The mixes are a mixture of butter and margarine. In addition to the most simple variety of the market, however, there are several other aspects. Are mixes a good solution or maybe a trap?
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Mixes as a response to our needs?
The media reports: butter is not good, because cholesterol, margarines are bad, because trans fats. However, the question: Butter or margarine? takes on a new meaning. Why wonder if we have mixes? However, one has to think carefully, and do it properly.
Butter
The butter itself consists of milk fat in an amount of 80 – 90 percent. Fortunately, it cannot contain any additives except salt and natural dyes: annatto and carotenoids. When it comes to carotenoids, there is no need to worry about them, especially when consumed with butter. Annato dye is not so innocent anymore. In fact, it is a natural supplement, obtained from the seeds of the tropical tree Bixa orellana L., but it can cause irritation, allergies, hypotension and eczema. It also causes headaches in children, and its use has been banned in Australia. Despite the fact that it is not easy to exceed the permissible dose (Bixin: 12 mg / kg bw per day, Norbixin: 0,6 mg / kg bw per day) with butter alone, but this supplement is mainly labeled ‘should be avoided’. For safety reasons, it is better to avoid butter with the addition of annatto. It is also worth knowing that butter should not be more than 16 percent. water, and the maximum content of non-fatty substances (protein, lactose, mineral salts) should reach 2%. What else is in the butter? Vitamins: A, D, and E, and the hated cholesterol.
Who is the butter for?
Butter can be eaten by anyone who has no problem with cholesterol.
Margarine
During the production of margarines, and more precisely in the process of hydrogenation of vegetable oils, hardened fats, called trans fats, are produced. Such fat, despite the fact that vegetable fat does not have a positive effect on our body. Trans fats are responsible for a number of diseases such as atherosclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and even cancer. Consumers, however, appreciate margarines for good spreadability and lack of cholesterol (although you need to know that we need a certain amount of cholesterol and if there are no problems with it, butter will not hurt).
Who is margarine for?
Only good quality margarines with a minimum amount of hydrogenated fats are recommended for people who, for health reasons, cannot or simply do not want to eat butter.
Why the mixes?
Butter and margarine mixes are either a mixture of butter and margarine or butter and vegetable oils, most often palm oil. But what exactly do we need these mixes for when we can decide, considering all the pros and cons to decide whether we will use butter or margarine? There are several reasons:
- Mixes are an alternative for the undecided, at least that’s what the producers are counting on. The ads come with the following questions: Do you appreciate the benefits of both butter and margarine? Are you also aware of the presence of cholesterol in butter and unhealthy fats in margarine? And on top of that, are you annoyed by the difficulty of spreading the butter out of the fridge? We have the perfect alternative – a mix of these two products.
- A chance to save. For the producer, such a mix is also a saving. Milk fat is more expensive than palm oil, so replacing its vegetable part with a counterfeit is the best way to cut costs. You have to be very careful, because often a product that looks like butter is just a poor quality mix. In addition to disappointment, we must take into account the negative impact on health. The most commonly used vegetable fat is palm fat. As much as 45 percent. It is composed of harmful saturated fatty acids, which leads to an increase in bad cholesterol in the blood. In the refining process, it also loses all valuable compounds, i.e. vitamin A, vitamin E. Not without reason, the National Food Safety Agency (ASNES) warns that its excessive consumption contributes to the development of obesity and also promotes the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. .
Watch out for mixes!
The biggest problem with mixes is disinformation. Often, the packaging does not tell you what quality fat was used, and the mixes pretend to be natural butter. In addition, the list of other additives should be worrying: aromas, emulsifiers, thickeners and preservatives, such as sorbic acid (E200) or potassium sorbate (E202), which may cause skin irritation and cause contact allergy and even asthma. The allowable total dose for sorbic acid and its salts is 25 mg / kg bw. The amount of additives in this type of product may vary, so it is important to carefully check the composition indicated on the packaging if you decide to mix.
The photo is from: Jarkko Laine / Foter / CC BY
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