97
- Cherimoya (a type of fruit), 96
- Ocean perch (a deep-water fish), 89
- Flatfish, 88
- Chia seeds, 85
- Pumpkin seeds, 84
- Swiss chard, 78
- Pork fat, 73
- Beet greens, 70
- Snapper, 69
Still, moderation is the key to consumption considering that lard could lead to obesity if consumed without measure. “As long as it’s pure and unprocessed, it can be beneficial for the body,” according to a Singapore-based nutritionist.
But she recommends not consuming more than six spoonfuls a day, and stresses the importance of a balanced diet: “For example, meat is a better source of Vitamin B than fat, and essential omega-3 fatty acids are obtained from other foods.”