Margarine developed in France by a French scientist in 1869 when fats and oils were not available hold at least of 80% fat. Originally it was extracted from the animal fat, but presently it is made primarily from vegetable oils that includes cotton, safflower, sunflower, cottonseed and soy.
Today, margarine comes up with in several forms. Right from a hardened stick butter to a variety of softened products in tubs and other containers.
Health concerns have led to the growth of many low-fat spread products, which have lower energy content. Some of the interesting data collected by the margarine manufacturers from the history of margarine with lower fat content are as follows:
Statistical data of the western countries recognize the swing in customer’s choice of table-spread popularity to low-fat spreads. The share of spread market has improved, for instances, in the USA from less than 5% in the year of 1976 to more than 74% during 1995. In the European countries 75 to 80% of commercial spreads during the year 1985 that contained 80% fat. By 1993, 75–80% of spreads marketed contained 40% fat.
Butter or margarine: How to decide
The whether to prefer butter or margarine depends on the detailed nutritional requirements of the individual.
When the people of medical community resoluted that butter was not good for your for the maximum content of saturated fat, food expert toiled to create margarine from the oil extracted from the plant. They considered it to be more beneficial for health.
The making of margarine goes through the process of hydrogenation which transforms the fluid vegetable oil into solid stuff at a definite temperature of the room. However, research, in the end, discovered that trans fats that margarine contains increase LDL or low-density lipoprotein or bad cholesterol levels and decrease the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol level. The margarine manufacturers can suggest the ratio of the margarine that be helpful for people.
How margarine differs from butter
The most important difference between the butter and the margarine based on that the butter is a dairy product, rich in saturated fats, while the margarine is prepared out of plant oils containing a lot of trans fats. but as mentioned above, manufacturers have now started to terminate the difference gradually.
Presently, people should buy butter, people are now trying to decide varieties of grass-fed, if possible.
Today, people may not be so concerned about adding of margarine or butter to any meal or recipe. Rather, these two ingredients are now considered as a significant part of the meal to add taste to the meal as a source of fat.
The body requires absorption of nutrients and functioning of fat, which provides a mood of satiation. The meal with no fat, consequently leads to hunger shortly after consuming food .
The other group of people concern regarding the percentage of cholesterol content in the butter. Merely the animal products hold the cholesterol. The margarine generally contains next to nothing cholesterol content. On the other hand butter contains a significant amount of cholesterol.
For some people cholesterol controlled diet can control or change lifestyle to manage heart disease or hypercholesterolemia.
Those who need to eat lesser amount of cholesterol may be benefitted from like switching from butter to margarine.
Margarine type
Margarine can have a variety of ingredients, but sometimes not palatable. The margarine manufacturers add salt and other compounds to margarine to enhance the savor and consistency pleasant for the consumer. These consist of soy lecithin, maltodextrin, and diglycerides.
The manufacturer also add flaxseed oil, olive oil, or fish oil to the production process. Some margarine producers again might include salt and vitamin A. Though, the number of margarine doesn’t add preservatives and artificial flavors. A few types of margarine are used as a spread only, and people should search option when cooking or baking.
As said by margarine manufacturers the people with allergies or sensitivities need to read the labels and compare brands to find the margarine that best suits their needs and preferences.