From: alexm@nmr-z.mgh.harvard.edu (Alex Milshteyn)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: Re: Hydrodgenizing ~100 lines (was Re: butter vs. margarine)
Date: 14 Aug 92 13:41:32 GMT
Organization: Mass General Hospital CIPR

In article <1233@tecsun1.etl.army.mil> anneb@tecsun1.etl.army.mil (Anne Brink) writes:
>zeke@reed.edu (Zeke Koch) writes:
>
>>People claim that margarine is potentially dangerous b/c of the 
>>artificial hydrogenization (sp?) process.
>
>Sorry for coming in in the middle of this, but I'm curious.  How can you
>artificially hydrodgenize margarine (or anything), and how is this dangerous?

HI:

I do not know, whether margarine fats are being hydrogenized, but here is the
general problem with hydrogenization of unsaturated fats.

there are two basic categories of fats in this respect: saturated and unsaturated, the latter subdivided into poly- and mono-unsaturated.  Saturation with 
respect to a fatty acid molecule means, if it has double bonds between carbon
atoms or not.  The double bond is unsaturated with hydrogen atoms, the single
one is saturated.
Example:

	 H H H H H    
1. H-C-C-C-C-C-R    - completely saturated molecule, where 
	 H H H H H        R stands for anything with f.a. functional group
					  (no double bonds)

     H     H H
2.   C=C=C=C-C-R    - poliunsaturated fatty acids (FA)
	 H       H        not all carbon atoms have all bonds saturated with
                      hydrogen (multiple duuble bonds)
     H   H   H        
   H-C=C-C=C-C-R
       H   H H


3.   H   H H H
   H-C=C-C-C-C-R    - monounsaturated fatty acid (single double bond)
	   H H H H

To make the long story short, the more unsaturated the  FA is, the more
liquid its consistensy, almost regardless the length of the carbon chain.
Polyunsatur. FA ar all or most (at least, all that I know of) liquid.
Saturated FA are solid.  The trick the food industry plays is - they saturate
fatty acids (oils) to make them harder.  Degree of saturation may be different
for different purposes.  

Unsaturated FA are (painted in a very broad brush) good for humans - they
metabolize eliminating some saturated FA, some cholesterol, etc.  Saturated
are not as good - they may metabolise into cholesterol to get deposited
in one's blood vessels.

Cholesterol is very important in normal functioning of our bodies, especially
in fast growing kids.  the insulation sheath of our major nerve trunks
has a lot of cholesterol as it's component.  IMHO, kids should have 2-3
eggs and 1-2 oz of butter a week.

It is very important to remember, though, that levels of cholesterol in 
blood (and hence Cradiovascular diseases) do not depend on cholesterol
intake alone, and not even on saturated FA intake alone. heredity, life style,
many other factors contribute to the outcome.  Recall the french
cuisine - goose and booze - and their life span is no shorter than ours.

**DISCLAIMER: No offense intended to franch cuisine, lifestyle or nation in
**            general.  I have a profound respect to this people's history,
**            country, cousine (some slobbering), politics, etc


But generally speaking, their food is more natural and better quality
then ours in the USA (** NO FLAMES, MHO only, go and try, what people
buy in supermarkets in W. Europe - then flame).  Natural food does not
have as much saturated fats as humans create.

Again, to make it shorter:
Margarin is not dangerous in terms it does not kill.
It is bad though for it consisits of saturated fats (hence the hard consistency
of potentially good corn oil), which very "well" make up for the absence
of cholesterol (see above).  Saturated fatty acids may be metabolized into
cholesterol in YOUR blood vessels.

My family (of 3) consumes about 0.5 lb of butter per month.  We do not
use margarine except for baking (once in a very long while).  We do watch,
though when we buy food that it does not have "partially saturated"
stuff.  I think, it is fare to assume that we intake less cholesterol
and saturated FA's than a person that cooks something from supermarket-
made ground meat twice a month, but - talk to my coroner *8-)

BTW, has anyone tried to compare taste of butter and margarine?

++ANOTHER DISCLAIMER++  All opinions above are my own, not a medical
						advice, and are not intended to be a medical 
						advice.  I do not share my opinions, butter
						and toast with anyone, but my family

Alex M. Milshteyn