Health benefits? From pigs’ feet? Well, apparently pigs’ trotters are loaded with collagen.
And according to registered dietician Elsabé Nel, collagen is good for the skin and helps prevent wrinkles.
Collagen is a protein that serves as one of the main building blocks of your bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Your body naturally makes collagen, but this production decreases with age.
Says Nel, “Supplements have become popular as a quick fix but eating collagen-rich meals is the healthiest way to get the benefits.”
Braised in a deliciously thick sauce, trotters are not only delicious but they can be good for you too.
ALSO READ: A dietician’s guide to six healthy food trends
Trotters are an unexpected source of a very important nutrient: collagen. Collagen plays an important role in the health of one’s joints. It supports recovery of joint injuries and helps to maintain skin elasticity – a very important benefit for those who wish to reduce the risk of premature skin ageing and wrinkling.
We are what we eat
Studies have proven that collagen is one of the beneficial proteins that can be ingested daily with the correct foods.
Nel adds, “Chicken, fish, citrus fruits and beans are high in protein and supply the amino acids needed for collagen formation.
“The ‘god of spice flavour’, garlic also includes nutrients that protect collagen from breaking down.”
Looking for a yummy pork trotter recipe?
Former bank teller and now a foodie businesswoman, Metjie Shongwe shares her budget-friendly recipe for pork trotters.
Pork trotters are filled with tough connective tissue and thick skin, so preparations can take a long time, she warns.
ALSO READ: Metjie turned her food hobby into a business
Luckily this lengthy cooking method also extracts all the good stuff, the collagen. “I love how inexpensive and versatile trotters are, especially considering their nutrient value,” notes Shongwe.
Why not try Metjie’s pork trotter recipe?
INGREDIENTS
500g pork trotters
Salt
15ml ground pepper
15ml turmeric spice
4 tablespoons tomato paste
Half onion, chopped
15ml breyani masala
500ml water
45ml thick soy sauce
2 tablespoons cooking oil
60ml paprika
3 tablespoons spring onion, finely chopped
METHOD
- Cover the trotters in cold water, salt and cook for 3 hours until tender.
- Add soy sauce, breyani masala, paprika, ground pepper, turmeric, tomato paste, onion, spring onion, oil and ground pepper.
- Cook for further 20 minutes and enjoy!
