What is Margarine?

Margarine is an artificial butter-like spread that has been available to consumers for over a century. Invented in France in the late 1800s, margarine was created to provide an affordable alternative to butter for people on a budget. Until recently, margarine was made from hydrogenated vegetable oils, which makes it semi-solid at room temperature, similar to butter.

The History of Margarine

In 1869, Napoleon III of France offered a prize to anyone who could come up with a cheap, artificial butter alternative. The winning recipe came from Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès, a French chemist. After tasting it in 1871, Napoleon III declared it officially fit for the French table. Later, Mège-Mouriès sold the recipe to the Dutch company, Jurgens. Together, the two started producing margarine and selling it for commercial purposes.

Over the next hundred years, margarine saw considerable growth and popularity. By the mid-1900s, it was being mass-produced from partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. This process was conducted to solidify the product and give it a butter-like texture. The rise in margarine’s popularity in the 20th century, however, created tension with the dairy industry, which lobbied Congress to tax products like margarine or make them illegal altogether.

Today’s Margarine

In recent years, margarine has undergone several changes in light of new scientific research. Due to concerns about trans fats, health-conscious consumers have encouraged manufacturers to reformulate their margarine products. This has led to the creation of margins that are made with healthier, unhydrogenated oils like canola, safflower, olive, and sunflower. This has also led to some different forms of margarine, such as tub margarine, spray margarine, and spread tubs.

Most of today’s margarine products are cholesterol free and are made with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are much healthier than traditional margarine. While these products may still be higher in calories, fat and sodium than food items like butter, they are a much healthier alternative.

Overall, margarine is a convenient, affordable, butter-like spread with a long and interesting history. Today’s versions are much healthier and come in a variety of forms. Whether you use it to bake, spread on toast, or for any other culinary use, margarine is an excellent way to give your food that rich, buttery flavour without all the fuss or cost.