Margarine is an excellent substitute for butter. Almost all confectionery products, which are sold in kilograms in supermarkets, contain this ingredient. The undeniable advantage of the product is its low cost, long shelf life and convenience for frying and baking. But few people think about the dangers of margarine. Not for nothing that in some countries a ban on its use in industrial production was introduced, but all because it was proved: margarine is a slow poison.
Background for the appearance of margarine
In the 60s of the 19th century, Emperor Napoleon III commissioned the development of a product that could replace butter, and even promised a reward for this. The reason was the general decline in the country, accompanied by famine. In addition, France was then preparing for war, and the soldiers needed food with high energy value. But why did you suddenly need to replace the butter?
Firstly, milk reserves were depleted, and there was little oil produced. Secondly, against the backdrop of urban growth, a large number of workers from farms went to work in factories, which caused a shortage of workers to produce the product. And finally, the demand for oil was much higher than the supply, so manufacturers pushed up prices for their goods. Thus, the lack of raw materials and working hands, as well as overpriced oil prices, revealed the need for a cheap and affordable counterpart.
Making Oleomargarine
The French scientist Ippolit Mezhe-Mourier became the very discoverer who managed to create a product that replaced butter. He called it “oleomargarine”, where the word “margarine” (Greek margaros, “mother of pearl”) indicated the product's ability to acquire pearlescent shine upon crystallization, and “oleo” indicated a source of fat, which was oleic oil (a derivative of beef fat). Salt and milk were added to the oleic oil , the mixture was processed until a homogeneous plastic mass was obtained and sent for sale. An inexpensive and nutritious product saved people from hunger, and production technology began to spread first in the Old and then in the New World.
Margarine Production Development
Over time, the prefix "oleo" ceased to be used in the name of the product. And all because oleic oil was replaced with another base, namely vegetable fats. When manufacturers mastered the technology of hydrogenation and refining of vegetable oils and learned to convert them to solid fats, it became clear that such a foundation is much more profitable and better than animal fats. Coconut, soybean, corn oil began to be used as raw material, as well as to look for new opportunities to improve the properties and minimize the harm of margarine.
Modernity
Today, margarine is a water-in-oil emulsion with the inclusion of various additives: sugar, salt, dyes, flavorings, etc. Different types of refined deodorized vegetable oils are used as a base: sunflower, peanut, rapeseed, olive, palm, cocoa butter. Dairy or animal fats are sometimes added. In Russia, the bulk of margarine falls on the confectionery, bakery and dairy industries, and a little goes directly into the food of the product. Perhaps this is due to the prevailing opinion about the dangers of margarine.
Production technology
In order for the feedstock to harden, two technologies are used - hydrogenation and transesterification. The first was discovered long ago, and its main disadvantage is that the resulting margarine contains transisomers of fatty acids. These fats adversely affect human health. In particular, they lead to the development of cardiovascular diseases, oncology, provoke infertility and Alzheimer's disease. The second, more modern technology helps to minimize the percentage of trans fats, and, therefore, makes the product much safer. One “but” - in Russia, far from all use this miracle technology.
Types of Margarine in Russia
Marking margarine in accordance with the standards of Russian legislation may be as follows:
- MT is a hard margarine used in the food industry.
- MTS is a culinary margarine used in the manufacture of puff products.
- MTK - margarine for the manufacture of soufflé and creams, as well as confectionery from flour.
- MM is a soft margarine for home use.
- MZHK and MZHP - margarines with a liquid consistency, used in baking and deep-frying preparations.
Sandwich Margarine and Homemade Baking
In everyday life, buyers most often use cream or milk margarine. The first contains vegetable oils and animal fats (butter no more than 25% of the composition), vitamins A, E, B, PP, trace elements (phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium). Additives may include milk powder, salt, sugar, colorants, flavors, colorants, emulsifiers, etc. This is a very nutritious product with a calorie content of 743 kcal per 100 g. Suitable for creating desserts and pastries, making sandwiches and sauces, frying, baking, stewing. Milk margarine contains oils, animal and milk fats, milk, dried cream, salt, emulsifiers, colorants and flavorings. It is used for the manufacture of confectionery, creams, baking. Milk margarine also includes artificially added vitamins and minerals.
Margarine: benefit or harm?
Is there any use in margarine - a moot point. It has undeniable advantages. Firstly, the budget price. Secondly, high nutritional value. Thirdly, quite a pleasant taste. Fourth, ideal indicators for the preparation of confectionery, baking, creams, etc. And, finally, for people who are forbidden animal fats, margarine is a great alternative. However, the damage to margarine for health can also not be ruled out. If you compare it with butter, then the latter is much more useful than its artificial counterpart. Although margarine is made from vegetable oils, almost all of their beneficial properties are lost during processing. Therefore, margarine, in fact, is an empty product, and according to many experts - even harmful.
Trans fats as a major flaw
Margarine is harmful due to the presence of transisomers of fatty acids. In the early 2010s, many countries obliged manufacturers to indicate the number of trans fats on the package. In Russia, this example has been followed only since January 2018: in a number of products in our country, a limit on the number of trans fats was set. Now, all milk fat substitutes, including margarine, should contain no more than 2% trans isomers, and this percentage should be indicated on the packages.
It is believed that a dose that is dangerous to humans is less than 3 grams of trans fats per day. And according to the Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology, a Russian daily consumes 3-4 grams of trans fats, which are found primarily in popular fast food, cookies, ice cream, glazed curds, all kinds of baked goods, in a word, in everything that everyone loves to eat as a snack between main meals.
Everyone who wants to maintain their health should minimize the consumption of foods with unhealthy fats. In addition to margarine, this includes fast food, chocolate, chips, popcorn, sauces, mayonnaise, confectionery and bakery products.
By the way, on many products the inscription “trans isomers of fatty acids” may not be, but this does not mean that they are not there. Pay attention to synonyms: hydrogenated fat, hardened vegetable fat, saturated fat, deep fat, combination fat, margarine, solid vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
What diseases can occur?
What exactly is the harm expressed by margarine on the human body? Serious pathologies develop, such as:
- atherosclerosis;
- oncology;
- cardiovascular diseases;
- impaired reproductive function;
- hormonal imbalance;
- weakened immunity;
- diabetes.
Margarine is especially dangerous for pregnant and lactating mothers, because it causes harm to the child. People suffering from cardiovascular diseases exacerbate their condition. In men who consume trans fats, sperm quality deteriorates, which can complicate conception. Harmful margarine for children is caused by a decrease in immunity, as a result of which the child will often get sick. Also, Austrian scientists have established the relationship of IQ with margarine consumption. One group of children regularly consumed margarine and products containing it, the second group - rarely.
Based on the results, it was concluded that children who consumed margarine had a lower IQ level than their peers who did not receive it. According to scientists, the whole thing is in trans fats contained in margarine. They are embedded in cell membranes, disrupt biochemical processes throughout the body, including in the brain.
Harm margarine in cookies and other sweets
When buying various goodies, many do not think that almost all baked goods, confectionery, desserts, etc. are prepared on margarine, because it is much cheaper than butter. Moreover, the amount of trans fats in solid industrial margarine is higher, respectively, the damage to margarine for baking is quite large. Again, if you do not abuse such products, then there will be no harm to the body. But if every day there are several buns, muffins and other "joys", then you can pretty much undermine your health. If possible, it is better to completely abandon store products “for tea” and prepare sweets yourself, using quality ingredients.
How to choose and store margarine?
If you still can not refuse margarine, then consider some of the nuances when buying it:
- choose margarine packaged in foil - such a product preserves consumer properties better;
- the smell should be slightly creamy or milky, but not sour or any other;
- the consistency should be uniform, the color should be light yellow, without spots, the bar should not delaminate;
- margarine should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 90 days, and open packaging should be consumed within a month;
- on the package must be indicated information about the manufacturer, production time and expiration date, the package must not be damaged.
Finally
The damage to margarine on the body has been proven by many studies. This is an artificial product, and everything unnatural a priori is alien to humans. Therefore, whenever possible, margarine and products containing it are better to refuse. Let butter and vegetable oils are more expensive, but their benefits are much greater. And you can learn how to cook cookies and other goodies yourself - so you, at least, will be confident in the composition of your creation.