The prized Spanish ham is obtained from black Iberian pigs nicknamed “Patanegra” which feed on sweet acorns fallen from the trees: bellota, rich in oleic acid, the same substance found in olives. It is a food suitable for diets where it is necessary to control cholesterol as the fat contained has a composition similar to that of vegetables.
Ham has absolutely no preservatives or flavoring substances and contains 50% more protein than fresh meat.
The taste makes its way into the fat of the animals to the point that the Spaniards call these animals "olives with legs".
The weight they need to reach is 160 kilos and to be sure that each pig eats the right amount of food, no more than two animals are raised per hectare. The maturing phase is also important, as soon as the front legs "Paletas" and the rear "Jamones" are ready they are preserved with sea salt from Andalusia.