Study Shows Ibérico Ham Helps Reduce Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis

Studies in mice revealed that the consumption of foods with a high oleic
acid content, such as this type of ham, had anti-inflammatory benefits

As if we needed another reason to indulge in delicious ham, a recent study reached an interesting conclusion: 100% acorn-fed natural Ibérico ham helps prevent the symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

The study conducted was by researchers at the School of Medicine in Oviedo and the School of Veterinary Medicine at Madrid’s Complutense University, in cooperation with Joselito’s R&D Department.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in a person’s digestive tract. It affects around 180,000 people in Spain, and every year more than 3,000 are diagnosed with this chronic disease, according to abc.es. It is believed to be caused by both genetic and environmental factors.

The researchers found that foods which a high concentration of oleic acid that are also low in polyunsaturated fatty acids have positive anti-inflammatory effects on people who suffer from this disease. As part of their testing, one group of mice was fed 100% natural acorn-fed Ibérico ham, which ultimately had a protective effect that affected the disease’s activity index, compared with the other group of mice.
The mice that were fed ham also experienced notable changes in their intestinal microbiota, which helped with inflammation. According to Dr. Beatriz Isabel from the Complutense University, “100% natural acorn-fed Ibérico ham is very rich in oleic acid and natural antioxidants. These and other properties, exclusive to this type of ham, may explain its protective capacity.”

Studies will be conducted on patients and around 30 people are expected to participate in 2020.