Longganisa (native sausages) and rice

Longganisa and tocino (native breakfast ham), often served with eggs and garlic fried rice, are among the most loved traditional Filipino breakfast items. Depending on which region the longganisa originates, it can be spicy, garlicky, sweet, colored or uncolored. Longganisa for breakfast is so popularly Pinoy that it is served in the humblest carinderia and five-star hotels.

But modern-day health gurus warn the public against them. Much like fast food fare has brought on an obesity epidemic in the West, the rising incidence of high blood pressure among Filipinos is said to be directly related to the consumption of these fat-rich breakfasts. But the fat intake can be regulated if you choose your longganisa and tocino well. Fatless tocino is becoming popular. With longganisa, you can see through the casing to determine how much fat there is. Choose the longganisa with the less amount of white specks and you’re cutting down on the amount of fat that goes into your body.

But is it just the fat content that makes health gurus warn against longganisa and tocino?

The preservative locally known as salitre, or saltpeter, has always been a traditional ingredient of longganisa and tocino. If you look at local cookbooks published before the 1990s, many of the longganisa, ham and tocino recipes list salitre among the ingredients. I’ll leave it up to you to read about saltpeter, don’t get shocked when you see the word gunpowder repeatedly, just go on reading the article to reach the part about food preservation.

Then, there is food color. Most commercial longganisa and tocino are colored red. The red color makes them more visually appealing and, according to prevailing beliefs, more appetizing.

What’s the best option then without giving up longganisa and tocino? Make your own longganisa. Skinless, longganisa contains even less fat. Then, use the leanest ground pork you can find, ditch the preservatives and food color and you can enjoy your longganisa without health worries. You can also make your own tocino at home — check out comment #8 in the thread of the tocino entry in Pinoy Cook.