France has more centenarians than any other European country. The French also smoke, drink alcohol, eat a ton of cheese, cream, whole milk, eggs, butter, meat, and cook with the pièce de la résistance: duck fat.
Duck fat (gras de canard) is a cooking fat traditionally used in the southwest regions of France.
It is a major contributing factor to the “French Paradox,” or the phenomenon of the French enjoying better than average cardiovascular health and long lifespans despite their “vices.”
Chefs from around the world appreciate duck fat for its ability to enhance the taste of just about any food, but most commonly use it to make duck fat french fries, which are the best french fries you will ever try.
The original “French” Fries were cooked in animal fat, even at McDonalds, before vegetable oils became popular.
Fat gives things flavor.
-Julia Child
Duck fat’s health benefits are mainly due to its high levels of monunsaturated fat and Vitamin K2.
100g of duck fat contains 49.4% monunsaturated, 12.93% polyunsaturated, and 33.27% saturated fat.
Duck fat has 3 times more vitamin K2 than ghee or egg yolks, 7 times more vitamin K2 than butter or cream, and 13 times more than cheese or chicken liver.
The Benefits of Vitamin K2:
- Contributes to better serum lipid profile (less lipids, or fats in the blood) signifying our bodies were meant to process dietary fats in a positive way.
- Suppresses genes that can promote cancer while strengthening genes that promote healthy cells.
- Creates insulin to stabilize your blood sugar (keeping your system sensitive to maintaining correct amounts), protecting against diabetes and helping to prevent metabolic problems associated with obesity.
- Improves mood
- Increases resting energy expenditure
- Reduces belly fat
- Lowers risk of heart disease and stroke
- Less severe pain and stiffness for sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis
- Enhances your ability to utilize energy as you exercise improving overall performance
- Lowers cholesterol
- Highly resistant to heat damage during cooking
- Improved mitochondrial function
- Helps to get rid of varicose veins
- Improves immune function
- Increases the elimination of pathogens
- Protects against autoimmune diseases
- Vitamin K2 directs calcium to places like your bones, making them stronger, and your teeth to help prevent cavities
- Prevents calcium from going to the wrong areas, such as to your kidneys, where it could lead to kidney stones, or your blood vessels, where it could trigger heart disease
- Protects the brain from Alzheimer’s and other diseases
- The better your Vitamin K2 levels, the less likely you are to die from all causes.
- Vitamin K2 works synergistically with D3. (Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium, but Vitamin K2 helps it end up in your bones.)
- Helps keep skin elastic and fights wrinkles
- Optimizes sexual function by increasing testosterone and fertility in men, and decreasing androgens, the male hormones, in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
In Conclusion
Go get some duck fat, and cook with it often.
