Recently, a scientific research team from Hunan Agricultural University discovered that moderate intake of lard can reduce fat deposition and fat inflammation. The researchers recommended that adults should use 25～30 grams of oil for cooking every day, and it is suggested that the intake of lard should account for about half of it. This discovery seems to overturn the long-held inherent impression that lard is "unhealthy". So, is lard good or bad? How should people use oil scientifically in their daily lives?

　　Fatty acids are the main components of lipids, which can be divided into three categories: saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Traditional concepts believe that excessive intake of saturated fatty acids may increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and lard has a high content of saturated fatty acids, hence its "bad reputation". Experts say that such an understanding is too one-sided. Nutrition science believes that when the ratio of these three types of fatty acids reaches 1:1:1, it is a relatively ideal fatty acid composition. The content of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids in lard are 43.2%, 47.9%, and it also contains 8.9% of linoleic acid. If lard is used as the main cooking oil, and at the same time, it is reasonably matched with plant oils rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as olive oil, sunflower seed oil, flaxseed oil, etc.), it is possible to approach or achieve the balance target of 1:1:1.

　　The Chinese Dietary Guide Pyramid for Residents provides very clear guidance on the intake of cooking oil, with the recommended amount clearly marked as 25～30 grams per day on the fifth layer (the top layer), so "controlling oil" is the top priority. Whether it is vegetable oil or animal fat, excessive intake is an important risk factor for chronic diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.2022）》 recommends that the intake of saturated fatty acids should not exceed 10% of the total daily calories. The meat, eggs, dairy products, nuts, pastries, and cooking oils that people eat every day all contain saturated fatty acids. If you then consume too much lard, it is easy to exceed the limit.

　　In daily life, people inevitably have the view that "eating lard is easier to gain weight than eating vegetable oil". In response to this, experts have given an answer from the perspective of calories: "From the perspective of energy production, whether it is animal fat or vegetable fat, each gram of fat provides about 9 kilocalories of calories, which is more than twice the amount of carbohydrates or protein of the same weight. Therefore, under the premise of equal intake, they have a similar impact on weight. The fundamental cause of obesity is the excess of total calories, rather than simply because of eating lard."

　　For ordinary families, it is not necessary to ponder whether to choose lard or a certain type of vegetable oil, but to avoid consuming the same type of oil for a long time. Xi Zhibin explained that the proportions of various fatty acids in different cooking oils vary greatly, such as corn oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, etc., which are rich inn-6 series of polyunsaturated fatty acids; olive oil and camellia oil are mainly monounsaturated fatty acids (n-9); while flaxseed oil and perilla oil are good sources ofn-3 series of polyunsaturated fatty acids. "It is very easy to cause an imbalance in the intake ratio of fatty acids by only eating one type of oil for a long time."

　　Experts remind that the core of healthy oil selection still lies in the overall balance of the dietary structure. "At home, you can prepare2to3 different small bottles of oil, alternate their use or use them differently according to different cooking methods (such as cold dishes, stir-frying, etc.), do not advocate a certain type of oil in isolation, this is the simplest and most effective way to achieve a balanced intake of fatty acids. In addition, do not wait until the oil smokes (smoke point) before adding food, high temperature can easily produce harmful substances.