Monday, October 11, 2004
Butter
Butter and margarine.
Whilst they can be used for the same job they are, as far as I'm concerned, two entirely different things.
For no reason other than an appreciation of the better, but simple, things in life, I made it my New Year's Resolution a few years back to only eat butter, not one of the plastic, flavour-free alternative spreadables.
So why is it when you go to a sandwich shop and ask for a scone/sandwich/baked potato with BUTTER, the first thing that happens is it gets smeared with marge or something even further down the (literal) food chain.
So now I have to ask specifically whether they have B-U-T-T-E-R and spell it out so there's no way they can assume that I want whatever carcinogenous crap they have in that horrific catering size tub.
If they're going to assume that they can substitute something I ask for with something I really want to avoid, why don't they automatically spread lard or dripping (I'm no chemist, but my guess is that these are probably closer to butter than margarine or some of the other filthy spreads they default to) or marmite or marmalade or anything but bloody marge.
"It's a low fat option" they may argue, I would argue it's not even a low taste option, my flavour-free description above is, in hindsight, incorrect, it's filth and it tastes like it!! And it's not what I asked for.
If I asked for a scone with marmite do they think I'd be happy if they made me one with jam - although come to think of it the goldfish-like attention span of the staff probably means it's unlikely that they even hear anything after the word scone (especially if you pronounced it the posh way) and so it automtically comes with jam anyway.
That attention span reference may sound harsh but in my local sandwich place it is unusual to order a sandwich type food product without being asked to repeat the order (in part or full) at least twice and commonly three times (and for the sake of brevity I'm even going to miss out the butter thing) eg me "cheese salad baguette with salad cream please" and the order is repeated back to me, the baguette getting sliced is followed by "sorry what was that?" (they are polite - these are not bad people just not used to thinking) I repeat the order, baguette gets filled with salad "was that cheese" "yes please....and salad cream please" "salad cream you should have said I like to put that on first, customer service you see" and on it goes.
Not that I have a problem with the people. There are times (seldom, but times nonetheless) when I would happily be part of that 'salt of the earth', 'happy-go-lucky', 'work-to-live-not-live-to-work', 'down the boozer or working mens club on a Saturday night' demographic. Not that they realise, but it's an easy life - oh they work hard, but when work finishes that's it, the only work they ever take home (in bag or mind) is a few close-to-stale rolls that'll be out of date by Monday. God love 'em, perhaps they've actually got it right.
But some of us simply can't do that, we have to be accountable, we must push the envelope, we have to try and create something for our own, and/or the greater good.
I remember an RE teacher at school asking the question "who is happiest, the person with low intelligence and a low paid job or the really clever person with lots of money and a very important job?". His answer was they both have the same ooprtunity for happiness - despite the kids obviously going for the guy with money over the 'thicko'. As an adult I think he was probably right, whilst some of us dream of soaring on the wings of an eagle (or some such crap) others are genuinely happy with their lot.
Anyway, we've come a long way fom the butter gripe.
I had an email some time ago. I can't remember where from (I'll try and find it and add it to this) which claimed that margarine was a virtually inert product ie. leave some butter in a dish in the garage next to a dish of butter and see how the marge just doesn't change as the butter slowly deteriorates. The reason why this was so unhealthy for people escapes me now but will all come flooding back if I can find that email, watch out for future posts, something to do with even flied not being prepared to eat it I think.
***************************
Anyway, months later I've found the info, so here it is....
Butter
DO YOU KNOW...
The difference between margarine and butter?Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher insaturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eatingthe same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrientsin other foods.Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhancethe flavors of other foods.Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.
And now, for Margarine...
Very high in trans fatty acids...Triple risk of coronary heart disease..Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol)Lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol) ....Increases the risk of cancers by up to five fold...Lowers quality of breast milk ...Decreases immune response...Decreases insulin response.And here is the most disturbing fact....HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC...This fact alonewas enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that ishydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structureof the substance).YOU can try this yourself: Purchase a tub of margarine and leaveit in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you willnote a couple of things: no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies willgo near it (that should tell you something) . it does not rot or smelldifferently..because it has no nutritional value, nothing will grow onit...even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.Why? Because it is nearly plastic.Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?
Whilst they can be used for the same job they are, as far as I'm concerned, two entirely different things.
For no reason other than an appreciation of the better, but simple, things in life, I made it my New Year's Resolution a few years back to only eat butter, not one of the plastic, flavour-free alternative spreadables.
So why is it when you go to a sandwich shop and ask for a scone/sandwich/baked potato with BUTTER, the first thing that happens is it gets smeared with marge or something even further down the (literal) food chain.
So now I have to ask specifically whether they have B-U-T-T-E-R and spell it out so there's no way they can assume that I want whatever carcinogenous crap they have in that horrific catering size tub.
If they're going to assume that they can substitute something I ask for with something I really want to avoid, why don't they automatically spread lard or dripping (I'm no chemist, but my guess is that these are probably closer to butter than margarine or some of the other filthy spreads they default to) or marmite or marmalade or anything but bloody marge.
"It's a low fat option" they may argue, I would argue it's not even a low taste option, my flavour-free description above is, in hindsight, incorrect, it's filth and it tastes like it!! And it's not what I asked for.
If I asked for a scone with marmite do they think I'd be happy if they made me one with jam - although come to think of it the goldfish-like attention span of the staff probably means it's unlikely that they even hear anything after the word scone (especially if you pronounced it the posh way) and so it automtically comes with jam anyway.
That attention span reference may sound harsh but in my local sandwich place it is unusual to order a sandwich type food product without being asked to repeat the order (in part or full) at least twice and commonly three times (and for the sake of brevity I'm even going to miss out the butter thing) eg me "cheese salad baguette with salad cream please" and the order is repeated back to me, the baguette getting sliced is followed by "sorry what was that?" (they are polite - these are not bad people just not used to thinking) I repeat the order, baguette gets filled with salad "was that cheese" "yes please....and salad cream please" "salad cream you should have said I like to put that on first, customer service you see" and on it goes.
Not that I have a problem with the people. There are times (seldom, but times nonetheless) when I would happily be part of that 'salt of the earth', 'happy-go-lucky', 'work-to-live-not-live-to-work', 'down the boozer or working mens club on a Saturday night' demographic. Not that they realise, but it's an easy life - oh they work hard, but when work finishes that's it, the only work they ever take home (in bag or mind) is a few close-to-stale rolls that'll be out of date by Monday. God love 'em, perhaps they've actually got it right.
But some of us simply can't do that, we have to be accountable, we must push the envelope, we have to try and create something for our own, and/or the greater good.
I remember an RE teacher at school asking the question "who is happiest, the person with low intelligence and a low paid job or the really clever person with lots of money and a very important job?". His answer was they both have the same ooprtunity for happiness - despite the kids obviously going for the guy with money over the 'thicko'. As an adult I think he was probably right, whilst some of us dream of soaring on the wings of an eagle (or some such crap) others are genuinely happy with their lot.
Anyway, we've come a long way fom the butter gripe.
I had an email some time ago. I can't remember where from (I'll try and find it and add it to this) which claimed that margarine was a virtually inert product ie. leave some butter in a dish in the garage next to a dish of butter and see how the marge just doesn't change as the butter slowly deteriorates. The reason why this was so unhealthy for people escapes me now but will all come flooding back if I can find that email, watch out for future posts, something to do with even flied not being prepared to eat it I think.
***************************
Anyway, months later I've found the info, so here it is....
Butter
DO YOU KNOW...
The difference between margarine and butter?Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher insaturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eatingthe same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrientsin other foods.Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhancethe flavors of other foods.Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.
And now, for Margarine...
Very high in trans fatty acids...Triple risk of coronary heart disease..Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol)Lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol) ....Increases the risk of cancers by up to five fold...Lowers quality of breast milk ...Decreases immune response...Decreases insulin response.And here is the most disturbing fact....HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC...This fact alonewas enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that ishydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structureof the substance).YOU can try this yourself: Purchase a tub of margarine and leaveit in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you willnote a couple of things: no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies willgo near it (that should tell you something) . it does not rot or smelldifferently..because it has no nutritional value, nothing will grow onit...even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.Why? Because it is nearly plastic.Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?
