Every day, when deciding what to eat, we decide what is most important to us – health. When preparing meals, we want to be sure that we choose the highest quality products for ourselves and our loved ones, and that our diet is healthy and wholesome.
Meanwhile, the world of dietetics is full of doubts and dilemmas. Often the information that reaches us is contradictory. The same is true of the dispute as old as the world – which fats are the best? What to eat raw, and what to cook and fry on?
Vegetable margarines – an invention from the communist period?
Margarines have been with us for many years. The Polish People’s Republic was a period in which they were particularly popular, but their origins date back to the nineteenth century, when in response to the rising costs of butter, its replacement was created. The creator of the first margarine was a French chemist – HippolyteMège-Mouriès. He composed a fat emulsion which was a mixture of beef tallow, milk and water [1].
However, the prototype of margarine has little to do with those currently available on the market. Fortunately, modern ones are characterized by a different production method, as well as the content of nutrients. Currently available margarines are still emulsions, ie mixtures of fats, milk and water, but those that are selected and processed much more carefully [2].
When reviewing the margarine assortment, we can see that the ones currently available can contain anywhere from 45% to 90% fat. And the content of dairy ingredients does not exceed 3%, thanks to which margarines have a low lactose content [2].
In margarines, vegetable oils are the basic source of fat, and the most commonly used are:
- sunflower,
- rapeseed,
- soybean,
- palm,
- coconut [2].
In modern margarines we can also find milk or water, salt, dyes, eg beta-carotene, as well as vitamins A and D, with which these products must be enriched [3].
Nowadays, the undoubted advantage of margarines, especially the cup ones, is that they are immediately ready for use. Spreadable margarine, thanks to the fact that it is soft and easily spreads right out of the fridge, allows you to prepare a nutritious breakfast in just a few minutes.
What should the diet of the XNUMXst century be like?
The current increase in the incidence of civilization diseases makes us think about what our diet should really look like.
In light of newer technologies and more perfect research methods, we can see that many recommendations and recommendations are changing. We now know that plant products should predominate in our diet [4, 5]. Properly selected, they can be a good and wholesome source of protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates.
Consequently, experts indicate that in our daily diet, we should strive to limit animal products, especially those rich in animal fat, and to a greater extent focus on plant products such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and liquid vegetable oils [4, 5].
Is there a place for margarines in the modern diet?
So the question remains, what are the better choices for a healthy diet? What can you fry and cook on, and what products are better to choose cold? Finally, is there a place for margarines in the modern diet?
The choice of fat consumed depends on many factors, such as:
- type of dish,
- our habits and taste preferences,
- age and health.
There is no doubt that animal fats should be limited [4, 5]. This recommendation is due to the fact that they account for a significant proportion of these fats saturated fatty acidswhich increase the risk of civilization diseases, e.g. cardiovascular diseases.
On the other hand, plant products provide the vast majority mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which, as research shows, has a positive effect on cholesterol levels and glucose tolerance. It is these fats that we consider “good / healthy” fats because they reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer [2, 6].
So, for most of us, plant-based products such as:
- liquid vegetable oils, e.g. rapeseed oil, olive oil or linseed oil,
- nuts and seeds, which are also an important source of fat,
- margarine,
- a soft avocado that can be used, for example, as a paste for sandwiches.
However, these recommendations must be individualized in the case of e.g. children up to three years of age, pregnant and lactating women, that is among people for whom the consumption of cholesterol (present only in animal products, eg in butter) determines the proper development of the brain, eyesight or other elements of the nervous system [6].
It is also worth paying attention to the fact that for dishes subjected to heat treatment, e.g. fried or cooked, use fats with a high smoke point, i.e.
- refined vegetable oils, e.g. refined rapeseed oil, refined olive oil,
- specially prepared margarines for baking.
So is there a place for margarines in a modern and healthy diet?
It is worth remembering that the decision about the right food choices in the diet of each of us should always be made individually. Margarines seem to be a good solution, especially for those people who struggle with the problem of elevated cholesterol levels. A particularly good choice here is what is known as “cholesterol margarine”, that is, plant margarine with plant sterols or stanols.
Margarines, as a plant product, perfectly fit into the recommendation to change the diet to one that is slightly more plant-based and allows you to limit animal products. At the same time, it is worth remembering to diversify your diet and use all the recommended food products, including fat sources.
References:
- Ian P. Freeman: Margarines and Shortenings. W: Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. 2005.
- H. Kunachowicz et al. Tables of composition and nutritional value of food. PZWL Medical Publishing House, 2005.
- Regulation of the Minister of Health of September 16, 2010 on enriching substances added to food. Journal of Laws; 2010, 174, item. 1184.
- M. Jarosz et al. Pyramid of Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity for adults. Food and Nutrition Institute 2016.
- B. Cybulska. How to avoid heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases? National Center for Nutrition Education 2019. Food and Nutrition Institute.
- M. Jarosz et al. Nutrition standards for the Polish population. Food and Nutrition Institute 2017.
- K. Okręglica et al. Fatty acid composition, including fatty acid isomers in selected food fats available in Poland, “Human nutrition and metabolism”; 2017: 1: 5-17.
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