BajaNomad

tortillas without lard (sin manteca)

RICHARDH - 11-30-2006 at 05:52 PM

I understand that it is traditional in Mexico to make tortillas with lard as an ingredient. But lard is very high in saturated fats and is generally considered by modern medicine to be very hazardous to cardiovascular health. Many (if not most) makers of tortillas in the U.S. now make tortillas (and tostadas, etc.) with no or very little saturated fats as well as no or very little trans fats (i.e., hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils), which are now generally considered essentially the same as saturated fats for health purposes.

So I am wondering: Does tradition still hold sway in this regard throughout Baja? Or can one buy tortillas, (and tacos, tostadas, burritos, etc.) in Baja free of saturated fats and trans fats?

If tortillas, (and tacos, tostadas, burritos, etc.) free of saturated fats and trans fats are available in Baja, where can they be found?

And has anyone researched this question and compiled an extensive list of such places?

bajabound2005 - 11-30-2006 at 05:58 PM

I think they are available but if you're really concerned, eat corn tortillas (no lard) or learn to make your own flour tortillas! Mmm good :)

Bruce R Leech - 11-30-2006 at 06:05 PM

the ones that bimbo seals in the stores are the lo-fat kind but all the tortilla places use lard.

vandenberg - 11-30-2006 at 06:09 PM

Lard usage is the reason tortillas taste so much better in Mexico.

TacoFeliz - 11-30-2006 at 06:13 PM

It's only a minor component in Mexican cooking.

I understand that if you drink a Negro Modelo every time you have that concern it will soon subside. Cure works particularly well in an oceanfront cafe with a bunch of friends on your way to a second round of shrimp tostadas just before some fish tacos.

Hook - 11-30-2006 at 06:20 PM

I always eat my carnitas on low fat tortillas. :lol:

Bob H - 11-30-2006 at 06:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
I always eat my carnitas on low fat tortillas. :lol:


Hook, you crack me up! Good one. :yes::lol::yes:

comitan - 11-30-2006 at 06:47 PM

The flour tortillas in Mexico are called Heart Plugs, Yes eat only corn tortillas no lard. Chicken breast only, No fish Tacos Deep fried, only red meat on taco BQ'd for tacos ask for Mantaraya low fat.

Mexitron - 11-30-2006 at 07:34 PM

My friend Frank just turned 85 and he eats eggs cooked in butter every morning with buttered toast. His dinner is often steak cooked in butter. Go figure. Genetics has a lot to do with it I think.
Flour tortillas without any fat taste like newspaper...stick with corn tortillas warmed over a fire of some sorts if you want to go fat free. Lots of flavor there.

DENNIS - 11-30-2006 at 07:39 PM

Corn tortillas arn't made with lard, traditionally. A 6" dia. tortilla has only 60 calories, zero fat so, you can eat them 'till your belly blows up.
Buen appetite.

DENNIS - 11-30-2006 at 07:42 PM

Hose A ---
How old is that doctor?

DENNIS - 11-30-2006 at 07:53 PM

Come to think of it...........
It wasn't that many years ago, perhaps 15, that the lardy flour tortillas weren't sold in stores in Ensenada, probably anywhere else in the region. It was a cottage industry which produced them. A few people would stand in the grocery store parking lots and sell them by the dozen, Saran wrapped. They were merchandised in the states prior to this. They seem to be a U.S. born delicasy like fajitas and chop suey.....and corn dogs.

DENNIS - 11-30-2006 at 08:23 PM

Since I'm in an unusually talky mood, allow me to try to make a long story short concerning Mexican medicine.
A few years back, I had close neighbors in downtown Ensenada who were new parents with a young, one year old, daughter.
The parents were well educated....... professors at the local university and on there way to England to aquire a world class doctorate.
I paid a visit one day and saw that their little girls head had been shaved and she wore a decorative, elastic head band, similiar to a garter belt.
I asked my neighbor what had happened to the little ones beautiful head of hair.
The reply was that their doctor had informed them that the childs body growth was being stunted by too much energy spent on hair growth and by shaving the head, eliminating the hair, albeit temporarily, the body growth would be restimulated.
This wasn't the first time I had heard of this.
As I mentioned, this family was educated by standards we understand but, they strongly believed the witchcraft which they, and the doctor grew up with and acted accordingly. An interesting mixture of mysterious things, medicine and superstition.
I only bring this up because Hose A's story of the doctor who says corn is bad brought it to mind.

bajabound2005 - 11-30-2006 at 08:41 PM

touche, Dennis!

If you already have bad genes (like I do, it's genetic!) nothing I can do about lipids! We are super careful, eat little fried foods or fatty meats yet am off the charts....I talk to my friend Lipitor in small doses, every other day I have 20 mg; seems to do the trick. My sister; who does EVERYTHING right (but she doesn't drink much and gets way more exercise) is over 300 even WITH ultra doses of medication!!!! My last profile, less than a year ago was 192. One never knows. But we don't eat a lot of flour tortillas even though we live in the Baja; but when we do we ENJOY them - every last bite. And yes, fish tacos, too. We figure the fish (omega 3?) overpowers the fried part, but then it's served in a grilled (NOT FRIED) CORN tortilla. I think the unfried corn counteracts anything fried fish....? :?:

DENNIS - 11-30-2006 at 08:53 PM

BajaBound ---
Very little Omega-3 in the local fish. Has to be deep, cold water fish to be effective.
We share the genetic malady of high LDL but there are ways, other than statins to counteract it. Next time I see you, I'll bend your ear or send me a U2U and I'll get you started.
By the way........... Your new house?------NICE

bajabound2005 - 11-30-2006 at 09:11 PM

si! la casa nueva es perfecto! but we can't get in there til Jan 1!!! Hey, a little fish, a little oil, some corn tortillas and cabbage --- a perfectly healthy meal!

comitan - 11-30-2006 at 09:21 PM

Dennis

Don't be secretive, share!

My shareing will be if your taking statins take them at night if your Dr, has not told,because your body produces the cholesterol at night. Women have higher cholesterol levels, my sisters both over 300.

bajabound2005 - 11-30-2006 at 09:41 PM

always take mine at night!

DENNIS - 11-30-2006 at 09:58 PM

Comitan-----------
OK, but keep in mind that I have tested these methods, as simplistic as they may sound, and have had dynamic results.
First ......... Buy the book: "The 3- Week Cholesterol Cure".
Second: Forget the 3- Week part and just make Oat Bran a part of your life.

Third ........... Google- "Red Yeast Rice". Do all the research you can stand to do and then go to Wal Mart, buy it and start taking it, forever.

iherb.com is a good on-line source for all this stuff and their prices are as reasonable as anybody I've found. Look into what they have for liver-health products and do more research. The more you try to repair the liver, the more healthy you will be.

On the other hand, statins can ruin the liver. Your liver is the problem. Why would you want to take anything which would make your liver worse?
Why do the doctors monitor your liver activity when they give you statins? Because statins can, and probably will, hurt your liver and they want to know before it kills you.

Statins may be necessary for some cases but it only makes sense to try the less dangerous methods first.

Anyway, look out your front window tomorrow morning and look at that beautiful wave breaking on the beach and tell yourself that, "One of these days my ashes will be surfing that wave for the final ride". We cant buy immortality but, we can do our best to put off the final ride.

fdt - 11-30-2006 at 10:13 PM

My mom quit smoking last March, said she didn't want to die young :yes: she turned 85 in August

DENNIS - 11-30-2006 at 10:16 PM

Yeah fdt --- That's what youth is ........... a learning period.
Good for your mom.

RICHARDH - 12-1-2006 at 11:01 PM

I remember reading somewhere that North American Indians had excellent teeth before the Europeans arrived, but when the Europeans introduced corn into the Indians' diet, the Indians' teeth began to rot.

A dentist recently seemed to confirm that tortilla chips aren't good for the teeth. I was asking him about what foods tend to cause cavities. I told him I was addicted to tortilla chips. So now I've stopped eating tortilla chips.

Diver - 12-1-2006 at 11:12 PM

Richard,

I know a doctor that says air is bad for you.....:O

RICHARDH - 12-2-2006 at 12:21 AM

Actually, I only stopped eating bagged chips.

The fresh chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant I go to taste so good, I just can't resist them.

fdt - 12-2-2006 at 12:52 AM

Si sube el precio de la carne y sube el precio de los cigaros, pues nomas compro menos carne, dijo mi ama:lol:

fdt - 12-2-2006 at 12:54 AM

And in the same note of lard or no lard, bueno or no bueno, mi ama said "No sean tan delicagadillos, pues por eso se enferman"

Yes lard is nasty stuff

Sharksbaja - 12-2-2006 at 01:28 AM

but how can you make a perfect pie crust without it??

Diver - 12-2-2006 at 06:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sharksbaja
but how can you make a perfect pie crust without it??


2 cups flour
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup water

Stir with fork until LIGHTLY mixed. (It will not come together fully)
Form into round pile between 2 layers of wax paper and roll out. DO NOT overmix even though you will want to.
.

Hook - 12-2-2006 at 11:33 AM

agreed, lencho, I thought it was the other way around.:?:

Mexitron - 12-2-2006 at 11:42 AM

Yep, corn is native to the Americas so the Indians introduced it to the Euros. Probably sugar is what they brought--its been in Eurasia for a couple millenia.

consider...

pacificobob - 12-2-2006 at 12:02 PM

enjoying flour tortillas in moderation....then doing something physical......and live.

DENNIS - 12-2-2006 at 01:50 PM

Europeans brought wheat. It's a big cultural stand-off and the Tamal is the symbol of resistance to change. It's been here since that Aztecs, if I may use that word, and represents the past as well as the present and future.
Personally, I prefer the abomination Tamale, made by Xlnt, available in the states. Thinner, less doughy corn shell and lots of indescribable gooey filling. The next best thing to cholesterol in a can.

RICHARDH - 12-4-2006 at 04:18 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lencho
Europeans introduced native Americans to Corn? :?:

--Larry


Quote:
Originally posted by Hook
agreed, lencho, I thought it was the other way around.:?:


Quote:
Originally posted by Mexitron
Yep, corn is native to the Americas so the Indians introduced it to the Euros. Probably sugar is what they brought--its been in Eurasia for a couple millenia.



I Googled on 'corn history' and on 'corn "tooth decay"', and it looks like yes indeed, corn was developed and cultivated by New World Indians, and corn does not grow wild. But it appears that not all Native Americans ate corn. Here are a couple of links regarding corn (more generally, carbohydrates) and tooth decay.

I would guess that the introduction of (New World) corn was to native Americans who hadn't been eating corn.


http://naturalhygienesociety.org/articles/teeth1.html

Notable quotes:

Regarding meat-eating North American natives living in severely cold climates where agriculture was not feasible: "in several groups examined not a single tooth was found that had ever been attacked by tooth decay ... "

"Where the Indians were using the white man's food tooth decay was very severe. . ."

"The prehistoric Indians of California were vegetarians, unlike most folks of that period, and they had tooth decay. In contrast, the Sioux Indians lived on buffalo meat and were devoid of cavities. The Pueblos worshipped the Corn God, but he was not grateful. They have the most wretched teeth of all the American Indian tribes. They lived on corn, squash and beans."

"Sugar consumption causes tooth decay NOT because it promotes bacterial growth in the mouth, as most dentists believe, BUT because it alters the internal body chemistry."

And from http://www.massdental.org/public/wordofmouth.cfm?doc_id=1519 :

"Starch is another element in food that, when combined with the bacteria in your mouth, can wreak havoc with your teeth and gums. ... But like sugar, starch can also be found in such unexpected places as bananas, canned soup, prepared spaghetti sauce, salad dressings, and even some vegetables (corn, potatoes, and peas, for example)."

Bajalero - 12-4-2006 at 07:27 PM

Yes lard is nasty stuff
Quote:
Originally posted by Sharksbaja
but how can you make a perfect pie crust without it??



That's easy Sharks , just substitute butter:yes:

RICHARDH - 12-4-2006 at 08:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lencho
I love research. How many of the sources you ran upon, mentioned the stone particles that were included in most processed corn products until metal grinding mills were introduced?

--Larry


I didn't notice.

DENNIS - 12-4-2006 at 09:59 PM

Stone particles in food? Good for digestion. I used to feed my pigeons grit. Stone particles. Good for digestion.