Lard

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Animal

Get a personal answer

Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganNo

Lard is rendered pig fat.

Gluten-freeYes

HalalNo

Pork is not halal.

KosherNo

Pork is not kosher.

KetoYes

Lard is fat.

Low-FODMAPYes

The short answer

Lard is pork fat. It is not vegan, not halal and not kosher. Bakers kept it because it makes a tender crust. Modern grocery lard is usually just rendered and filtered, not hydrogenated.

70/100

Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone

Comes fromAnimal

What it doesFats & oils

Glycemic index—

Daily limitNot set

Also calledLard, Rendered pork fat

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive

🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive

🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive

CaliforniaNo extra rules

Lard is a meat fat, not an E-number. It is pork, so halal and kosher rules reject it. A pie crust that lists lard is naming that animal fat even if the front of the box shows a plant.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

The fat is heated slowly until the protein cracklings separate, then strained. Some industrial lard used to be partially hydrogenated for shelf life. A current ingredient line that says only lard should be the rendered fat.

Where it comes from: Lard is rendered pig fat. Leaf lard, from around the kidneys, is the mild one bakers want. Fat rendered from bacon is smokier and saltier and is not the same tub.

Why it’s in food

Flakes a crust
Fries potatoes
Seasons beans
Confits meat

Often found in

Pie crustTamalesRefried beansBiscuitsCarnitasSome snack crackers

Also listed as: Lard, Rendered pork fat, Leaf lard, Pork fat

Health & gut impact

It is porkConcern

Any amount of lard is pig fat. A vegetarian formula and a halal formula cannot use it as a quiet substitute for shortening.

Identity of rendered lard

Mostly unsaturated, still an animal fatUnder study

Lard has more monounsaturated fat than butter does. That does not change the religious or vegan verdict, and the saturated fraction is still there.

Fatty-acid profile of pork fat

What can I use instead?

Beef tallow

Ratio: Another rendered animal fat, from cattle

Best for: Frying and roasting

Vegetable shortening

Ratio: The plant fat bakers use when pork is off the table

Best for: Pie crust

More fats & oils:

Beef tallowBeef tallow is cattle fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free and used for high-heat frying. Halal and kosher versions exist only when the animal and the plant are certified.Use in moderation ButterButter is a dairy fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free, and a normal pat is low enough in lactose that many low-FODMAP plans allow it. Peanut butter and cocoa butter are not this food.Use in moderation Canola oilCanola oil is a neutral cooking oil from low-erucic rapeseed. Canola oil is vegan and gluten-free. The old worry about erucic acid applies to industrial rapeseed, not to the canola sold as food.Generally safe Cocoa butterCocoa butter is the vegan fat of the cocoa bean. It is what makes chocolate snap and then melt. It is gluten-free and keto-friendly, and it is not a dairy butter.Generally safe

Common questions

Is lard dairy?

No. It is pig fat. Butter is the dairy fat.

Is lard gluten-free?

Plain rendered lard is. A seasoned or bacon-flavored product can have other ingredients.

Is Lard safe?

Use in moderation (70/100). Lard is a meat fat, not an E-number. It is pork, so halal and kosher rules reject it. A pie crust that lists lard is naming that animal fat even if the front of the box shows a plant.

Is Lard vegan?

No. Lard is rendered pig fat.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations

Identity of rendered lard
Fatty-acid profile of pork fat