Margarine was invented in the 1860s by Hippolyte Mege-Mouries using vegetable fats and with unsaturated good fats that help lower low density lipoprotein (LDL), or bad cholesterol levels.

Milk contains several important vitamins and nutrients, including vitamin D and K as well as other essential ones. Unfortunately, some brands contain unhealthy trans fats that could potentially pose health risks.

What is Margarine?

Margarine is an edible fat substitute similar to butter that was created by French chemist Hippolyte Mege-Mouries in 1869 as part of Napoleon III’s challenge for him to create something suitable for use by lower classes and the military derived from beef fat, called oleomargarine (derived from Latin “oleum” for beef fat and Greek “margarite”, meaning pearl). Most brands of margarine today are now made with vegetable oils instead.

Mege-Mouries created hydrogenation as a process to make margarine spread that would melt at higher temperatures, raising its melting point. Hydrogenation works by adding small amounts of hydrogen gas into oil or fat in order to alter molecular structures, enabling margarine production using this technique to more easily liquefy and melt at room temperatures; its use also reduced whale oil use significantly, helping save many whale lives while becoming one of the crowning achievements of modern technology.

Modern margarine production techniques ensure most brands contain healthy unsaturated fats without trans fats; however, some cheaper brands still contain unhealthy trans fats; therefore it is wise to do your research prior to purchasing any product.

Though margarine has received some negative attention in the recent past, it can actually be very nutritious. Margarine contains many essential vitamins such as Vitamin A – vital for eye and skin health as well as unsaturated fats which reduce “bad” cholesterol levels. However, any form of margarine contains excessive calories and should be eaten only occasionally.

To show how different kinds of margarine differ, ask students to compare regular, light and extra light varieties by showing their packaging and creating overhead projections or handouts with data about fat percentage, water and caloric intake per variety of margarine. This will demonstrate why some brands cost more while showing them that amounts of both water and calories decrease when the fat percentage decreases in each variety of margarine. This activity will allow students to appreciate that as the fat percentage decreases so does water consumption per package – giving a truer picture than ever.

What is the Difference Between Butter and Margarine?

Although butter may taste richer than margarine, it contains more saturated fat that may raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and lead to atherosclerosis. Margarine contains more unsaturated fatty acids that reduce bad cholesterol while increasing HDL (good) levels; studies also indicate that diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids can help decrease heart disease risk.

Margarine contains healthy unsaturated fats as well as essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins E, K and D, making it an excellent source of essential omega-3 fatty acids essential to cardiovascular health. Unfortunately, some brands of margarine still contain trans fats which increase heart disease risk significantly; when selecting between butter or margarine products be sure to select one with zero grams of trans fats.

At the turn of the 19th century, many people switched from butter to margarine due to its lower costs and wider availability. Margarine was created using vegetable oils and spread easily, making it popular with lower classes and military personnel alike. At first, beef fat was its main raw material for margarine production but in 1871 Henry W. Bradley of Binghamton received a patent for “oleomargarine,” an improved form using animal fat and unhardened vegetable oils instead. Unfortunately shortages during World War II caused its slow decline.

Manufacturers use liquid vegetable oils such as rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil in conjunction with an emulsifier when producing margarine. This emulsifier helps the oil globules from separating and sticking together again like lecithin does within our bodies; furthermore it prevents any quick oxidization of fatty acids that might otherwise form.

Oil is then treated with a caustic soda solution to remove unnecessary components, before being washed in hot water and bleached using bleaching earth and charcoal mixtures to further eliminate impurities. After being bleached and mixed with salt solution for flavoring purposes, solid ingredients such as milk or soy-based alternatives may be added before it’s packaged for sale; some margarines contain preservatives to extend shelf life while salt may also be used for flavor enhancement; it is possible to purchase margarines free from preservatives as well as soy and dairy allergens for those sensitive or allergic individuals who need it.

Are Margarine Spreads Healthy?

Studies on the effects of dietary fat intake have been extensively researched over time, leading various health organizations around the world to issue specific dietary guidelines concerning fat consumption. According to these health organizations’ dietary recommendations, an average healthy person should consume no more than 80 grams of total fat daily. Margarine manufacturers have responded by developing lower fat margarines which are now widely available worldwide in supermarkets – these low fat spreads are called margarines or spreads.

Both butter and margarine contain saturated fats which can raise bad cholesterol levels. Margarine may be healthier because it typically utilizes vegetable oils instead of animal fats to create it, which contain unsaturated good fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated) that can actually lower bad cholesterol levels whereas butter often utilizes animal fats, known to heighten them further.

Margarine can contain trans fats that can contribute to heart disease; however, many modern non-hydrogenated margarines do not contain these harmful trans fatty acids. Some studies indicate that choosing certain kinds of margarines could have an enormous effect on how much bad cholesterol accumulates in your system.

The ideal types of margarine include those made with vegetable oil and no trans fats; typically soft tub or stick varieties. Even hard varieties contain less artery-clogging saturated fats than butter varieties. Reading labels of spreads carefully to assess how many saturated and trans fats they contain is of vital importance; typically the thicker and solidier a margarine is, the more trans fats it may contain as well. As such, when purchasing spreads such as margarine it is crucial that the word “trans” be clearly marked on its label. You should avoid those containing more than a few grams of trans fats – though amounts vary widely among brands so always do your research first before making your purchase decision.

Are Margarine Spreads Bad for You?

Margarine has long been used as an alternative to butter, and manufacturers have long produced it using liquid vegetable oils with flavoring (buttermilk, whey or nondairy substitute), salt, soy lecithin emulsifiers (such as soy lecithin), sodium benzoate or citric acid preservatives and yellow coloring agents such as ss-carotene. Oil may be partially hydrogenated to increase stability while creating its familiar fluffy texture and spreading ease; then formed into slabs, solids or sticks and stored for sale.

Margarine had long been seen as having one major downside – trans fats – which health professionals now recognize raise levels of LDL cholesterol while simultaneously decreasing HDL. But recently manufacturers have produced margarines without trans fats and less saturated fat than butter.

Margarine tends to outshone butter when it comes to heart-healthy fats, thanks to being made with vegetable oils that contain unsaturated “good” fats; however, too much saturated fat may still damage your heart.

When purchasing margarine, select one labeled as low-saturated fat or “low-fat.” Additionally, avoid sticks of hard margarine as these tend to contain more trans fatty acids than less solid versions.

To increase the heart-healthiness of your diet, switch from butter to margarine or soft-margarine that does not contain added trans fats and has no more than 6 grams of saturated fat per serving. When shopping, read the Nutrition Facts panel – look for the “per 100 grams” column on its label for this information. You could also try dipping bread in olive oil instead of butter; this provides flavorful ways of cutting fat without compromising nutrition – olive oil offers both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid benefits!