Fiorucci

HEALTH AND DELI MEATS

TELL ME WHAT YOU EAT...

CURED MEATS, ALL THE PREJUDICES...

A CLOSE-UP ON CURED MEATS

THOSE UNKNOWN FATS

CURED MEATS IN THE DIET

PORK CUTS

MINI DICTIONARY

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

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WHAT FATS?
Cured meats full of fat? Cured meats concentrates of cholesterol?
Myths to be exploded!
Today, in the new breeds of pig reared with care by serious, quality certified breeders, the fat - reduced to minimum levels - contains a high percentage of mono-unsaturated fatty acids. Like those contained in olive, corn and soya oil, which perform a protective action for the arteries. The saturated fats, which the nutritionists warn us to watch out for because they can increase cholesterol, are present in much lower concentrations than in the past.

Cholesterol content of various meats
(mg per 100 g)

Lean beef 70
Pork steak 60
Raw ham 66
Cooked ham 62
Chicken (breast) 60
Chicken (thigh) 88

To sum up, we can say that today's cured meats have an increasingly lower fat content, and that what there is is "good".
Cholesterol, which is produced in our organism by the foods we eat, is present in dangerous quantities above all in people who eat too much or who eat foods which contain high levels of saturated fats. We have learnt that the good modern cured meats have a correct proportion of fat and do not contribute to the formation of cholesterol any more or less than other types of meat. The nutrition experts tell us that the maximum amount of cholesterol that we can assume every day is 300 mg. Calculating that a normal portion of ham - approximately 50 grams - supplies 33 mg of cholesterol, we can set our minds at ease, and enjoy it in all its goodness.

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