Margarine May Now Be Healthier Than Butter

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Margarine has gotten a foul rap for years, however a U.S. ban on partially hydrogenated oils could have made it a more healthy alternative than butter, a brand new research suggests.

Before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned such oils in 2018, margarine contained these oils, that are heavy in trans fat and lift dangerous (“LDL”) levels of cholesterol whereas decreasing good (“HDL”) levels of cholesterol. Eating trans fat additionally will increase the chance of coronary heart illness, stroke and kind 2 diabetes.

“Margarines are a greater possibility than butter for coronary heart well being, with tub and squeeze margarines being one of the best choices,” mentioned lead researcher Cecily Weber, a dietetic intern on the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, in Minneapolis.

The research crew “additionally discovered that margarine and butter mix merchandise comprise much less saturated fats and extra unsaturated fats than common butter,” she added.

“This is a public well being success story. It is now simpler for [U.S.] shoppers to make heart-healthy selections as a result of they not want to fret about checking the labels of merchandise to search for partially hydrogenated oils for trans fats, they will simply know the merchandise do not comprise them,” Weber mentioned.

For the research, which had no funding from margarine makers, Weber and her colleagues examined the fatty acid content material of 83 margarine and margarine-like and butter blends bought within the United States, evaluating them with butter.

The investigators discovered that after the ban, margarine and butter mix merchandise had considerably much less saturated fats and ldl cholesterol, in contrast with butter. These merchandise additionally had no man-made trans fats.

The softer tub and squeeze tube margarines contained much less saturated fats than stick margarines, which makes them the more healthy alternative amongst margarines, Weber famous.

“Stick margarines comprise extra saturated fats than tub or squeeze margarines, which permits them to be extra agency at room temperature,” she mentioned. “However, for coronary heart well being, present dietary suggestions are to restrict saturated fats consumption.”

Weber added that though margarines bought within the United States are more healthy than they was once, they need to nonetheless be eaten moderately.

“While margarines are a greater possibility than butter for coronary heart well being, they need to nonetheless be eaten sparingly, as they do nonetheless comprise some saturated fats and have a excessive vitality density; that’s, they comprise a excessive quantity of energy per serving dimension,” she defined.

The report was printed on-line not too long ago within the journal Public Health Nutrition.

Samantha Heller, a senior scientific nutritionist at NYU Langone Health in New York City, cautioned that as a substitute of margarine or butter, the actually more healthy possibility is to make use of vegetable oils.

“Whether the unfold comes from cows or chemists, it’s the content material of saturated fats that makes the distinction,” she mentioned. “It is the saturated fats, these fat which might be strong at room temperature, reminiscent of butter, lard, bacon and rooster fats, and from the plant world, palm and coconut oil, that we wish to restrict.”

These fat enhance the chance for irritation, and cardiovascular and different persistent illnesses, Heller mentioned.

“Try utilizing extra oils which might be liquid at room temperature, reminiscent of further virgin olive oil, canola, avocado, walnut, sesame or sunflower oils in spreads, sauces and cooking,” she prompt.

“Oils will be flavored with vinegars, spices, herbs and add-ins like sun-dried tomatoes,” Heller mentioned. “Use nut and seed butters as a substitute of butter on toast, and olive oil on potatoes and greens. For recipes that want strong fat, for instance in baking, then a plant-based unfold or butter is okay to make use of.”

More data

For extra on saturated fats, head to the American Heart Association.

SOURCES: Cecily Weber, dietetic intern, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis; Samantha Heller, MS, RD, CDN, senior scientific nutritionist, NYU Langone Health, New York City; Public Health Nutrition, Nov. 2, 2021, on-line