Margarine / Hydrogenated Oil

I admit, I have very strong feelings about margarine, and they’re all negative.  Margarine/shortening is hydrogenated oil plus yellow dye.  Hydrogenation occurs when the oil is forced to bond with the water, thus becoming semi-solid..and far more stable than the original fluid oil, which is why the food industry uses hydrogenated oil so extensively in products with a potentially-long shelf life.  A cookie made with hydrogenated oil of any type is going to outlast one made with a non-hydrogenated oil.

I found out how oil is hydrogenated when I made my own hand lotion–the end product is basically margarine without the yellow dye.  Yep.  Great for the outsides of our bodies, but–because of the presence of trans fat, which is created during the transformation of unsaturated fatty acids to saturated ones–margarine is not great for the insides.    Fortunately, you won’t find hydrogenated oil in produce, grains, meat, milk, or eggs…but you will find it in most processed foods, especially baked goods.  I’ve even come across it in Stucchi’s frozen yogurt.  (Much to my dismay.)  And since the FDA allows servings containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fat to be labeled as “0 trans fat,” products touting their “0 trans fat” virtues may be exploiting loopholes rather than stating the objective truth.

The only way to avoid hydrogenated/partially-hydrogenated oil is to read all the labels before you buy any processed/pre-packaged food.  It’s possible to find good breads and snacks without hydrogenated oils, but you have to search for them.  From both a health standpoint and a flavor standpoint, however, it’s well worth it!

Tags: health, hydrogenated oil, margarine, trans fat