One consideration is that shortening is made of hydrogenated vegetable oils. This process makes almost exclusively trans fats which we do not digest well nor do they breakdown in the environment well. Trans fats have been shown to participate in dyslipidemia. Butter, by the American Heart Association's own definition, is a low cholesterol food and it can be a healthy choice for most of us. I have not cooked with Crisco for years because of the trans fats.

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