What is Margarine, Is It Harmful to Health? Differences with Butter

We are what we eat. Our health, energy, appearance and illness are all directly related to the things we consume. There are two groups of fats in foods, good and bad, knowing how these fats affect our body and making more conscious choices would be a favor to ourselves.

A product that we use for sweet or salty, which is indispensable in our kitchens. margarine. It both adds flavor and is a much more affordable product compared to butter. In fact, it is a product far from the saturated fats of butter, since it also contains vegetable oils. Well, it has a very wide usage area. what is margarine, is it harmful to health, What’s the difference with butter??

First, what is margarine?

Margarine, yellow colored and produced to replace butter, obtained naturally or chemically from hydrogenated vegetable oils and animal fats; It is a type of oil containing salt, vitamins and colorants. It also acts as good fats in the body. unsaturated fats includes.

Fat, which we can count as the energy store of people, covers 18% of our body and we fill this store with many foods we consume. Unlike other foods we consume, our feeling of fullness lasts longer because fat leaves our stomach later. Vegetable oils in margarine, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated divided into two oils. We learned that it is present in margarine, but what are poly and monounsaturated fats?

• Polyunsaturated fat: Usually sesame, sunflower, soybean, corn, walnut etc. the type of fat found in foods; It is also found in seafood.
• Monounsaturated fat: Usually avocado, hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, canola, olives, peanuts, etc. It is a type of fat found in foods. Foods containing monounsaturated fats are helpful in lowering LDL cholesterol, which will adversely affect health.

What are the benefits of unsaturated fats for our body?

• It balances the cholesterol level in our body.
• It relieves inflammation in our body.
• When we consume it at a balanced level, it regulates our heart rhythm and reduces the possibility of developing heart diseases.

However, margarine does not contain only vegetable oils; mixed with emulsifiers various animal fats and trans fats among the oils used in its production.

What is animal fat?

Produced from animals, which we also hear as ‘saturated fat’ or ‘solid fat’ lipids are fats. It is found in foods such as milk, cheese, and meat. However, poultry and fish have relatively less saturated fat than the red meat we consume. Raising the cholesterol level in our body, cardiovascular diseases and obesity It is known as one of the biggest reasons.

History of margarine:

III in France. Napoleon’s working class and their armies in the Franco-Prussian war A type of oil that he decided to produce for margarine. III. Upon this decision of Napoleon, the first margarine was used as a cheap alternative to butter. Hippolyte Méges- Mouries Produced by The first margarine, consisting of calf tallow with milk shaken, was patented in 1869. Dutch entrepreneurs at the established butter trader Jurgens & Co. bought the margarine patent and expanded its use.

In 1902, the German chemist Wilhelm Normann through hydrogenation harden the fat developed and patented a new process for Before this process, margarine was produced only with beef tallow. With the patent obtained by Wilhelm Normann, market opportunities for vegetable oils arose and the production of margarine was greatly expanded.

Margarine, where America’s fat is scarce and the cost of living is high During World War I gained popularity. It was quickly picked up by the public as a cheap alternative to the more expensive butter. Beginning in 1969, margarine production in parts of Europe and the USA began to rival butter production.

Is margarine harmful to health?

There have been some years-long reports about the harms of margarine that will affect our health. discussions available. When you look at it, margarine is a product that has not taken its place among healthy foods due to the additives used to extend the shelf life, the trans fat and colorants that make up its content. On the other hand, the vegetable oils it contains are also higher than butter. harmless makes itself. Now let’s take a look at both the harms and benefits.

Health hazards of margarine:

• The trans fats it contains adversely affect our health.
• Synthetic vitamins are actually not very useful.
• The source of their yellow color is colorants.
• It reduces the quality of breast milk.
• It affects insulin resistance.

The trans fats it contains adversely affect our health:

Margarine, which is much more advantageous in terms of cost compared to butter, is unfortunately Among the foods with the highest levels of trans fats. While 82-90% of trans fats are produced as a result of industrial hydrogenation processes, 2-8% is obtained from animal products. A study conducted at the Harvard School of Public Health in the state of Boston found that foods produced using trans fats shown to increase the risk of heart attack.

Good to know, margarine contains 3 grams more trans fat per tablespoon.

Synthetic vitamins are actually not very useful:

Synthetic vitamins in margarine, as promised to us. does not strengthen our immune systemin our body does not make up for the shortcomings. At the same time, our immune responses reduces.

Their mouthwatering yellow colors are not real:

The source of that yellow color, which awakens our appetite and does not deprive us of the feeling of butter, is completely colorants.

Breastfeeding mothers reduce the quality of your margarine milk:

Studies show that the level of trans fat in the milk of a mother who consumes trans fat increases and The quality of milk decreases accordingly..

It affects insulin resistance.

Margarine consumption, leads to insulin resistance and low sugar in the body leads to irregular and excessive eating; this too to obesity it causes.

Health benefits of margarine:

• It is high in polyunsaturated fat.
• Contains plant sterols and stanols.

High in polyunsaturated fat:

Most types of margarine, although this varies between brands high in polyunsaturated fat. The exact amount depends on which vegetable oils are used to produce the margarine. For example, soybean oil-based margarines have approximately 20% polyunsaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat is generally considered healthy. Compared to saturated fat May be beneficial for heart health.

Contains plant sterols and stanols:

some margarines phytosterols or enriched with stanols. The phytosterols it has are “bad” LDL lowers cholesterol levels and “good” Raises HDL cholesterol . However, most studies have shown no association between total phytosterol intake and reducing the risk of heart disease.

What are the differences between butter and margarine?:

• Butter is made from heavy cream; contains high levels of saturated fat, which can lead to various risks. Margarine, on the other hand, contains vegetable and unsaturated fats that act as “good” fats when it enters the body.
• Vegan alternatives to margarine are available for people with dietary restrictions or a “vegan” diet. Butter consists entirely of animal fats.
• Butter provides rich color and soft texture to baked goods. Margarine, on the other hand, does not provide the same flavor as long as it does not contain added milk or fat. Because it has a lower oil content and contains more water.

There can be good and bad fats in foods; the main topic in the debate about butter and margarine type of oil. Knowing the effects of these fats on the body will assist in making an informed choice between butter and margarine.

Butter and margarine and cakes, cookies, etc. Making desserts or meals may look good, pleasant and appetizing, but it seems worthwhile to think again.