| Researching this article has definitely been eye | | | | livestock. We use soybean oil for cooking too. What |
| opening! In trying to find the pros and cons of soy | | | | I did not realize was that after WWI Henry Ford was |
| candles over paraffin candles, I discovered more that | | | | a leader in soybean research. He had chemists come |
| I did not know, especially about paraffin! | | | | up with a way to produce artificial silk from soy and |
| To begin with, paraffin comes in 3 states, solid, liquid | | | | even had a suit made from it! Also he used soybean |
| and gas. The simplest paraffin molecule is that of | | | | oil for painting his automobiles. This research led to |
| methane, CH4, a gas at room temperature. Heavier | | | | the development of soy milk, ice cream and |
| paraffin molecules such as octanes (or kerosene) are | | | | non-dairy whipped topping. |
| liquids. Another one of its liquid forms is known as | | | | So there we have a brief history of paraffin and soy; |
| mineral oil, which as everyone knows is used for | | | | but what about the advantages and disadvantages |
| treating constipation. And the way we all know | | | | of each when it comes to a candle? The only |
| paraffin best is in the solid form, wax. | | | | advantage that I could find for using paraffin was |
| There are many uses for paraffin-in crayons, as a | | | | that the manufacturer could tailor his use of |
| food additive (in candy, cheese coatings, etc.), jet | | | | fragrance additives to make his own unique blend. |
| fuel, forensics, coating surfboards, skis and | | | | Paraffin, being a petroleum product, has soot as a |
| snowboards, and as a propellant for bullets through | | | | by-product of burning, which can blacken walls and |
| the chamber. I found many more uses for paraffin | | | | place carcinogens into the air you breathe. Soy burns |
| but I will not list them here. | | | | clean and is nontoxic. Soy candles last longer because |
| Paraffin is not changed by adding most other | | | | of their lower melting point, thereby enabling the |
| chemicals to it, but it does burn readily. Because of | | | | candle to burn longer, as much as three times longer! |
| the relatively low melting point of paraffin, stearic | | | | So you get more for your money! Soybean oil is |
| acid was added to elevate the melting point; this | | | | biodegradable and cleans up easily with a little soap |
| enabled the manufacture of free standing candles | | | | and water; have you ever tried getting a paraffin |
| such as tapers and pillars. The lower melting paraffin | | | | wax stain out of something? It is not easy, if even |
| (without stearic acid) is used more in container | | | | possible. Lastly, soy is a renewable resource and |
| candles. This allows candle makers and manufacturers | | | | growing soybeans benefits our farmers. The only |
| to tailor their own blends using their own blend of | | | | people that benefit from using paraffin are the oil |
| wax additives. This in turn lets the candlemaker have | | | | companies and they already have enough of our |
| more freedom from batch to batch. | | | | money! |
| Soy has a very unique background also. The first | | | | I have come to the conclusion that the way to go is |
| thing I think about when I hear the word soy is the | | | | soy; therefore I offer only soy candles on my site, |
| bean. It has been shown to have many healthful | | | | Peaceful Being. Feel free to check them out-loads of |
| benefits and is good to eat. Soy is also used as a | | | | styles and fragrances from which to choose! |
| base for some infant formulas, and as feed for | | | | |