Margarine: even your worst enemy doesn't deserve it

Today's topic is inspired by my grandmother who accepted to get rid of her margarine and start eating raw butter again, exactly as she used to do more than 70 years ago.

What is Margarine?

The way margarine is produced shows how many unnatural and harmful chemicals are used in this cheap butter-imitation spread.

First, a blend of vegetable oils and fats get emulsified, and modified by fractionation, and more often by hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is the result of passing hydrogen through liquid oils and fats in order to increase their melting point and "harden" them. Hydrogenation is often obtained with a very toxic nickel catalyst.

This "hardening" of vegetable oils leaves some artificially obtained trans-fats, and these are the villains that significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

To boost the "health" profile of their margarine, manufacturers often add a wide variety of animal or vegetable fats, mixing them with skimmed milk (which is dead food), emulsifiers (like soy lecithin), or preservatives.

Margarine became famous following misleading studies that demonized butter because of its saturated fats content. Today we know how good natural saturated fats are.

The Wide List of Toxic Chemicals in Margarine

Trans fats - Because of how it is processed, margarine contains a lot of unnatural harmful trans fats. These have a direct impact on: heart disease, cancer, hormonal imbalances, skin disease, bone problems, infertility, growth and development problems for children, and low birth weight.

In nature, there are some natural trans fats occurring in butter or other animal fats. But MAN-MADE trans fats, like in margarine, are TOXIC and UNSAFE at any level.

Solvents - Solvents like hexane are used in margarine fabrication and are very detrimental and toxic to human health.

Synthetic vitamins - Manufacturers often add synthetic Vitamin A to their margarine. But these synthetic vitamins have actually the opposite effect and are quite detrimental compared to the natural vitamin A that natural butter contains.

Emulsifiers and preservatives - To stabilize the mixture, manufacturers add emulsifiers and preservatives like BHT. These are proven carcinogenic chemicals.

Bleach - Yes, bleach. The natural color of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils is grey. So manufacturers bleach it to make it white, then add artificial yellow colorings to make it look like butter. I wouldn't even call it food.

Artificial flavors - Because the result of this whole process cannot be tasty, manufacturers add chemicals to make it taste like good food. Artificial flavors and even artificial odors are added to obtain a fake butter-taste substance.

Soy protein isolate - Non-fermented soy is very harmful. But manufacturers add this highly processed soy powder to improve the texture. Soy protein isolates disrupt your thyroid function and provoke digestive disorders.

Choose Real Butter Instead

Natural raw butter from healthy grass-fed cows is an incredible health food, rich in many essential nutrients:

Vitamins - Natural butter is incredibly rich in bioavailable vitamins A, D, E and K2 - essential vitamins not easy to find in today's average Western diet. The antioxidant effect is highly important to fight off free radicals.

Minerals - Butter is a rich source of trace elements like Manganese, Chromium, Zinc, Copper, Selenium and Iodine. All crucial to your health and often lacking in our food.

Healthy fats - Butter is rich in Short and Medium-chain Fatty Acids that are extremely beneficial at a cellular level. They are key components for your immune system, they boost your metabolism and they have antimicrobial properties.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) - In butter obtained from grass-fed cows, there is a high level of CLA, which is an excellent protection against cancer. It also helps your body's metabolism by boosting muscle building rather than fat storage.

Cholesterol - Butter is rich in good essential cholesterol that is needed by EVERY SINGLE CELL of your body. Please don't be afraid of it - cholesterol is essential, not the villain it has been made out to be.

Wulzen Factor - This is a hormone-like substance in raw butter that helps fight arthritis and joint stiffness. It is destroyed by pasteurization, which is one more reason to choose raw butter when possible.

Conclusion

Throw away the margarine. Go buy some real butter - organic, grass-fed, raw if possible. Your body will thank you for it.

Nature always knows best. Real, whole, unprocessed food is always the winner.

In Health and Happiness,

Stephanie