How is Margarine Made and is it Healthy?

Very often margarine is called a substitute for butter. It has very little saturated fat in it and is often lower in calories than butter.

Margarine is a good source of vitamins A and E as well as essential fatty acids. People who grew up eating margarine very often prefer it to butter. It has a lighter and less greasy taste.

Recently, nutritionists have discovered the dangers of hydrogenated fats, especially those found in margarine. To keep it from melting it is treated by adding hydrogen atoms and fat molecules that make it more saturated and raise its melting point. Hydrogenated margarine does not spoil, does not go rancid and even insects and rodents do not eat it.

Unfortunately, the hydrogenation process creates trans fats in margarine that humans cannot properly digest. This leads to stimulation of the human body to produce cholesterol. Traces of toxic metals used in the process were also found in it.

Trans fatty acids reduce good cholesterol, this means that hydrogenated fats are much more harmful than saturated fats, which all medical professionals identify as harmful.

There is evidence that trans fats can cause bioaccumulation in the body, because the digestive system has a hard time figuring out what to do with them. As a result, the least that can happen is weight gain.

The use of hydrogenated products is associated with diabetes, coronary heart disease and obesity. All medical professionals agree that one should limit consumption of hydrogenated products or avoid them if possible to reduce exposure to trans fats.

People should eat healthy with healthy fats to protect themselves from unwanted side effects and many types of diseases.

Read also:

- what margarine contains;

- should we use margarine or butter;