(S.D. Wells) Around the turn of the 20th century, Americans began switching from consuming animal fats to using processed vegetable oils, thanks to the machinery of the industrial revolution. Cottonseed oil was used to run agricultural machines before fossil fuels were discovered. Around that time, Procter and Gamble (P&G) figured out the hydrogenation process, a way to use the cotton seeds for food. Cottonseed oil also became a key ingredient for P&G’s formula for their soap industry, because it was cheaper than coconut oil and palm oil. The coagulated oil looked just like lard, so P&G marketed it as “Crisco.” It was said to be “digestible.” Who knew? Free cookbooks using Crisco as the base oil were handed out across the nation, and moms everywhere took the bait – hook, line and sinker.