Margarine - The Un-Health Food

Some of you have asked me which is better, Butter or Margarine? Well, over the years the processed food industry has managed to hoodwink the American public completely regarding the "healthy" aspects of margarine. Margarine is marketed as a pure, golden vegetable oil that is low in cholesterol and good for your heart. In fact, nothing could be farther from the truth! This is what margarine really is.

Margarine was first vegetable oil - a liquid at room temperature. Unfortunately, this oil is usually already rancid. But that doesn't matter because the oil will be subjected to extreme heat or boiled. This *new* semi-congealed mass resulting from the first treatment smells so rotten that it is unmarketable. So, it undergoes a deodorizing process. After this, the material heads to a new vat where hydrogenation takes place. This vat contains metal shavings, predominantly nickel oxide. Nickel oxide is highly toxic and is impossible to remove completely from the final margarine product.

Hydrogenation is the spraying of hydrogen gas under immense pressure and temperature into the oil in the presence of the metal catalyst for up the 8 hours. The liquid oil is changed into a semi-solid "trans" fatty acid, which is very harmful since it interferes with normal metabolic processes. These abnormal metabolic reactions can cause in increase in cholesterol. So, these "low cholesterol" margarines do just the opposite of what they market.

Next, soap-like emulsifiers are squeezed into the oil, keeping water from separating out. Starch is then added to increase consistency. It is then bleached to remove any color. Then strong sulfur-refined coal tar dyes are used to add color. And since there is no taste (due to bleaching and the steam cleaning)strong flavorings are added. Let's not forget those preservatives too! Finally it is ready for packaging.

Now that you know the makings of margarine, skip it completely. Other offenders include: Crisco, deep fryers, and the majority of peanut butters, which are fully hydrogenated. These food cause you liver, heart and blood vessel trouble.

So when a little butter is called for - Go ahead - Use real butter! This healthy natural fat is loaded with fat-soluble vitamins, enzymes, and essential fatty acids.

And never forget: Everything God made is better than anything man-made