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[EarthNSky <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>]

(I started this post as a draft earlier this evening-kind of irrelevant
now, but I'm posting it anyway since I spent some time comparing the
products.)

A saturated fat molecule is a hydrogenated fat molecule.  It is the
same.  Unsaturated means there is a double or triple bond somewhere,
polyunsaturated means several double bonds in the molecule.  As the
bonds break, the molecule is hydrogenated and it is saturated when there
are no double or triple bonds left to break.  So, granted, Spectrum has
0 trans fat vs. Crisco's 1.5 g, BUT, Crisco only has 3 g of saturated
fat compared to 6 g of saturated fat in the Spectrum.  Spectrum's Palm
oil is a saturated fat.

Spectrum has 3 grams more saturated fat

Crisco has 1.5 grams more trans fat (Wikipedia has a decent little
article to explain what trans means in case you have forgotten your
chemistry<g>) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geometric_isomerism

Both products have 7 grams of 'good' fat

Crisco has 11.5 g total vs. Spectrum's 13 g total

Cathy, I was ROTFLMAO on your toxic comment...

I had some chemistry related questions about palm oil, which I answered
for myself with a little research, but I thought some of you might be
interested in the following:

Oils are by definition, liquid, and to make them solid, i.e. to make
them into fats, you hydrogenate them, and in that process, you create
trans fats...that's why processed foods like margarine and the Crisco
shortening above have trans fats-now that lard is hydrogenated to keep
it solid at room temp, it has trans fats, too, but once upon a time it
was 'only' saturated fat.
Palm oil is unique.  In the heat of the tropics, where it is produced,
it is liquid.  Once it is transported to cooler latitudes, it cools and
then becomes solid and is then called palm fat.  Basically, at just the
right temperature, it is both part oil and part fat, part solid and part
liquid.  You can separate out the solid and that becomes your
'shortening', and of course, it is still palm oil, so it can be labeled
as such.  It doesn't need to be hydrogenated, therefore it doesn't have
the trans fats that other processed fats have.

So, I guess in light of all of this, the Spectrum shortening comes in
equal to Crisco in the fat department, but when you consider all the
factors, like GMO foods, and organic quality ingredients, the Spectrum
shortening made from palm oil wins hands down.

I'm glad so many of you recommend this company.  As soon as I can, I
plan to order some of their 'butter' spreads.  I don't use shortening
often enough to justify the expense-if I could find it in a store it
might be different though.

Bev



Lynda wrote:
> Trans fat and hydrogenated are the answer.  They're the bad guys, or 
> so "they" say.  I don't like the idea of playing games with stuff and
>  it's why I won't buy lard anymore either since it is now 
> hydrogenated.  I also don't like soybeans and cottonseed (high in 
> pesticides, GMOs, etc.).  So, for most things I simply use butter. 
> Once in a blue I'll get an urge to make something with shortning and 
> that's when I buy the Spectrum.
>
> Lynda Members of Congress should be compelled to wear uniforms like 
> NASCAR drivers so we can identify their corporate sponsors. ----- 
> Original Message ----- From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
>
> > The concern here is heart healthiness... I like comparing products.
> >  I compared my mayo to theirs,,,,mine actually came up better, and 
> > Lynda, I am a dyed in the wool Dukes (Sauers) mayo person. MMMMM...
> >
> >
> > The shortening...
> >
> > I'm comparing it to Butter flavored Crisco from my kitchen...
> >
> > Crisco label
> >
> > Cal 110  Fat Cal 110 Total fat 12g Sat fat 3g Trans Fat 1.5g 
> > Polyunsat fat 3g Monounsat fat 4g Vit A 4% from addition of Beta 
> > Carotene in butter flavored Vit E 15%
> >
> > Partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil
> >
> > Manufactured by JM Smucker Co.
> >
> > Smuckers also apparently has a Smucker's Baking Healthy product 
> > that is part oil and part shortening, but I haven't found the info 
> > on that yet...should be an interesting comparison. 
> > -------------------------------------------------------- Spectrum 
> > Nutritional Info
> >
> > Cal 110   Fat cal 110 Fat 13 Sat 6 Trans Fat 0g Poly 2g Mono 5g 
> > Chol
> >
> > No Beta carotene therefore no Vit A or Vit E??? Palm oil is usually
> >  red because of beta carotene, and contains tocotrienal, so I do
> > not understand why this product would not contain Vit A or Vit E?
> > Why would they remove those chemicals?
> >
> > Organic palm oil
> >
> > manufactured Spectrum Organics $7 for 24 oz
>
> > A couple of years ago there was something about palm oil 
> > plantations and rainforest destruction...can't remember the 
> > details, but I recall that the loss of rainforests was blamed on 
> > the US love of fried foods.
> >
> > I don't know what I am missing, but this shortening doesn't seem 
> > healthier to me.
>
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--
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public
debt  should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered
and controlled, and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed
lest Rome become bankrupt.  People must again learn to work, instead of
living on public assistance."

--Cicero, 55 BC
http://erthnsky.blogspot.com/