As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.
Lard has accumulated some confusion because it is a fat, and many people associate cooking fats with seed oils. The distinction is the source. Seed oils come from plant seeds and require hexane solvent extraction, high-temperature processing, degumming, bleaching, and deodorisation before they are edible. Lard is made by heating pork fat — specifically fatback or leaf fat around the kidneys — until it melts, then straining out the solids. The process requires no chemicals.
The most common genuine question behind this one is whether lard fits into a MAHA or ancestral diet. It does. Lard is one of the four primary ancestral cooking fats alongside beef tallow, ghee, and butter. Before vegetable shortening was introduced in 1911 (Crisco), lard was the standard American baking and frying fat.
What Makes Something a Seed Oil?
| Fat | Source | Seed Oil? |
|---|---|---|
| Lard | Rendered pork fat (animal) | ❌ No — animal fat |
| Beef tallow | Rendered beef fat (animal) | ❌ No — animal fat |
| Ghee | Clarified butter (dairy) | ❌ No — dairy fat |
| Canola oil | Rapeseed (plant seed) | ✅ Yes — seed oil |
| Soybean oil | Soybeans (plant seed) | ✅ Yes — seed oil |
| Sunflower oil | Sunflower seeds | ✅ Yes — seed oil |
| Olive oil | Olive fruit flesh | ❌ No — fruit oil |
| Coconut oil | Coconut flesh | ❌ No — fruit oil |
What Is Lard Used For?
Lard is the best fat for pie crust — it produces a flakier pastry than butter because its fat crystals create more distinct layers and it contains less water. It is the traditional fat for flour tortillas in Mexican cooking. Chinese and other Asian cuisines have historically used lard for wok frying. It is suitable for deep frying at temperatures up to 375°F.
Is lard a seed oil?
No. Lard is rendered pork fat — an animal fat, not a plant-derived oil. Seed oils are extracted from plant seeds (canola from rapeseed, soybean oil from soybeans, sunflower oil from sunflower seeds) using chemical extraction processes. Lard has no seed component and is not in that category.
Is lard healthier than seed oils?
Lard is lower in omega-6 linoleic acid than most seed oils (about 10% vs 54–68% for corn and sunflower oil) and is more chemically stable at cooking temperatures. It does not require industrial chemical extraction and has been consumed by humans for thousands of years. The ancestral health position is that lard is preferable to industrial seed oils.
Is lard allowed on a seed oil free diet?
Yes. Lard is one of the primary fats on a seed oil free diet — along with beef tallow, ghee, butter, olive oil, and coconut oil. It is particularly prized for pie crust (flakiest possible pastry), tortillas, wok cooking, and deep frying.
All links: linktr.ee/theefoodiekitchen · Instagram: @theefoodiekitchen
Sources
Part of: Traditional Cooking Fats Guide — Tallow, Ghee, Lard, Butter
African, Hawaiian, Indian, Mediterranean, Asian, Exotic, Chicken, Rice, Cookies, Coffee, Spices, Plants, World Cuisine, 30-Minute Dinners and more.
View All Books on Amazon →