The virtues of Iberico ham as an gourmet product seem indisputable, at a national and international level. However, other aspects of it are not well known to the rest of the public. In this case one of the elements that gives a higher value to Iberico ham is its nutritional properties compared to other types of ham.
Across the last several decades there has been a large number of research papers on the nutritional qualities that differentiate Iberico ham de bellota from other hams.
This is important, as the first conclusion made from the research is that Iberico ham de bellota has some nutritional properties very different from those of other hams, whether from Iberico pigs or white.
This makes clear the importance of the nutrition the pigs received during its fattening period. In fact, the higher quality of Iberico ham de bellota is precisely due to the diet of acorns and other resources found in the Dehesa. This quality shows itself in its aroma, flavor and certain nutritional values.
From all the numerous nutritional properties found in Iberico ham, among the most beloved are the protein and lipids due to their richness of flavor.
These are also found in other hams, but Iberico hams de bellota have a higher quality. A quality that is based on the concentration of amino acids for each gram of protein, and Iberico ham de bellota has a much higher concentration in comparison to other hams.
| Nutritional information of Iberico ham | For each 100 grams |
| Calcium | 27,08 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 0,10 g |
| Energy | 375 Kcal |
| Phosphorus | 157,5 mg |
| Fat | 22,4 g |
| Iron | 3,35 mg |
| Magnesium | 157,5 mg |
| Potassium | 153 mg |
| Proteins | 43,2 g |
| Sodium | 1110 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 15,68 µg |
| Vitamin E | 11 µg |
It should be noted that the large volume of intramuscular fat found in Iberico ham de bellota is due to the genetic predisposition of the Iberico pigs to accumulate fat of this type.
Also, due to the fact their diets consist only of acorns which is a dry fruit with high concentrations of oleic acid, this fat is unsaturated, which is very different to Spanish hams coming from white pigs that contain high amounts of saturated fat.
This means Iberico ham de bellota contains the kind of cholesterol which is considered good by experts in health and nutrition.
Another aspect highly valued from Iberico ham de bellota is its ease on the body to digest it. It has been shown that during the process of curing the ham, there is a chemical reaction called proteolysis.
This chemical process raises the level of digestibility ranging between 85% to 100%, this results into a greater ability for the body to absorb the Spanish ham's nutrients.
In addition to fats and lipids, the Iberico ham de bellota provides various nutrients of great quality, among which are high number of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, magnesium, iron, sodium, and other minerals to a lesser extent are superior, if compared with other types of hams.
Finally, a diet of acorns contributes to the absorption of certain vitamins in the vitamin E group, which are valuable due to the maturing and oxidation of Iberico ham de bellota and other vitamins from the vitamin B group, especially B1 and B12.
All of these factors place Iberico ham de bellota in a privileged position in regard to nutrition and the prevention of diseases.
It is noteworthy that the nutritional properties found in the Iberico ham makes it specially recommended for the muscular development, since it has a large amount of proteins and lipids, which is highly recommended for pregnant women or for children during the different stages of growth.
It has also shown that the food with a high concentration of B-group vitamins is good for the treatment and the prevention of depression.
Finally, its high digestibility makes it a good food to eat while recovering from post-o, also its beneficial to maintain a good diet while experiencing stomach problems.
All these nutritional properties of Iberico ham makes the product an essential item in the Iberian diet, consuming it with regularity and without excess can provide many benefits that lead to a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
