Diet has a direct effect on health, this is why eating well has become a value that increasingly defines our society. In contrast to the mere pleasure we get from what we eat, food which also has healthy qualities is becoming more of a priority. Flavour is not being left aside, but food which is also exquisite in addition to being beneficial to one’s health is highly valued.
A combination of natural and healthy is being sought, with the production model employed becoming a key element. Joselito cured hams achieve this by placing emphasis on sustainability and caring for the environment; the pasture is the home of Joselito pigs, and is where everything begins. The importance of keeping a healthy countryside forms part of the most deeply rooted values of the company.
And also in the production process there is greater modernisation, which promotes speed and improvement in the processes, all the while maintaining the traditional method of production. The products are 100% natural, with no preservatives. There are no heavy metals, or additives. The cured ham production process consists of the ancient technique of salting the ham and its natural curing-drying in only the air currents generated by the area's climate.
Having established that Joselito ham is produced through a completely natural process, a beneficial condition in its own right, there is the need to find out more about the properties of a product recognised internationally for its palatability, but not so much for its nutritional qualities and health benefits.
Joselito became fully submerged in the world of research at the beginning of 2001. It formed the first laboratory team dedicated exclusively to the Iberian pig, which analyses everything from the ground where the Holm oaks and cork oaks grow to the flora that populates the surface of the ham. The Joselito laboratory team is responsible for projects which aim to fully regenerate the pastures. It also analyses the pig's environment and food using a tool that was pioneered during research in the Iberian products sector. The smart nose; capable of capturing aromas and relating them to natural elements involved in the creation of Joselito Ham.
This research activities not only centred at its own laboratory, Joselito promotes and collaborates with numerous university studies that have arrived at decisive conclusions for the sector. As a result of the pigs’ diet rich in acorns and grass at the Joselito ranch, the ham has higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (especially oleic), exceeding 50% of all the fatty acids of this food, and which from a cardiovascular perspective is considered healthy. The ham produced during the fattening season has been shown to have an extraordinary antioxidant effect, as well as a high content of vitamin E and vitamin B12. A moderate intake of acorn fed Iberian ham will help maintain an appropriate level of cholesterol and prevent heart disease.
Within the context of research on the Mediterranean diet related to a low risk of heart disease, in 2003, the findings of a study carried out on Joselito ham was published in the International Journal of Health and Aging, which demonstrated the benefits of the daily intake of this food on health. The “Effect of ham protein substitution on oxidative stress in older adults” study was the fruit of a partnership led by Doctor Paula Mayoral Badiano between the University of Salamanca and the Mayo clinic in the United States.
The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of the substitution of 120 g of meat for 120 g of Joselito acorn fed Iberian ham in the normal diet of 13 men and eight women of advanced age over a period of six weeks. Some very positive conclusions were drawn from the results: There was a reduction of triglycerides in plasma and average blood pressure, a reduction in lipid perodoxation and an increase in antioxidant substances..
The effects are attributed to the increase in consumption of oleic acid, the main fatty acid in acorn fed Iberian ham. The fruit of the Holm and cork oak have an oleic acid content of approximately 60%, quite similar to that of olives and olive oil, thus giving rise to the expression “a pig is like an olive with legs”.
The absolute trust that the company has in the quality of its product encourages research and generates excitement to continue improving and gain more knowledge, to disprove myths and for it to be scientific evidence that backs up the knowledge of the product. There is a lot of scope for research within the process that is controlled from start to finish, from the land where the Holm oaks grow, the birth of the piglets or the properties of the fat in the products that are sold. There is still much to be discovered, but the more we discover about ham, the more healthy reasons are revealed… such as the confirmation that even the tastiest of foods can also be good for the body.
