Over the last forty years, Americans have been getting bigger. Obesity is now considered a national issue, and several policies have been passed to address a large increase in overweight people. The rest of the world is also affected by this problem, and fingers have pointed at a diet rich in fats and carbohydrates. But what are fats? How do they affect humans?
This short book discusses the role that fat plays in the average human diet. Fats are defined and explained, and their impact on levels of cholesterol are described. The history of fat is then presented. Of particular interest is how the problem of fat being perishable was solved by the creation of margarine, which lasted longer and cost less than butter. This led to several "butter wars" in the 1880s and 1890s, until laws were passed imposing color restrictions to ensure that people would not confuse margarine and butter. The process of hydrogenating oil under intense heat and pressure created Crisco, a cooking fat which doesn't spoil and can be used as an alternative to butter. Crisco and margarine became more popular during the Second World War, when severe shortages of butter led to rationing. The growth of the fast-food industry also provided more demands for fats, increasing their overall presence in our food supply.
Medical concerns related to fats are then reviewed. Though our body absolutely needs fats to survive, too much of them lead to an increase in both the number of fat cells as well as the overall size of the cells. Finally, fat consumption is discussed, including problems with low-fat diets and school cafeteria lunches. Possible solutions to decrease fat consumption are presented. Readers interested in where our food comes from and how we can eat better will appreciate the information in this book.
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