What is margarine? | Green positive pharmacy magazine

Margarine (Margarine) is a nutritious and useful food, which is also referred to as a substitute for animal butter. Margarine is a processed vegetable butter that is very similar to animal butters in terms of taste. At the same time, its structure contains different compounds that make it healthier than animal butter.

Animal butter contains very high amounts of saturated fat, which is very harmful for those suffering from heart disease. Therefore, margarine can even replace animal butter in such situations.

But what are the benefits of margarine? We will examine it further.

Benefits of using margarine

Margarine In terms of structure, it is a combination of different vegetable oils (similar to margarine), water, beta-carotene (a natural colorant and vitamin A precursor), salt, and emulsifier (for a better combination of vegetable oils with water). An important thing to consider about the structure of margarine is that the type of vegetable oil used will have a direct effect on the final product of margarine, and the difference between the types of margarine available in the market is due to the difference in the oil used in them. Manufacturers use a variety of liquid oils and vegetable oils to make margarine, which contain a high percentage of unsaturated fatty acids.

Regardless of the type and structure of margarine, four important benefits can be mentioned for this special type of butter:

1. Unlike animal butter, margarine consumption does not increase blood cholesterol. Therefore, the risk of heart disease or heart attack is also lower among margarine consumers. This is due to the presence of omega 3 and omega 6, both of which are considered unsaturated fats. Therefore, people who are prohibited from consuming saturated fat in their diet can use margarine instead of animal butter.
2. In addition to omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9, margarine is enriched with various vitamins E, A, D. Among the benefits of these vitamins, we can mention helping skin and hair health, strengthening the body’s immune system and preventing arthritis.
3. Today’s margarines are also free of trans fat. In the past, one of the major concerns surrounding margarine was the presence of trans fat, which can be harmful to health. But thanks to the advancement of technology, today’s margarines do not contain harmful trans fats and therefore are not harmful to health.
4. Aside from all the health tips, margarine tastes great! Therefore, margarine can also be used in cooking or making cakes. Even margarine can be a substitute for breakfast butter.

Structural compounds of margarine

Normal margarine has 80% fat and 18% water and is similar to animal butter; But its most important difference with animal butter is at this point. The fat used in animal butter is saturated and unsaturated in margarine.

In addition to the type of fat, margarine is also enriched with omega 3, omega 6 and omega 9, and therefore its nutritional value is higher than animal butter. In simpler words, using margarine instead of animal butter is a right decision in the direction of changing bad food habits and replacing it with nutritious substances. Therefore, those who have special diets or are prohibited from consuming saturated fat for medical reasons, can enjoy using margarine in their daily consumption without any problems. Because margarine, as mentioned before, also has a pleasant taste.

Should we use margarine or not?

Consume moderately and reasonably Margarine Considering all its properties, it is not only not bad, but highly recommended. Margarine can be a good substitute for animal butters, which are very high in saturated fat and are harmful to people’s health, especially in old age. Therefore, with a proper research on the types of margarine, finding a suitable type of margarine with low fat and using it correctly and in moderation, this useful food item can be replaced by animal butter and used in cooking. Margarine does not contain harmful trans fats, so its consumption does not endanger your health.