Jamon Iberico: 5 Things You Didn't Know
One Of The Greatest Foods On Earth?
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3- This ham is healthyIt is hard to believe that eating a pork product could be the healthy option, but research shows that the acorns eaten by the iberico pigs are rich sources of oleic acid. It is the same chemical found in olives, and the pigs are often referred to locally as “olives with legs.” The oleic acid is stored in the fat of the ham and is a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been shown to lower LDL cholesterol (that's the bad kind) and raise HDL cholesterol (the good kind).
4- Jamon iberico de bellota has its roots in the Islamic occupation of SpainAlthough there are records of the curing of pork back to the time of the Romans and beyond, the importance of pork products, and particularly ham, to what is now Spain has its roots in the Moorish occupation of the region that lasted until the 15th century. Eating pork was seen as a symbol of religious and political independence and took on a special place in the hearts of the Spanish people.
5- Importing jamon iberico into the United States was illegal until 2005None of the Spanish slaughterhouses met with FDA approval, so the only real-deal jamon that made it across the border had to be smuggled. Since that time only one producer has been able to meet the import requirements, Embuditos Fermin from the Salamanca region. Even though Spanish producers are working to create new standalone facilities to make the product suitable to the U.S. market, they are still being faced with evermore stringent laws. In early 2009, a further restriction was placed on the import of jamon iberico stipulating that the black hooves, for which the hams are famous, be removed.
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