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February 13, 2005
Come forth into the light of things; let
nature be your teacher. - Wordsworth.
The hydrogenation plants of our modern food
industry may turn out to have contributed to the causation of
a major disease.
- Leading article Lancet 1956 Vol 2 page 557
Our way of life should not be so much our way of death.
- Edward Faukner
A fat is distinguished from oil by its physical consistency.
At room temperature, if solid, it is considered a fat; if
liquid, an oil. In the natural state, however, either fat or
oil can gradually revert to liquid or solid by having the
temperature raised or lowered. The characteristic solidity or
liquidity depends, generally, on the degree of saturation of
the fatty acids. The more solid they are, the higher the
saturation; the fluid oils are nearly all unsaturated to some
degree.
In general, vegetable and fish oils are highly unsaturated;
animal fats are highly saturated. There are exceptions. For
example coconut oil, a vegetable fat is highly saturated. The
unsaturates contain highly desirable “ essential fatty acids “
(EFA) vital for bodily function and good health. (These fatty
acids are linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic)
A French chemist, Paul Sabatier, Dean of the faculty of
science at the University of Toulouse, was noted for his
tremendous work and research in catalysis. In 1912, along with
Victor Grignard, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
for his method of hydrogenating organic compounds in the
presence of finely divided metals.
The process originally had been intended for use in soap
manufacture. By saturation, liquid oils are converted into
plastic solid fats. American chemists adapted the process for
food fats.
How is the liquid oil or soft fat hardened? It is exposed to
high temperature and placed under pressure. Hydrogen is then
bubbled through the oil in the presence of nickel, platinum or
some other catalyst. The Hydrogen atoms combine with the
carbon atoms, and the product becomes saturated or hardened.
The new compound bears no relationship to the original oil. It
is dark, malodorous grease. It is then bleached with corrosive
chemicals to finish the change from an organic to an inorganic
substance; from a live to a dead concoction. Technologists’
skills are used to bleach, filter and deodorize it into a pure
white, odourless, tasteless, highly artificial fat. It may be
processed further for making shortening, lard or margarine.
The heating of the oil ruins its original character, with
destruction of all vitamins and mineral factors as well as an
alteration of proteins. The essential fatty acids (EFA) are
destroyed, or changed into abnormal toxic fatty acids
antagonistic to EFA. The synthetic fat forms new molecular
structures unacceptable to the human physiology. Dr. Hugh
Sinclair at the laboratory of Human Nutrition, Oxford
University, has found that lack of EFA
“ Is a contributory cause in neurological diseases, heart
diseases, arteriosclerosis, skin disease, various degenerative
conditions such as cataract and arthritis and cancer.
- Drug Trade News July 1 1957
Doctors - good, respectable, intelligent, capable medical men
and men of unimpeachable integrity – recommend and advise that
their patients who are in danger of or have had heart
troubles, give up the use of Butter and instead use margarine.
May God in his mercy have pity on the medical men who are
giving this advice to their patients - and even more so on
their patients.
- John H. Tobe “Margarine (The Plastic Fat and
your Heart Attack 1962)"
When I first discovered that Nickel was used in practically
all processes of hydrogenation, I wondered. Then upon further
study, I found that only finely pulverised nickel was used …
Then I found it clearly admitted in a book entitled “
Industrial Chemistry” that all of the nickel can never be
filtered out no matter how hard they try. A quote from this
book: “ The commercial procedure is to suspend finely divided
nickel in the oil heated to 250 degrees to 300 degrees F. (121
to 149 degrees C) and blow in Hydrogen gas… The nickel is used
in amounts of 0.5 to 1 percent of the weight of the oil.”
It is bad enough that with every mouthful of hydrogenated fat
you also get a quantity of nickel, but I checked deeper and to
my utter amazement I found that the products used by the
industry at large was a substance called raney nickel. Very
few people know, but the Merck’s Index reveals that “ Raney
Nickel catalyst is prepared by fusing 50 parts of nickel with
50 parts of Aluminium, for use as catalyst for the
hydrogenation of organic compounds with the gaseous hydrogen.
Usually from 1 to 10% of the substance to be reduced is
employed.”
In “Industrial Chemistry” They state that 0.5 to 1 % catalyst
is used. Merck’s Index reads that from 1-10 % is used.
- John H. Tobe
There is no assurance that nickel, if used, as the catalyst
leaves no residue in the product. This element, even in minute
quantities in the diet, is suspected of being a carcinogen. In
addition, the role of “ abnormal “ metals such as nickel has
been studied in relation to arteriosclerosis. One metal can
replace another and inactive it in a biologic system, so that
there is a possibility that the nickel competes with an
essential metal of the enzyme system of the body and produces
a Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) deficiency. This Vitamin plays an
important role in converting saturates to unsaturated in the
body.
- Henry A Schroeder M.D. (Journal of Chronic Diseases
July 1955)
Margarine, in addition to its hydrogenation, has other
objectionable features that make it an artificial product. It
is a water and oil emulsion, with chemicals added to maintain
its stability and give it other properties. An artificial
butterlike flavour and odour are achieved with dactyl. To
insure enjoyment of these qualities, isopropyl or sterol
citrates are added. These additives are euphemistically
labelled “ flavour protectors “. Additional attempts to
achieve butter like qualities are made with artificial colour,
lecithin to imitate the frying behaviour of butter and
synthetic Vitamins to enrich the product.” Sodium benzoate,
benzoic acid or citric acid may be added as preservatives. The
benzoates are known poisons, with severe reactions in
sensitive individuals, resulting occasionally in death. In
addition to these items, emulsifiers (monoglycerides,
triglycerides and others) may be present.
By 1958, in the U.S. margarine outsold butters by more that
100 million pounds yearly. But the real bonanza came when the
industry began to exploit the public interest in
polyunsaturated. The campaign was labelled as” one of the the
most unprincipled food promotions… in the past quarter of a
century”, with TV commercials “ noisy, ubiquitous and
shameless.”
Sir John Mc Michael, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the
University of London says (Quote from the Star July 27 1977) “
many doctors have allowed themselves to be brainwashed by
propaganda into a widespread acceptance of a dietary fashion
for polyunsaturated fats which could only be transient.
Sir John accused Professor A.G. Shaper of ignoring modern
scientific appraisal and trials. Evidence quoted by Sir John:
A British trial on 600 patients, at risk of
coronary heart disease, on low fat and polyunsaturated diets,
clearly showed no effect on coronaries or death rates.
Cholesterol-lowering drugs were tried out
on more than 8000 patients in the United states with no
benefit
A Mayo clinic study showed the extent and
severity of coronary disease is unrelated to high or low
cholesterol.
Dr. Keith Ball of the Central Middlesex
Hospital in London accused Sir John of ignoring cast changes
in diets over recent years. Consumption of unrefined
carbohydrates had fallen and that of fat increased. More and
more “Junk Food” high in saturated fats and additives, and far
less natural and unprocessed foods had been eaten.
Sir John in reply said Professor Jens Didichen of Oslo
introduced low-fat diets in Norway 25 years ago after which
soy bean oil consumption increased five fold – now confessed
there had been a steady increase of coronary heart disease in
Norway.
He regrets the anxiety created by his advice to the population
but admits: “ It has become increasingly clear that we are on
the wrong track.”
Yet it must be a brave man who disregards the anti-cholesterol
advice of so many eminent authorities. They may just prove to
be right.
-The STAR July 27, 1977
- (Marais Malan Science Editor)
The margarine manufacturers have advertised
their wares as containing unsaturated. Significant quantities
are unlikely, regardless of raw materials used, because of the
hydrogenation of the product. Many claims fail to tell the
whole story, and typify what advertising agencies call
“avoidance of negative appeal.” Slogans have been devised that
“ a little inaccuracy saves a world of explanation” Another
artful device is to label margarine and other factory foods as
“ partially hydrogenated “ or “partially hardened” with the
word ” hydrogenated “ or hardened used interchangeably. A
product is either hydrogenated or not hydrogenated: any degree
of hydrogenation is not in the best health interests.
Advertising copywriters for margarine have shifted from direct
to indirect health claims. References to heart disease or
doctors prescriptions are made less frequently.
Instead these have been superseded by phrases like:
“ High in unsaturates” or “low in saturated fats”.
It is well to remember the observation of Dr. Bicknell in
World War II in Norway, where margarine factories had been
destroyed, arterial diseases decreased. In England, during the
same period, with margarine factories intact, arterial
diseases increased. He commented: “ Our increasing arterial
degeneration is a preventable pandemic disease of modern foods
and especially of modern bread, milk and margarine?
- Franklin Bicknell M.D. (1960)
Despite the shocking implications of hydrogenation, the
process is used almost universally by food processors. Far
worse, it is accepted and fully sanctioned by Government
agencies responsible for the consumer’s welfare. It is
difficult if not virtually impossible, to avoid hydrogenated
fats, commonly used in restaurants, bakeries and hundreds of
consumer food products and packaged dehydrated soups.
Chocolates, sweets, caramels, bread, cakes cookies, biscuits,
puddings, pies, jelly rolls, Danish pastries, pretzels
packaged popcorns, peanut butter, desert toppings, pastry
mixes, cake mixes, sauces, baker’s fillings, Ice cream
coatings, many or most packaged foods especially those with
long shelf lives, processed meats, most packaged fats such as
shortening and especially margarine, raisins, prunes, nuts and
many other foods covered with hydrogenated fats.
These hydrogenated oils are the greatest villains of all
because you find them in the most unsuspected places,
In the light of the present knowledge, official acceptance of
hydrogenation is unpardonable.
- Beatrice Trum Hunter
The death of my people is a silent accusation; it is a crime
conceived by the heads of the unseen serpents… It is a song
less and senseless tragedy….
- Kahlil Gibran (Dead are my People)
It appears to me necessary that every physician to be skilled
in nature and to strive to know, if he would wish to perform
his duties, what a man is in relation to the articles of food
and drink, and to his other occupations, and what are the
effects of each of them to every one..
Whoever does not know what effect these things produce upon
man cannot know the consequences, which result from them.
Who ever pays no attention to these things, or paying
attention does not comprehend them, how can he understand the
diseases, which befall man? For, by every one of these things
a man is affected and changed this way and that. And the whole
of his life is subjected to them, whether in health,
convalescence or disease. Nothing else, then, can be more
important or more necessary to know than these things.
- Hippocrates
We are natural beings and are trying to live in an artificial
world. It cannot be done. There are certain fixed points in
our problem, which limit our action; we may not ignore them or
disaster happens. The effects of action taken in their
defiance, sometimes, in the early stages, supervene so slowly
that the approaching disaster and its cause are not seen or
not accepted.
