Lardo di Colonnata, the fat that's not fattening

The Lard of Colonnata it is an excellence that is typical of tuscany, known all over the world, the product with fat pure pork , that can scare anyone who is on a strict diet or who has high cholesterol, avoiding to consume it. In reality, even those who want to lose weight or who has a blood test less-than-perfect, you may not have to give up on this delicious cold , why it is not the fat that makes you fat or that “it hurts” .

starting from the the particular technique of production you can well understand the extraordinary: the fat is blended with natural aromas and spices such as sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, garlic and rosemary, and put in a marble basin , for a period of minimum 6 months up to a maximum of 3 years, checking every 15 days that the process is happening correctly. The contact with the marble and with the salt that creates a feature brine that keeps it and the “cook”, adding flavors and scents .

Not only is the process unique, disciplined, and protected by the protected geographical indication (PGI that binds strongly to the pristine territory of the the Apuan Alps in Tuscany, in province of Massa-Carrara, making us understand that we are facing a the meat prized , top quality and inimitable, but also the scientific research by now, it has been shown that fat is not fattening and does not even as bad as we thought so far.

Years of extreme diets and overly “light” have not resolved the problem of obesity , but, on the contrary, have only worsened the situation: the truth is that we of fat and cholesterol we have a vital need, and cutting it drastically from the diet forces the body to learn more produrseli and maintain them. Providing instead the due amount of fat in the diet, the body can use them for its structural and metabolic functions and “burn them” , with a consequent increase in metabolism .

For too long it is pointing the finger at the “guilty” wrong , but nowadays more and more scientific studies that reenable the fat , while condemn carbohydrates . The last is the study PURE (Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology), one of the most comprehensive in the world, who pointed out that a carbohydrate-rich diet is associated with an increased risk of mortality , while fats, both saturated, unsaturated, , are associated with the lowest risk .

The ketogenic diets low carb , that is, those with a low content of carbohydrates and a higher content of fats and proteins are, in fact, even those that have more success in weight loss , have proven to be the most effective against diabetes type 2 and show benefits for the health if followed over the long term, significantly reducing the body weight, the level of triglycerides, bad cholesterol LDL, increasing on the contrary the good one HDL.

Many studies have shown that this type of nutritional approach has a solid physiological basis and biochemical and is able to induce effective weight loss along with the improvement of several parameters of cardiovascular risk. Even saturated fats, that are defined for too long the “bad guys” , are not the cause absolute diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

With this you do not want to certainly invite to a high-fat diet, nor demonize carbohydrates, which also play their indispensable functions that would otherwise be impossible in their absence, but consider with due regard to a product, such as the Lard of Colonnata , that first impact may seem nutritionally useless, or even harmful, while in reality provides the nutrients fundamental , that are involved in hormone regulation, in the communication between cells, in the proper functioning of the brain, reproductive system and immune system.

it also Contains a good percentage of essential fatty acids omega 3 and omega-6, and thanks to the presence of aromatic herbs and spices, which absorbs and transmits all of the health properties , it is one of the best fats to season your dishes, allowing you to cook, lowering calories , contrary to what you think because you use less compared to other dressings with less power flavoring, also increasing the sense of satiety .

Perfect on a slice of wholemeal bread warm or to cook and enrich in nutritional value vegetable soups, it is good to have the awareness that we are facing a exquisite product and unsurpassed , where the ancient method of preparation in the marble is prodigiously effective in making precious the part of the less noble of the animal . Let's enjoy him, therefore, without any fear, rediscovering at the same time, our tradition .