How many calories are in lard, and how to use it correctly

Updated: December 26, 2022, at 18:55

Lard is a fairly popular Ukrainian product. However, more often it is considered too fatty and not very healthy, but this opinion is wrong. Nutritionists say that with the correct dosage, lard will have great benefits for the body.

In this article, we will find out how many calories are in salted, smoked and other types of lard, as well as what beneficial properties this product has.

Calorie content of lard

Lard contains about 900 kcal per 100 g of product, which is much higher than the calorie content of many other products. The benefits of lard may end before they begin if they are abused, because excess fat in the body has not led to anything good, but only contributed to the development of various diseases.

If you do not suffer from excess weight, even a slight one, then it is recommended to eat no more than 50 g of this product in the classic version of preparation, when it is simply salted. If you have fat on your sides and you are unhappy with your weight, it is better to temporarily give up lard, or consume no more than 20 g.

How many calories are in fresh, raw lard in 100 grams?

It is impossible to say with a 100% guarantee which lard is the healthiest. Of course, a product that has not been subjected to heat treatment and does not have a large amount of salt is more favorable for consumption. However, the benefits and calorie content of lard will depend on factors such as:

• Pig age
• Pig health status
• Pig weight
• The part of the meat from which the fat is taken

Raw lard is often purchased in order to prepare it yourself at home: salt, smoke, pickle or roll it into jars. Many people replace rendered fat from raw lard (lard) with other vegetable fats. Lard is used to fry roasts, potatoes, meat and prepare various dishes. It is believed that such fat is environmentally friendly, is not subject to chemical treatments, and therefore is of great benefit to the body.

Raw lard

Options by variety

Below we will look at the table of calorie content of lard per 100 grams of product.

• The calorie content of salted pork fat is 816 kcal.
• The calorie content of salted lard with a layer is 622 kcal.
• Fried lard contains 753 kcal.
• Boiled lard contains 500 kcal.
• The calorie content of smoked lard is 815 kcal.

Recommendations for use

For such a diet, it is recommended to take only high-quality fresh lard, since after processing its beneficial properties are lost. It's better if it's frozen. When losing weight, you should not consume the following types of lard:

• smoked;
• baked;
• overly salty.

In exceptional cases, you can eat a lightly salted but raw product.

Follow the diet for 10 days, after which it is recommended to exclude lard from the diet for six months and include more fruits and vegetables in the diet. If desired, you can extend weight loss up to a month, but no longer.

To lose excess weight using this method, you must adhere to a number of recommendations:

• it is allowed to combine lard with wholemeal bread;
• You can drink it with red wine or vodka;
• breakfast consists of complex carbohydrates: oatmeal (long-cooked), buckwheat porridge, pasta;
• unsweetened coffee with cream is allowed to be drunk no more than once a day;
• completely exclude other animal fats from the menu;
• salads and cereals are seasoned with any vegetable oil, but not exceeding the daily norm of 1 tablespoon;
• minimize the consumption of salt, sugar and products containing them;
• drink at least 2 liters of clean water per day;
• After waking up, take a shower to wash away toxins from the skin.

You should not gorge yourself on lard at night to prevent fat deposition and excess cholesterol accumulation.

If you follow these rules, you can actually lose up to 500 g per day. At the same time, blood vessels are cleaned by removing bad cholesterol from the blood.

What nutritionists say

If you decide to lose weight, it is not at all necessary to give up lard, because it contains essential fatty acids. However, if you decide to enjoy this product, then you should not exceed the permitted dose, and it is no longer recommended to consume any fats during the day. You should not eat this fatty product without anything, so as not to feel heaviness in your stomach.

Better take a small piece of rye bread. Today there are quite a large number of different diets in which you can eat a wide variety of foods. One such amazing diet is the Kwasniewski Diet.

This Polish nutritionist claims that it is more beneficial to lose weight using fatty foods than using fruits and vegetables, since they contain a large amount of water. That is why he recommends not to overload the stomach and drink water only in its pure form.

Jan Kwasniewski recommends starting your morning with a few chicken eggs fried in lard, as well as a piece of rye bread. Despite the fact that most often it is not recommended to wash down food, the nutritionist advises washing it all down with tea. Lunch is also quite filling. A small piece of chicken should be fried in breadcrumbs and lard. You can serve the dish with boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes cooked in water.

For dinner, you can treat yourself to a couple of cheesecakes in sour cream or cream sauce. It is better to stick to such a diet for no more than 5 days, and you can lose about 3 kilograms on it.

The downside is that it cannot be used by people with high cholesterol, otherwise it will have a detrimental effect on their health.

Role for the body

Lard, like other food products, is beneficial for humans if you follow the rules.

It is generally accepted that a safe portion of pork fat for an adult is 10-20 g per day and no more than 100 g per week. This is the ideal daily norm, which will not leave extra centimeters on the body, but at the same time it is enough to get all the benefits from lard.

Weight loss

Many people give up fat for fear of gaining extra pounds. Observations have shown that pork fat can indeed cause obesity if consumed without moderation. But in case of overeating, almost all other foods will give a similar effect. And lard in adequate portions, on the contrary, breaks down harmful lipids in the human body. This hard white fat cleanses blood vessels of atherosclerotic plaques, stimulates the production of bile and regulates the process of food digestion. So, 1-2 slices of lard will only improve metabolism and prevent the accumulation of excess.

Heart and blood vessels

Pork fat, in addition to important antioxidant vitamins for humans, contains arachidonic acid. It is this substance, in combination with other beneficial components, that helps strengthen blood vessels and normalize the functioning of the heart muscle. Due to its special composition, lard also benefits the blood vessels that supply blood to brain cells and other internal organs. And if you remember about the ability to protect against the accumulation of excess cholesterol, then lard turns into one of the most useful products for blood vessels.

Is it healthier than olive oil?

British researchers spent 20 years studying the properties of pork fat. And not so long ago they made an amazing claim: this product is sometimes healthier than olive oil. In particular, when heated, pork fat produces substances that improve brain function and prevent heart disease and cancer. On the contrary, according to the British, vegetable oils, including olive oil, acquire properties harmful to humans when heated. So English scientists advise putting a piece of lard in a frying pan instead of vegetable oil.

Secrets of the recipe

Appetizer “Lard with garlic”

100 g of this snack contains 540 kcal.

Ingredients:

• 300 g salted lard;
• 2 medium cloves of garlic;
• greens and black pepper to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. Twist the lard through a meat grinder along with the skin.
2. Finely chop the greens with a knife or in a blender.
3. Pass the garlic cloves through a press.
4. Add a little ground black pepper to the resulting mixture.

Chocolate candies with lard

There are 678 kcal per 100 g of delicacy.

Ingredients:

• 50 g raw lard;
• 50 g butter;
• 65 g dark chocolate;
• walnuts and cinnamon to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. Grate the lard on a fine grater and form into balls, then put them in the freezer for half an hour.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a water bath. Add chopped nuts and cinnamon to this mixture.
3. Place the lard balls on long sticks and dip them into the glaze, then put the candies in the freezer until completely hardened.

Potatoes with lard on skewers

100 g of this juicy and tasty dish contains 310 kcal.

Ingredients:

• 10 medium-sized potatoes;
• 100 g lard with meat layer;
• 1 tsp. vegetable or olive oil;
• salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking steps:

1. Peel the potatoes and wash them.
2. Place the potatoes on the fire, bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes.
3. Cut the lard into small pieces, salt and pepper it.
4. Remove the potatoes from the water and cut them into halves, then place a piece of lard between them and connect them using a skewer (it should be soaked in water for 20 minutes so that it does not burn).
5. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with foil and brush with oil.
6. Bake for 20 minutes at 200 degrees.
7. Before serving, you can sprinkle with cheese and herbs.

Compound

The product contains, in addition to a complex of vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids. These substances are necessary for biochemical reactions to occur in the body.

Importance of nutrients for life:

• Arachidonic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid that is involved in the activity of the brain and nervous system. Regulates the functioning of the liver and adrenal glands. Participates in the processes of cholesterol metabolism.
• A complex of polyunsaturated fatty acids (palmitic, oleic, linolenic) - participate in the functioning of the endocrine system and in the processes of regulating hormonal levels.
• Vitamin A is involved in the formation of its own collagen to maintain healthy skin, and also supports human vision. Participates in building immune defense.
• Vitamin D is a building material for the musculoskeletal system and a catalyst for the human body’s processing of phosphorus and calcium.
• Vitamin E is involved in the formation of red blood cells and supports the natural renewal of epithelial cells.

What are the benefits of lard?

Let's also talk about the beneficial properties of lard.

1. This product contains a fairly large amount of vitamins, which has a positive effect on the immune system.
2. Promotes muscle growth.
3. Helps in regenerating damaged skin.
4. Salo is digested quite quickly and easily.
5. This product can also be used externally for various diseases.
6. It can be stored for a very long time without spoiling.

Harm from eating salted lard

Women apply thin strips of pork fat to their breasts for mastitis
Despite the indispensability and availability of this product, there are categories of people who are prohibited from consuming lard for medical reasons:

• people with impaired enzyme production are not able to process this product;
• people with varying degrees of obesity;
• patients with chronic pancreatitis and cholecystitis;
• people with allergies to the product.

Only severe chronic diseases are a contraindication to the use of salted lard for food.

How to salt lard tasty and correctly

Do you love lard, but don't know how to salt it properly? Then this video is especially for you. In this video, the author will share his secret of salting tasty and soft lard.

We also suggest that you study information about the calorie content of garlic and how to consume it, because it’s hard to imagine lard without this product. No less useful will be an article that tells you the calorie content of cabbage rolls and how to eat them.

Also find out how to learn how to count calories for weight loss if you are watching your figure.

Dear readers, do you like to enjoy a piece of delicious salsa with borscht? Did you know how many calories are in lard? Do you make any unusual dishes from this product, or do you prefer to use it in the classic version? Share your proven and delicious pickling and smoking recipes.

Author of the publication

Useful and healing properties

This product causes a lot of controversy over whether it can be eaten, whether it provides even the slightest benefit to humans, and what it is. Despite the high calorie content of pork fat, it cannot be said that lard is strictly prohibited for people prone to obesity. Do not forget about the main principle of all those who lose weight - a calorie deficit, observing which, you can eat everything in small quantities.

Important! When we talk about the benefits of lard for the human body, we mean the salted or boiled state of the product, while smoked lard is extremely dangerous and harmful. It should be excluded from your diet, because these foods are not healthy. On the contrary, they are dangerous for the liver, kidneys, and heart.

We recommend reading: Useful properties and contraindications of lingonberries, recipes

So, what benefits will salted lard bring you if you consume it daily:

1. Increases immunity. The arachidonic acid contained in its composition has a beneficial effect on the body when it encounters viruses and bacteria. It promotes proper cholesterol metabolism and the removal of toxins from the body. Moreover, this effect is also achieved thanks to fatty acids other than arachidonic acid. So, if you are choosing a diet for high cholesterol, you can consult with your doctor about including lard in your diet.
2. Powerful antioxidant effect. Thanks to selenium, which is an antioxidant, a couple of pieces of lard are often recommended to be included in the diet of athletes, pregnant and lactating women, and smokers. These population groups are in dire need of this nutrient, although, according to research, selenium deficiency is found in 80% of people. By the way, garlic, which is often combined with lard, also contains this microelement.
3. For cardiovascular diseases. A small amount of fat will help your heart work better. It enriches heart muscle enzymes and cell membranes with healthy fats. Due to the fact that it helps the body remove excess toxins, blood vessels are cleansed.
4. Normalizes metabolism. Lard has a beneficial effect on human metabolism. Since the fats contained in the product dissolve under the influence of body temperature, they are easily digestible. A feeling of fullness occurs after just a couple of slices of lard, which reduces the likelihood of overeating.
5. Choleretic effect. Daily consumption of pork fat promotes more efficient flow of bile and improves the functioning of the digestive system.
6. For women's health. As you have already learned, this product contains a fairly high percentage of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which play a very important role in the female body. They help normalize the regular menstrual cycle, proper hormone production and improve the condition of the skin and hair.

Doctors and nutritionists strongly recommend that women consume healthy fats in an amount of at least 1 g per 1 kg of body weight. Those losing weight should not neglect this rule; it is only important to learn to distinguish healthy fats from harmful ones.

Did you know? Lard is free of radionuclides and carcinogens, so housewives are not afraid to use it when frying. Even at high temperatures, it does not smoke and, accordingly, does not emit dangerous carcinogenic substances. Interestingly, lard rarely causes allergies, which means it can be eaten on a hypoallergenic diet.