Clearing Up Another Myth About Margarine

I feel like every few months or so I should address a myth surrounding margarine in order to clear up some misinformation circulating the Internet. I’ve found that the Internet is often breeding grounds for people to become experts on a topic without the appropriate education and background to actually be an expert on that topic.

Today’s Myth: Margarine is one molecule away from plastic.

Fact: Okay, if this myth was true there’s no way I would ever get near a tub of margarine! However, this myth is completely false and inaccurate. Plastic is a polymer, whose ingredients may include polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, acrylic, silicone, and urethane. Margarine is an emulsion of naturally processed vegetable oil, water, salt, vitamins, and other functional ingredients that ensure the safety and quality of the finished product. Emulsions consist of two or more ingredients that naturally do not remain blended or “in suspension”; and need added ingredients to keep them together; think of it like oil and water. Other types of emulsified foods that you may eat include deli meats and salad dressings.

Living a healthy lifestyle includes eating moderate amounts of various types of foods. The margarine industry has been in the forefront of reducing the amounts of trans fat, and adding more functional ingredients to its products to support health.