For all you fans of Blue Pig pork who know that rare breed pork tastes good and know that the suculence and sensual mouth feel comes with a bit of fat, will be really pleased by some information we have come across from Nina Planck in the Free Range magazine. Nina started the first farmers market in London and has written several books about traditional food.Nina has this to say:
“…….pork is not junk food. Nor is it bad for your heart. Here,s what they don,t tell you about pork. The fat in pork (and lard and bacon) is mostly unsaturated. Thats right; with some variation from the diet of the pig, most of the fat in pork is the unsaturated kind - the one all the experts agree is healthy. Most of the unsaturated fat in pork is monounsaturated oleic acid, the same fat in olive oil. Yes the one thats good for your heart.
About half the fat in pork is saturated, but saturated fat is not the villain they say it is. The main effect of natural saturated fats is to raise the HDL (high-density lipoprotein) the so-called “good cholesterol”. In places like Borneo, they eat a traditional diet rich in pork with no ill effects. The fat of of wild boar ( not the lean meat) is prized for physical, sexual, and spiritual health.”
So there you have it: sausages, bacon, roast pork with crackling need no longer be a guilty pleasure. You can enjoy pork ( especially from the Blue Pig) knowing that your delicious eating experience is good for your heart - as well as who knows what else!
Enjoy!