WEDNESDAY, Dec. 15, 2021 (HealthDay Information) — Margarine has gotten a foul rap for years, however a U.S. ban on partially hydrogenated oils could have made it a more healthy selection than butter, a brand new examine suggests.
Earlier than the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration banned such oils in 2018, margarine contained these oils, that are heavy in trans fat and lift unhealthy (“LDL“) levels of cholesterol whereas reducing good (“HDL”) levels of cholesterol. Consuming trans fat additionally will increase the danger of coronary heart illness, stroke and sort 2 diabetes.
“Margarines are a greater choice than butter for coronary heart well being, with tub and squeeze margarines being the very best choices,” stated lead researcher Cecily Weber, a dietetic intern on the College of Minnesota College of Public Well being, in Minneapolis.
The examine crew “additionally discovered that margarine and butter mix merchandise comprise much less saturated fats and extra unsaturated fats than common butter,” she added.
“It is a public well being success story. It’s now simpler for [U.S.] customers to make heart-healthy decisions 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 stated.
For the examine, 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 in america, 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 selection 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 stated. “Nonetheless, for coronary heart well being, present dietary suggestions are to restrict saturated fats consumption.”
Weber added that though margarines bought in america are more healthy than they was, they need to nonetheless be eaten moderately.
“Whereas margarines are a greater choice 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 measurement,” she defined.
The report was printed on-line just lately within the journal Public Well being Diet.
Samantha Heller, a senior medical nutritionist at NYU Langone Well being in New York Metropolis, cautioned that as a substitute of margarine or butter, the actually more healthy choice is to make use of vegetable oils.
“Whether or not the unfold comes from cows or chemists, it’s the content material of saturated fats that makes the distinction,” she stated. “It’s the saturated fats, these fat which are stable at room temperature, similar to butter, lard, bacon and rooster fats, and from the plant world, palm and coconut oil, that we wish to restrict.”
These fat improve the danger for irritation, and cardiovascular and different power illnesses, Heller stated.
“Strive utilizing extra oils which are liquid at room temperature, similar to additional virgin olive oil, canola, avocado, walnut, sesame or sunflower oils in spreads, sauces and cooking,” she advised.
“Oils will be flavored with vinegars, spices, herbs and add-ins like sun-dried tomatoes,” Heller stated. “Use nut and seed butters as a substitute of butter on toast, and olive oil on potatoes and greens. For recipes that want stable fat, for instance in baking, then a plant-based unfold or butter is ok to make use of.”