Lard

It is the popular name for pork fat, widely used in Brazil until the 1950s for frying, sautéing and grilling food, adding a distinctive flavor to dishes. After vegetable fat was introduced in the market and the media campaigned against lard, the ingredient was gradually eliminated from the Brazilian households. Currently, there is much debate about the healthy and unhealthy types of fat – some nutrition experts do not consider the consumption of saturated fats, such as lard, as being so problematic. Moreover, unlike margarine and shortening, the pork product does not contain hydrogenated fat.