Harm of margarine: composition, effect on the human body, opinions of doctors

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Margarine is an excellent substitute for butter. Almost all confectionery products that are sold in kilograms in supermarkets contain this ingredient. The indisputable 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. It is not for nothing that some countries have banned its use in industrial production, and all because it has been proven that margarine is a slow poison.

Prerequisites for the emergence 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 a high energy value. But why did you suddenly need to replace the butter?

First of all, milk supplies were depleted and there was little butter 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 labor for the production of the product. And, finally, the demand for oil was much higher than the supply, so the producers raised the prices of their goods. Thus, the lack of raw materials and labor, as well as inflated oil prices, have revealed the need for a cheap and affordable analogue.

Creating oleomargarine

French scientist Hippolyte Megès-Mourier became the 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 property of the product to acquire a pearly sheen during crystallization, and "oleo" testified to the source of fat, which was oleic oil (a derivative of beef fat). S alt and milk were added to 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.

Development of margarine production

Over time, the prefix "oleo" has ceased to be used in the product name. And all because oleic oil was replaced by another basis, namely vegetable fats. When manufacturers mastered the technology of hydrogenation and refining of vegetable oils and learned how to convert them into solid fats, it became clear thatsuch a basis is much more profitable and better than animal fats. They began to use coconut, soybean, corn oil as raw materials, and also look for new opportunities to improve the properties and minimize the harm of margarine.

Modernity

Today, margarine is a water-oil emulsion with the inclusion of various additives: sugar, s alt, dyes, flavors, etc. Various types of refined deodorized vegetable oils are used as a base: sunflower, peanut, rapeseed, olive, palm, cocoa butter. Sometimes milk or animal fats are added. In Russia, the main volume of margarine falls on the confectionery, bakery and dairy industries, and not much goes directly into the food of the product. Perhaps this is due to the established 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 trans fatty acids. These fats adversely affect human he alth. 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, this miracle technology is not used by everyone.

Types of margarine in Russia

Marking of margarine inin accordance with the standards of Russian legislation may be as follows:

• MT is a hard margarine used in the food industry.
• MTS - cooking margarine used in the production of puff products.
• MTK - margarine for making soufflés and creams, as well as flour confectionery.
• MM - soft margarine for home use.
• SMF and MZHP are liquid consistency margarines used in bakery and deep-frying.

Margarine for sandwiches and homemade cakes

In everyday life, buyers most often use cream or milk margarine. The first contains vegetable oils and animal fats (butter not more than 25% of the composition), vitamins A, E, B, PP, trace elements (phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium). Additives may include milk powder, s alt, sugar, colorants, flavors, colorants, emulsifiers, etc. This is a very nutritious product, 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, dry cream, s alt, emulsifiers, dyes and flavors. It is used for the manufacture of confectionery, creams, pastries. Milk margarine also includes artificially added vitamins and minerals.

Margarine: good or bad?

Whether there is at least some benefit in margarine is a moot point. It has undeniable advantages. In-First, the budget price. Secondly, high nutritional value. Third, it tastes pretty good. Fourth, ideal indicators for the preparation of confectionery, pastries, creams, etc. And, finally, for people who are prohibited from animal fats, margarine is a great alternative. However, the he alth risks of margarine cannot be ruled out either. If we 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 fat as the main drawback

The harm of margarine is manifested due to the presence of trans fatty acids. In the early 2010s, many countries made it mandatory for manufacturers to list the amount of trans fats on packaging. In Russia, this example was followed only from January 2018: in a number of products in our country, a limit was set on the amount of trans fats. Now all milk fat substitutes, including margarine, must contain no more than 2% trans isomers, and this percentage must be indicated on the packages.

It is believed that a dangerous dose for humans is less than 3 grams of trans fat per day. And according to the Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology, a Russian consumes 3-4 grams of trans fats per day, which are found primarily in popular fast food, cookies, ice cream, glazed curds, all kinds of pastries, onein a word, in everything that everyone loves to eat as a snack between main meals.

Everyone who wants to stay he althy should minimize their intake of foods with unhe althy fats. In addition to margarine, this includes fast food, chocolate, chips, popcorn, sauces, mayonnaise, confectionery and bakery products.

By the way, many products may not have the inscription “trans fatty acids”, but this does not mean that they are not there. Pay attention to synonyms: hydrogenated fat, hardened vegetable fat, saturated fats, cooking fat, combined fat, margarine, hard vegetable oil, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.

What diseases can manifest?

What exactly is the harm of margarine on the human body? Serious pathologies develop, such as:

• atherosclerosis;
• oncology;
• cardiovascular disease;
• deterioration of reproductive function;
• hormonal imbalance;
• immunity weakening;
• diabetes.

Margarine is especially dangerous for pregnant and nursing mothers, because it harms the baby. People suffering from cardiovascular diseases exacerbate their condition. In men who consume trans fats, sperm quality deteriorates, which can make it harder to conceive. The harm of margarine for children is due to a decrease in immunity, as a result of which the child will often get sick. Also Austrianscientists have established a relationship between IQ and 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 ate margarine had a lower IQ level than their peers who did not receive it. According to scientists, it's all about the trans fats contained in margarine. They are embedded in cell membranes, disrupt biochemical processes throughout the body, including in the brain.

Harm of margarine in cookies and other sweets

When buying various goodies, many do not think that almost all pastries, confectionery, desserts, etc. are prepared with margarine, because it is much cheaper than butter. Moreover, the amount of trans fats in solid industrial margarine is higher, respectively, the harm to baking margarine is quite large. Again, if you do not abuse such products, then there will be no harm to the body. But if you eat several buns, muffins and other “joys” every day, then you can pretty much undermine your he alth. If possible, it is better to abandon store-bought tea products altogether and make your own sweets using quality ingredients.

How to choose and store margarine?

If you still cannot refuse margarine, then consider some nuances when buying it:

• choose margarine packed in foil - such a product retains consumer properties better;
• the smell should beslightly creamy or milky, but not sour or anything else;
• consistency should be homogeneous, 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 the opened package should be consumed within a month;
• the package must contain information about the manufacturer, production date and expiration date, the package must not be damaged.

In closing

The harm of margarine on the body has been proven by many studies. This is an artificial product, and everything unnatural is a priori alien to humans. Therefore, if possible, it is better to refuse margarine and products containing it. Although butter and vegetable oils are more expensive, they have much more benefits. And you can learn how to cook cookies and other goodies yourself - so at least you will be sure of the composition of your creation.