DEAR DR. BLONZ: Our family recipe for tamales, which we have made and enjoyed for generations, uses lard, along with corn, meat, almonds, raisins and sauce. Whenever I teach the recipe to Americans, they want to use other fats, but I have found that nothing works as well or tastes as good as the lard. My parents and grandparents have lived in good health to their 90s eating these foods, so I am confused about the concerns about lard. Are these fears justified? -- M.R.S., San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

DEAR M.R.S.: While there are valid concerns about consuming excess saturated fats, the guidance is to limit them, not eliminate them entirely.

Fats and oils are blends of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. With lard, like other food fats, 100% of the calories come from fat. Approximately 39% of the lard’s fats are saturated, 45% are monounsaturated and 11% are polyunsaturated. Compare this with olive oil, where 14% are saturated, 72% are monounsaturated and 9% are polyunsaturated.

Much of the saturated fat in lard comes from stearic acid, which has a somewhat neutral effect on blood lipids. Also, because lard is of animal (pork) origin, it will contain cholesterol: One-fourth of a cup of it contains 49 milligrams of dietary cholesterol.

So what is our bottom line? Lard is not a food fat to be used with abandon -- no fat is. As with any dietary fat, and perhaps especially with one high in saturates, the dangers come not so much from the fat as from the context of the entire diet. Even fats that might be considered “healthful” can compound problems if they are part of an unbalanced, highly processed, fast-food-type diet bereft of vegetables and fruits. It is the whole foods of plant origin that give the body the nutrients and phytochemicals it needs to properly handle dietary fats.

Eat well and stay active, and fat becomes just another element in the foods we make and enjoy. Fat is an integral element of many a traditional dish, such as tamales. Lard can be used, and the foods can and should be treasured for their rich flavors and textures. The excellent health and longevity experienced by your family eating traditional Latin American cuisines speak well to this point.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I can’t tell much difference in the tastes of the wide variety of nondairy milks. Do any of them hold nutritional advantages over the others, or are they all more or less the same? -- S.H., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR S.H.: There’s quite a variety out there: The nondairy milk category now includes products based on soy, almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, coconut, hemp, peas (usually labeled as “plant-based milk”), rice, oats, flax and even bananas.

There can be significant differences in taste, texture, protein, fat and sugar content. Many are marketed as substitutes for cow’s milk, and they are purposefully fortified with calcium and other nutrients typically found in dairy.

The point here is that you cannot generalize the nutritional value for such a diverse group. It is best to view the Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient lists for the products you are considering -- alongside dairy milk or other options -- to see how things compare.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I have been grinding my flaxseed and storing it in the refrigerator for use on my breakfast cereal. I typically grind enough to last a month or so. However, a recent article about how the omega fats in flaxseed can oxidize suggested I should not continue this routine. Is this a correct assumption? -- F.S., Berkeley, California

DEAR F.S.: Unground flaxseeds last a while; be sure to check the expiration date on this and any product. Grinding and storing them in a well-sealed container in the refrigerator should be fine, but consider shifting your storage to the freezer, as this would provide an extra measure of protection from heat and light. As a general rule, the closer to the time of use that you grind the seeds, the better.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I enjoy roasted nuts, especially almonds. But are they as healthy as the raw versions? -- A.L., online

DEAR A.L.: Nuts and seeds tend to be healthful foods, and almonds are no exception. The nutritional differences between roasted and raw almonds are not that significant, so my advice is to stick with the ones you prefer. I also enjoy roasted almonds, which are now available in a variety of flavors.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I generally enjoy your column, but was disappointed by the recent column about beans, in which you did not mention the option of purchasing frozen, cooked beans. The writer apparently felt that their only options were cooking beans from scratch or getting canned beans; what about frozen? The writer was concerned about sodium content, so I’m surprised they didn’t notice the low-sodium and no-sodium options right next to the regular versions. Perhaps you can supplement what you wrote in the column by mentioning the frozen option, or at least write to this person and add that idea. -- M.L., online

DEAR M.L.: Thank you, and I’m sorry to hear that you were disappointed by that column. My response had focused on canned beans because that was what the writer had in their pantry. I could have added the possibility of starting with dried beans, where soaking is part of the prep, and you can control how much salt is added. And I also could have mentioned the option of buying frozen beans, as you suggested. Sincere thanks for your comments, which are now part of this discussion.

Send questions to: "On Nutrition," Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

DEAR DR. BLONZ: I am hoping to learn more about hyaluronic acid as a dietary supplement for wrinkles. I heard that it helps replenish water in the skin that is lost in the aging process. I know it is used medically -- injected into joints to help those with arthritis -- but until recently, I hadn’t heard anything about it being taken orally. It is expensive, so I would greatly appreciate any information you could give. -- S.F., Tucson, Arizona

DEAR S.F.: While not a medical doctor or aesthetician, I can provide some background on hyaluronic acid and those claims associated with its use as a dietary supplement.

We all age, and it’s a process I have come to accept and respect. This could be my personal spin, born of the inevitability of aging, but I have found that getting older provides ongoing opportunities to grow and gain wisdom from life’s experiences -- and to share and learn from others.

However, those physical manifestations of aging are another issue. Perhaps it is a control issue, as this is one thing over which we ultimately have little. Some choose to mitigate the march of time through lifelong efforts that involve healthful eating and staying physically and mentally active. I embrace this application of the “use it or lose it” philosophy.

Getting back to your specific question, one of the most visible signs of aging is the shrinkage factor: the loss of tissue volume. This is most noticeable in the skin, our largest organ, and particularly with the face. Habitual muscular movements tend to become more evident in various folds and wrinkles. Aside from plastic surgery, there are popular treatments involving injections to change the face’s age-affected muscle contours or fill in wrinkles and folds. These short-term cosmetic changes have grown in popularity. One of the substances used is hyaluronic acid, a compound that is actually produced in our bodies. This substance is present in soft tissue such as skin and cartilage, as well as in the fluids in our eyes and in the synovial fluid that lubricates joints. The physical structure of hyaluronic acid gives it a water-holding, gel-like lubricant quality to perform its tasks. As you mention, physicians sometimes administer hyaluronic acid via injection directly into joints having problems. (For more, see b.link/cnf4c.)

The issue you raise is not about the hyaluronic acid made by the body to suit its own needs, or the compound purposefully injected for a direct effect. Your question involves the taking of this substance as a dietary supplement. The missing link is the notion that hyaluronic acid taken orally will be absorbed intact and then travel to the intended location to provide the desired anti-wrinkle effect. It is a claim that relies more on marketing than science.

When a substance is injected, what happens does not automatically translate to a similar effect when taken as a dietary supplement. There is no convincing evidence or reason to believe that hyaluronic acid, taken orally, will have a significant anti-wrinkle ability. The existence of such claims -- even alongside testimonials, which can be of dubious origin -- does not make them valid. Without convincing evidence or scientific logic, it makes sense to save your money.

Send questions to: “On Nutrition,” Ed Blonz, c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO, 64106. Send email inquiries to questions@blonz.com. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.