pork fat

Question
I have read that when eaten, pork fat does not go through a process called hydrolysis, which converts animal fat into human fat and that it remains pork fat in the human body. Is this true? If it is, does the pork fat remain in the body permanantly, like for the rest of ones' life, or does the body eventually get rid of it? And if it does get rid of it, how long does it take?  

         Thank you.

Answer
Ray,

What a concept; And totally not true!!  

It's the same with any food; fruit, vegetable, meat, eggs, grains--they all are broken down to molecules of vitamins, minerals, proteins, sugars or fat. I suppose there is some fat in my body that once came from a piece of pork--perhaps that's where the saying comes from, "You are what you eat". But it's nothing like pieces of pork fat taking up residence somewhere in your body and settling down for the long haul.

As pork fat reaches the stomach, the acids break it down to very tiny pieces, so the digestive enzymes can reach it all at the molecular level once in the small intestine. Pork fat becomes, simply, molecules of fat. The body can store fat as triglycerides or use it for energy from calories. Fat provides 9 calories per gram.

We always will have fat in our body, even people who are very thin. It's part of cells, it's used to cushion vital organs and acts as an insulator under the skin to help us control body temperature.

But don't worry that there are pieces of anything you ate remaining somewhere floating around forever--it just isn't like that.

Hope that helps!
Laurie

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