One point that I feel is heavily overlooked in the article is how processed margarines are - they are far removed, for example, from the sunflower seeds that sunflower oil is pressed from, so that it is not Omega 6 rich fats that are bad per se but how they are processed and treated before eating is. Most foods consumed in their natural state are not harmful in moderation, a handful of sunflower seeds daily, for example, would provide a snack with useful protein and vitamin B5 helpful for supporting the adrenal glands along with zinc for skin health - as well as some Omega 6 in a natural unprocessed form.
Oils used in margarines are heated to extremely high temperatures which damages their fat profile - twisting the fats from their original profile making them carcinogenic. Water and other substances are added to these creating the spreadable consistency.
Additionally, according to a study at California University trans fatty acids found in margarines can make people more aggressive. Daily Mail report of a study of 945 people by Dr Beatrice Glomb at University of California. The background to the study is as follows: "Dietary trans fatty acids (dTFA) are primarily synthetic compounds that have been introduced only recently; little is known about their behavioral effects. dTFA inhibit production of omega-3 fatty acids, which experimentally have been shown to reduce aggression. Potential behavioral effects of dTFA merit investigation. We sought to determine whether dTFA are associated with aggression/irritability." The study did observe a link, which backs up the findings of Dr Johanna Budwig, a proponent of flax oil from the 1950's. Her research showed even then how damaging margarines were to health but industry advertising and marketing has meant that these products have been used extensively by a population persuaded that they were the healthiest option. This little film discusses some of her work.
