Lard successfully used to treat dermatitis

This post includes a summary of a paper published in the Archives of Dermatology and Syphilology 1941;44(5):849-861 and a recipe for carnitas michoacan.

Study title and authors:
INGESTION OF LARD IN THE TREATMENT OF ECZEMA AND ALLIED DERMATOSES

Books:

CLARK W. FINNERUD, M.D.; R. L. KESLER, M.D.; HILDA F. WIESE, Ph.D.

CHICAGO; OAK PARK, ILL.; CHICAGO
Department of Dermatology, Rush Medical College, and the Presbyterian Hospital.

This paper can be accessed at: http://archderm.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/summary/44/5/849

Lard was prescribed to be taken by mouth to a group of 42 patients who were suffering from various forms of chronic dermatitis. They were of all ages, from infancy to well past middle age.

Thirty-one of these were followed for variable periods, and the majority of them were thought to have shown some degree of improvement after having taken lard for from a few weeks to a few months.

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Recipe of the day

Carnitas Michoacan

Serves 8
 
Ingredients:

Food Mall: Pork Roast

4 lbs pork roast (butt or shoulder)

1 medium white onion
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 lb bacon
2 lbs lard

Directions:
1 If the roast has skin or bone, leave them on. Rinse the roast and place in a large pot. Add enough water to barely cover.

2 Chop the onion into large pieces (about 8) and add to the pot. Add the salt.

3 Bring the water to a boil, then cover and simmer until the roast is tender, but not quite falling apart, about 2 hours.

4 Remove the roast and drain, discarding the onion. Remove any skin or bones. Cut or separate into large cubes of about 4 inches.

5 Put the lard in a heavy pot, melt and raise to a medium-high temperature. Test the temperature by dropping in a slice of bacon. It should boil immediately and take about 2 minutes to cook.

6 Cook all of the bacon in the lard, remove it and set it aside for another use. (This step is to flavor the lard).

7 Add the pork cubes a few at a time to the lard. Cook until they are starting to get crispy on the outside. I prefer to remove them when they are roughly halfway between totally crispy and not crispy at all, but that's a matter of personal preference.

8 Drain the pork, and salt if desired.

Carnitas Michoacan



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Soy consumption increases the risk factors for breast cancer

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention Prev October 1996 5; 785 and a recipe for bacon wrapped asparagus with cilantro flavored mayonnaise.

Study title and authors:
Stimulatory influence of soy protein isolate on breast secretion in pre- and postmenopausal women.
N L Petrakis, S Barnes, E B King, J Lowenstein, J Wiencke, M M Lee, R Miike, M Kirk and L Coward
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0560, USA.

This study can be accessed at: http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/5/10/785.abstract

Books:

Women who produce nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) with normal cells are considered to have about a two-fold risk of breast cancer. Women who have abnormal cells in their NAF are considered to be at high risk of breast cancer (4 to 5 fold), see here. Abnormal growth of mammary epithelial cells have been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, see here, and elevated levels of estradiol are a risk factor for the subsequent development of breast cancer, see here.

 
The study examined the effects of soy on normal pre- and postmenopausal women over a 12 month period. No soy was administered in months 1-3 and 10-12. Between months 4-9 the women ingested daily 38 g of soy protein isolate containing 38 mg of genistein.
 
The study found:
(a) Compared with nipple aspirate fluid volumes obtained in months 1-3, a 2-6-fold increase in nipple aspirate fluid volume ensued during months 4-9 in all premenopausal women. A slight increase occurred in postmenopausal women.
(b) Abnormal growth of mammary epithelial cells were detected in 29% of the women during the months they were consuming soy protein isolate.
(c) Compared with concentrations found in months 1-3 (no soy), estradiol concentrations were elevated during the months of soy consumption.  
 
To conclude: Soy consumption increases the risk factors for breast cancer.
 
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Recipe of the day

Bacon wrapped Asparagus with Cilantro Flavored Mayonnaise

Serves 4

Ingredients:

•30 asparagus stalks, hard base removed;

Food Mall: Bacon

•10 slices bacon;

•1/2 cup homemade mayonnaise;
•2 tbsp + 1 tsp lime juice;
•1 tbsp + 2 tsp fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped;
•1/4 cup lard or other cooking fat, melted;
•Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation:
1.Preheat your oven to 450 F.

2.Wrap each bacon slice around a bundle made with 3 asparagus stalks and secure with toothpicks if needed.

3.Place on a rimmed baking sheet and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4.Place in the oven to cook for about 20 minutes.

5.In the mean time, prepare the mayonnaise by combining the cilantro and lime juice with the mayonnaise and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

6.Remove the bacon wrapped asparagus from the oven and serve with the flavored mayonnaise.

Bacon wrapped Asparagus

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Foods containing the most vitamin D

This post features a list of foods rich in vitamin D and a recipe for pork rillettes.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) databases compiled in the 1980s list the following foods as rich in vitamin D
The amounts given are for 100 grams or about 3 1/2 ounces.

Cod Liver Oil 10,000

Books:

Lard (Pork Fat) 2,800
Atlantic Herring (Pickled) 680

Eastern Oysters (Steamed) 642
Catfish (Steamed/Poached) 500
Skinless Sardines (Water Packed) 480
Mackerel (Canned/Drained) 450
Smoked Chinook Salmon 320
Sturgeon Roe 232
Shrimp (Canned/Drained) 172
Egg Yolk (Fresh) (One yolk contains about 24 IU) 148
Butter 56
Lamb Liver (Braised) 20
Beef Tallow (Dripping) 19
Pork Liver (Braised) 12
Beef Liver (Fried) 12
Beef Tripe (Raw) 12
Beef Kidney (Simmered) 12
Chicken Livers (Simmered) 12
Small Clams (Steamed/Cooked Moist) 8
Blue Crab (Steamed) 4
Crayfish/Crawdads (Steamed) 4
Northern Lobster (Steamed) 4

Vitamin D can reduce the risk of colon cancer, see here and here, can offer protection from tuberculosis and has a host of other benefits.

Fish and meat items are among the richest sources of vitamin D, conversely plant sources of vitamin D are almost non-existent. Note how the second richest food rich in vitamin D is lard.

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Recipe of the day

Pork Rillettes

Ingredients:

Homemade Lard

2 kg pork belly
2 kg raw ham
600 g lard
10 g salt
3 g (per kilo) pepper
500 ml water
200 ml vouvray or other white wine

Preparation:
Cut the pork into pieces. Pour the water into a heavy cast-iron pot and bring to a boil. Add the lard and the cut-up meat. 2 Cover and cook in a bain marie in the oven at 225ºF for six hours, mixing often with a wooden spoon. 3 When the meat begins to fall apart, the rillettes are cooked. Add the Vouvray and return to the oven for an hour. 4 Remove from the heat. Mix and break up roughly. Season. While still hot, pack into stoneware pots. Let cool, then refrigerate.

Pork Rillettes



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Soy consumption increases Lp(a), an independent risk factor for heart disease

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 69, No. 3, 419-425, March 1999 and a recipe for sausage spaghetti in creamy tomato sauce.

Study title and authors:
Lipoprotein(a) and dietary proteins: casein lowers lipoprotein(a) concentrations as compared with soy protein
Karin Nilausen and Hans Meinertz

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/69/3/419.abstract
 
Nilausen notes that lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. See here and here.
 

Books:

The study compared the effects of dietary soy protein and casein on plasma Lp(a) concentrations. Men with normal cholesterol were studied initially while consuming their habitual, self-selected diets and then they consumed liquid-formula diets containing either casein or soy protein. 

The study found:
(a) After 30 days Lp(a) decreased by an average of 50% after the casein diet as compared with concentrations after both the soy-protein and self-selected diets.
(b) Two weeks after subjects switched from the self-selected to the soy-protein diet, Lp(a) increased by 20%. In contrast, the switch to the casein diet caused a decrease in Lp(a) levels of 65%.

To conclude: These findings indicate that soy protein may have an Lp(a)-raising effect which is an independent risk factor for heart disease.

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Recipe of the day

Sausage Spaghetti in Creamy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Sausage

1.25 lbs sausage, diced
3 small leeks, diced

½ red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 – 14oz can of artichoke hearts packed in water, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon coconut oil
5 zucchini squash, sliced thin like noodles

Sauce:
1 – 14.5 oz can of organic diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons coconut cream
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
Black pepper and sea salt to taste

Instructions:
In a large skillet or wok heat the coconut oil. If you are using raw meat, brown the meat in the coconut oil and add the onion, leeks, and bell peppers. If you are using pre-cooked sausages like we did, cook the onions, leeks and bell peppers first in the coconut oil until tender and then add the meat and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until the sausage is warmed through. In a small sauce pan mix together the can of diced tomatoes with the juice with the coconut cream concentrate. Bring to a simmer and add the remaining sauce ingredients and mix well. To the meat and veggies add the zucchini and artichokes and pour the sauce over. Mix well and cook for another 5-6 minutes, just until the zucchini al dente – do not over cook or they will turn to mush.

Sausage Spaghetti in Creamy Tomato Sauce



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Lard offers protection from heart disease compared to olive oil

This post includes a summary of a study published in Lipids 2011 Apr;46(4):381-8 and instructions on how to render lard on the stove top.

Study title and authors:
Palm olein and olive oil cause a higher increase in postprandial lipemia compared with lard but had no effect on plasma glucose, insulin and adipocytokines.

Teng KT, Nagapan G, Cheng HM, Nesaretnam K.

Books:

Food Technology and Nutrition Unit, Product Development and Advisory Services, Malaysian Palm Oil Board, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia. kt.teng@gmail.com

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21197586

High triglyceride levels measured after meals have the strongest association with heart attacks and cardiovascular events. See here.

The study was designed to compare the effects of a high-fat load (50 g fat), from either (i) palm olein (ii) lard (iii) virgin olive oil, on triglyceride levels.

The study found that triglyceride concentrations were significantly lower after the lard meal than after the olive oil and palm olein meals.

To conclude: Lard offers protection from heart disease compared to olive oil and palm olein.

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Recipe of the day

How to Render Lard on the Stove top

Ingredients for Rendering Lard
■2 ½ pounds of pastured leaf lard or hog fat

Home Made Rendered Lard

■½ cup filtered water

Stovetop Method for Rendering Lard
1.With a sharp knife, trim any blood spots or remaining meat from the lard.

2.Chop the fat into ½-inch cubes.

3.Add the chopped fat and the filtered water to a heavy bottomed stock pot and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

4.After about 45 minutes to one hour, the water will evaporate, the fat will begin to melt and the cracklings – little bits of browned fat – will begin to float to the surface of the pot. Continue to gently stir the melted fat periodically, taking care not to let it splatter.

5.Eventually those cracklings will sink to the bottom of the stock pot, at that point you may remove your pot from the heat.

6.Line a fine mesh sieve with a 100% cotton cheesecloth and strain the melted fat, reserving the cracklings for another use (they’re quite nice salted and eaten as a snack or served in place of breadcrumbs in a gratin).

7.Pour the melted fat into mason jars and allow to cool. The melted fat will be golden-brown in color, but, when cooled, will appear a creamy white.

8.Use your freshly rendered lard in pastries or as a fat for braising vegetables or seasoning meats.

Rendered Lard



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Beneficial antioxident and polyphenol concentrations are higher in organically produced apples than in conventionally produced fruits

This post includes a summary of a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2009 Jun 10;57(11):4598-605 and a recipe for spicy pulled pork.

Study title and authors:
Three-year comparison of the polyphenol contents and antioxidant capacities in organically and conventionally produced apples ( Malus domestica Bork. Cultivar 'Golden Delicious').

Stracke BA, Rüfer CE, Weibel FP, Bub A, Watzl B.

Books:

Department of Physiology and Biochemistry of Nutrition, Max Rubner-Institute, Federal Research Institute of Nutrition and Food, Karlsruhe, Germany.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19388640

The study was performed to evaluate the polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity of apples (cv. ;Golden Delicious') grown under defined organic and conventional conditions. Apples were harvested at five comparable commercial farms over the course of three years (2004-2006).

The study found:
(a) In 2005 and 2006 the antioxidant capacity was 15% higher in organically produced apples than in conventionally produced fruits.
(b) In all 3 years higher polyphenol concentrations were found in the organically grown apples, been significantly higher in 2005.

To conclude: Antioxident and polyphenol concentrations are higher in organically produced apples than in conventionally produced fruits.

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Recipe of the day

Spicy Pulled Pork

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Pork Shoulder

Pulled pork ingredients

•1 pork shoulder or butt roast, about 5-6 lbs;

•3 tbsp smoked paprika;
•1 tbsp garlic powder;
•1 tbsp dry mustard;
•3 tbsp sea salt;

Spicy sauce ingredients
•1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar;
•1/2 cup homemade ketchup;
•1 cup Dijon or homemade mustard;
•2 garlic cloves, minced;
•1 tsp cayenne pepper;
•1 tsp sea salt;
•1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper;

Preparation:
1.Prepare the dry rub by combining the paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard and sea salt in a bowl.

2.Rub the pork roast all over with the spice rub and place in the refrigerator for the flavors to penetrate the meat for a minimum of 1 hour, but up to overnight. If marinating only for 1 or 2 hours, leave the roast at room temperature to marinate.

3.Preheat your oven to 300 F.

4.Place the marinated pork shoulder or butt in the oven in a baking pan for about 6 hours, until the meat is almost falling apart and is very fork tender.

5.While the pork is cooking, prepare the sauce by combining together the apple cider vinegar, ketchup, mustard, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper in a small pot or saucepan.

6.Gently bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

7.When the pork roast is ready, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

8.Pull the meat apart from the roast with two forks and place the meat shreds in a bowl.

9.Combine the spicy sauce with the pulled pork and serve the delicious and tender meat with your favorite side of salad.

Spicy Pulled Pork



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Soy significantly increases blood pressure

This post includes a synopsis of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition Vol. 81, No. 1, 189-195, January 2005 and a recipe for chicken and andouille gumbo.

Study title and authors:
Randomized controlled trial of the effects of soy protein containing isoflavones on vascular function in postmenopausal women

Books:

Sanne Kreijkamp-Kaspers, Linda Kok, Michiel L Bots, Diederick E Grobbee, Johanna W Lampe and Yvonne T van der Schouw

The Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands (SK-K, LK, MLB, DEG, and YTvdS), and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle (JWL)

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ajcn.org/content/81/1/189.abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate whether supplementation with soy protein, a rich source of estrogen-like isoflavones, improves blood pressure and vascular function (blood flow). The study, which lasted for 12 months, involved 202 postmenopausal women aged 60–75 years old. The women had either a supplement of soy protein containing 99 mg isoflavones/d (soy group) or milk protein (placebo group).

The study revealed:
(a) Blood pressure increased in the soy group significantly more than it did in the placebo group.
(b) Vascular function remained unchanged in both groups.

To conclude: Soy did not improve vascular function, and did significantly increase blood pressure.

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Recipe of the day

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Food Mall: Andouille Sausage 

Ingredients:

◦1 head cauliflower

◦4 T butter, cubed
◦s&p
◦3 leeks*
◦3 celery stalks
◦1 green pepper
◦1 lb. Andouille sausage, chopped
◦1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped
◦6 c shrimp stock (any stock will work)
◦1/2 lb. okra
◦1 14.5 oz. can diced fire roasted tomatoes
◦2 T Old Bay
◦3 green onions

Method:
Get your oven to 450°F. The food processor is going to be your BFF for this recipe. Get it out! Cut out the core and leaves of the cauliflower. Roughly chop and, in batches, process the cauliflower until it resembles rice. Place on a baking sheet. Toss it around with the butter and some s&p. Roast the cauliflower rice until it’s a nice pale yellow-ish color and doesn’t taste cauliflower-y, making sure to toss it one or two times while it’s roasting. About 25 minutes.

While the cauliflower is going, add the andouille sausage to a soup/stock pot, at least 5 quarts. Saute until it’s browned, remove from the pan and place on a “holding” plate. Add the chicken and saute until it’s done…if you’re a little shy of done, no worries, it’ll continue to cook in the soup. Remove the chicken and add to the plate with the sausage.

Add the green pepper, celery stalks and leeks to the food processor and blend until everybody is in small, itty-bitty pieces. Add to the stock pot and saute until everybody has softened. Pulse up the canned tomatoes in the food processor too–I don’t like when they’re too big in the soup, I like them evenly sized and textured within the soup. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the sausage and chicken, and simmer until the okra has softened, about 20 minutes. Don’t be afraid to taste the okra for the correct done-ness–soft, but still has a crunch to it.

To serve, place a scoop of cauliflower rice in the center of a bowl, ladle around the gumbo and sprinkle with green onions. You will have more gumbo than cauliflower. So leftovers will be "soup."

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

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Researchers question the validity of present-day (low-fat, high carbohydrate) dietary guidelines

This post contains a summary of a paper published in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care 2004 Jul;7(4):485-92 and a recipe for green chicken masala.

Study title and author:
Carbohydrate and weight control: where do we stand?
Acheson KJ.
Nutrition and Health Department, Nestlé Research Center, P.O. Box 44, CH-1000 Lausanne 26, Switzerland. kevin.acheson@rdls.nestle.com

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15192454

Books:

Acheson notes that the Atkins diet has been criticized and vilified by much of the scientific community since it was proposed 30 years ago, because it challenged nutritional recommendations and dietary guidelines for a healthy diet. However, in spite of such recommendations the prevalence of obesity continues to rise. The present review evaluates recent scientific evidence and attempts to reach consensus on the confusion of weight-reducing diets.

The review found that low-carbohydrate, Atkins-type diets have been demonstrated to have positive effects on weight loss and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk, which has prompted some researchers to question the validity of present-day (low-fat, high carbohydrate) dietary guidelines.

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Recipe of the day

Green Chicken Masala

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Food Mall: Chicken Thighs

•2 lbs boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces;

•1 cup full-fat coconut milk;
•1 onion, finely chopped;
•1/4 cup lemon juice;
•1/2 cup water or chicken stock;
•4 garlic cloves, minced;
•2 cups fresh cilantro leaves;
•1 cup fresh mint leaves;
•1 jalapeño pepper, chopped coarsely;
•1 1/2 tsp turmeric;
•1/2 tsp cinnamon;
•1/2 tsp ground cardamom;
•1/8 tsp ground cloves;
•3 tbsp coconut oil or clarified butter;
•Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste;

Preparation:
1.Heat a large skillet over a medium heat and add the onion with the cooking fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.

2.Add the chicken thighs as well as the turmeric to the skillet and continue cooking, still while stirring occasionally, for about 7 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, place the lemon juice, water or stock, cilantro, mint, jalapeño and garlic in a blender or food processor and process to obtain a smooth puree.

4.After the chicken has cooked for about 7 minutes, add the cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Cook for another minute.

5.Pour in the coconut milk, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the herb puree.

6.Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is well cooked and tender.

Green Chicken Masala



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