Shortening is a solid fat used extensively in baking to achieve a distinct texture in products like pie crusts, cookies, and biscuits. This fat is prized for its ability to “shorten” gluten strands, which results in a tender, crumbly, and flaky final product instead of a chewy one. It is also valued because it is 100% fat and contains no water, unlike butter, allowing baked goods to remain sturdy and less prone to spoilage.
The History of Shortening and Trans Fats
The modern history of shortening began in the early 1900s with the invention of hydrogenation, a chemical process that solidified liquid vegetable oils. The first all-vegetable shortening, Crisco, was introduced in 1911 as a cheaper, shelf-stable alternative to traditional fats like lard and butter. This new product was made using partial hydrogenation, where hydrogen gas is bubbled through heated vegetable oil.
This process created trans fatty acids, or trans fats, which were linked to heart disease by research in the 1990s. Unlike saturated fat, trans fat raised low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol while also lowering high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Due to overwhelming evidence of harm, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) took action to remove partially hydrogenated oils from the food supply, forcing manufacturers to reformulate their products.
Current Composition: High Saturated and Interesterified Fats
Since the removal of trans fats, the primary health concern surrounding shortening has shifted to its high content of saturated fats. To achieve the required solid texture, manufacturers now rely on full hydrogenation and interesterification. Full hydrogenation converts all double bonds in the fat molecules, resulting in a completely saturated fat with no trans fats.
However, fully hydrogenated oil is often too hard for baking, so it is blended with liquid oil using interesterification. This process chemically rearranges the fatty acids on the fat molecule, changing physical properties like the melting point without altering the total saturated fat content. Modern shortenings are typically blends of oils, such as soybean and palm oil, that have been interesterified to produce a soft, solid fat high in saturated fatty acids. A single tablespoon of all-vegetable shortening contains about 3.5 grams of saturated fat, which is a significant contribution to the daily recommended limit.
Physiological Impact on Cardiovascular Health
The high concentration of saturated fat in modern shortening poses a direct risk to cardiovascular health. When consumed, saturated fats cause the liver to increase the production of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, often called “bad” cholesterol. Elevated LDL levels are a major factor in the development of atherosclerosis, the hardening and narrowing of the arteries.
Over time, this plaque accumulation restricts blood flow, significantly increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Major health organizations recommend limiting saturated fat intake to less than 10% of daily calories to manage cholesterol levels. Replacing foods high in saturated fat with unsaturated fats, such as polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats, is a recognized strategy for lowering LDL cholesterol and reducing heart disease risk.
Healthier Substitutes for Baking and Cooking
For those who want to avoid the high saturated fat content of vegetable shortening, several alternatives can be used effectively in baking and cooking.
- Butter is a common substitute that provides a rich flavor, though its higher water content and lower melting point can result in a less flaky texture. Bakers often compensate by adding an extra tablespoon of butter for every cup of shortening to account for the water content.
- Coconut oil is another plant-based alternative that is solid at room temperature, helping it mimic the texture of shortening in cookies and cakes. Because coconut oil is almost 100% fat, it can often be substituted in a one-to-one ratio, though refined varieties should be chosen to avoid a strong coconut flavor.
- For recipes where the fat is simply melted for moisture, such as muffins or quick breads, liquid vegetable oils like canola or olive oil can be used, though this will result in a denser texture.
- In recipes like brownies, fruit purees like applesauce can replace some or all of the shortening to add moisture and reduce fat. Using a puree requires reducing the other liquids in the recipe to prevent a dense or gummy final product.