Surprising meat is world's most nutritious and 'healthier' than tomatoes and sweet potatoes

We all know that munching on fruits and veggies is a good shout due to their nutritional benefits. However, one animal product has been rated as healthier than many green foods.

In a ranking of the world's 100 healthiest foods, pork fat bagged the eighth spot for its nutritional value. With a nutritional score of 73 out of 100, pork fat, better known as lard, ranked higher than 92 other foods, including peas, red cabbage, tomatoes, mackerel, lettuce, oranges, and sweet potato.

BBC Future reports that pork fat is a good source of B vitamins and minerals. It's also more unsaturated and healthier than lamb or beef fat.

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Pork fat contains monounsaturated fats like oleic acid - also found in olive oil - which are beneficial for heart health. It also includes some saturated fats, which are fine in moderate amounts.

Moreover, it's important to consider how the pigs were raised to fully benefit from the nutritional value. Pork fat provides fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin D, especially if the pigs were raised outdoors, reports Surrey Live, reports Surrey Live.

Additionally, pasture-raised pork fat tends to be healthier due to its superior nutrient content.

So, don't always feel guilty when indulging in pork fat. However, as with everything, moderation is key.

Interestingly, no other animal fat or meat made the list.

It's also important not to confuse pork fat and lard. They are related - but not quite the same thing.

Pork fat

Lard isn't typically used directly in recipes unless you're making sausage or grinding it into a dish.

This smooth, shelf-stable (or fridge-stable) ingredient is white or creamy in colour and can be used like butter, oil, or shortening for cooking or baking.

Interestingly, several types of fish have made the list of healthiest foods to eat, with Ocean Perch taking the top spot. It ranked third on a list of the most nutritious foods, scoring an impressive 89 out of 100.

According to Facts.net, 100g of this fish contains a mere 79 calories but packs around 20 grams of protein. This deep-water fish, also known as rockfish, is low in saturated fats.

Top 20 healthiest foods

• Almonds
• Cherimoya
• Ocean perch
• Flatfish
• Chia seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Swiss chard
• Pork fat
• Beet greens
• Snapper
• Dried parsley
• Celery flakes
• Watercress
• Tangerines
• Green peas
• Pike
• Alaska pollock
• Green onion
• Red cabbage
• Pacific cod