In a small town with a long charm, there lives seventy-year-old Grandma Zhao. She is a firm believer in a folk tradition that eating pig's feet is beneficial to the health of the elderly. Pig's feet are considered a rich source of collagen, which helps to maintain the vitality of the body, has a positive effect on bone and skin health, and has the potential to slow down aging. Therefore, Grandma Zhao enjoys pork knuckles at least twice a week, whether it is braised or stewed.
Over time, Grandma Zhao did feel that her joints were less painful and her skin became smoother and more elastic. These changes made her more convinced of the benefits of pig's feet and often recommended the food to her friends. However, during a routine physical examination, Grandma Zhao found that her cholesterol and blood lipid levels were abnormally elevated.
This case sheds light on an important aspect of food nutrition: even foods that are traditionally considered beneficial can pose health risks if not properly controlled. Although pig's feet are rich in collagen, which contributes to joint and skin health, they are also higher in fat. Long-term consumption of high amounts of fatty foods may lead to elevated cholesterol and blood lipids, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Elderly people eat more pig's feet, not only cure diseases but also live a long life?
From a medical point of view, it is true that the proteins in pig trotters, especially collagen, have certain benefits for the human body. Collagen is an important protein, making up about one-third of the body's total protein. It is mainly composed of amino acids such as glycine, which has a certain effect on maintaining the elasticity of the skin and preventing dryness and wrinkles. In addition, the protein in meat is converted to tryptophan, an amino acid that can help relieve anxiety to some extent, and fat, which helps with wound healing.
However, this does not mean that pig trotters can treat neurasthenia or other diseases. Although pig trotters are beneficial in some health aspects, it falls under the category of red meat foods. Overconsumption of red meat is known to be associated with an increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, both daily dietary guidelines and dietary recommendations for residents tend to reduce the intake of red meat and consume more white meat and plant-based protein.
Despite the unique nutritional value of pig's trotters, this does not mean that it is a universal food for the treatment of various diseases. Eating a balanced diet and taking in the right amount of nutrients is the key to maintaining good health. Excessive or one-sided pursuit of the efficacy of one food can often ignore other important nutritional needs and may have adverse health effects.
Is it true that pig's feet are nutritious and contain collagen, which helps the body synthesize collagen?
Collagen is a complex macromolecular protein that is primarily composed of glycine, hydroxylysine, and hydroxyproline. When we ingest collagen-rich foods such as pig's trotters, these proteins are not directly converted into collagen in our body, but are first broken down into small amino acid units, which are then recombined in the body to produce new collagen. For older adults, an adequate intake of protein, such as lean meat and fish, is enough to support collagen synthesis in the body, eliminating the need to specifically consume collagen-rich foods.
Importantly, the body can synthesize collagen as needed, as long as an adequate source of amino acids is provided. The amino acids in collagen are mostly non-essential, and they do not contain tryptophan (an essential amino acid), so they are not considered high-quality proteins. To maintain a good nutritional status, preference should be given to high-quality proteins that contain complete essential amino acids, such as chicken, tofu, and eggs.
Studies have shown that collagen hydrolysates (amino acids and peptides) may be beneficial for wound healing, but because collagen is a large molecule and has a low absorption rate, it is uncertain whether the same kind and amount of amino acids and peptides can be produced by the human body after digestion. In addition, eating a lot of foods such as pig's trotters in order to obtain collagen may lead to excessive intake of saturated fatty acids, which is not good for cardiovascular health.