N189
THE BEST MARGARINE IS NO MARGARINE
Fats that are solid at room temperature are either saturated or partially hydrogenated. You should avoid both.
Butter is high in saturated fats, which you should avoid unless you are a competitive athlete or an active child burning huge amounts of calories. Many people believe that because margarines are made with vegetable oils they are more healthy than butter, but they're not. The vegetable oils are hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated to make them solid or creamy at room temperature.
Virtually every brand of margarine on the market contains partially hydrogenated oils, the major source of the bad trans fats in North American diets. If the margarine is creamy or liquid, it contains less partially-hydrogenated oils than the stick or more solid margarines, but partially hydrogenated oils are still high on the list of ingredients.
Even the new cholesterol-lowering margarines (Benecol and Take Control) are made with partially hydrogenated oils. I am most offended by products such as Smart Beat, which broadcast on the label that they are Trans Fat Free, yet partially hydrogenated oil is the third ingredient. Remember, the manufacturer can claim zero grams for any amount less than .5 grams per serving. If the serving size is 1 teaspoon or 1 tablespoon, you can accumulate a lot of partially hydrogenated fats by the time you finish the whole container.
If you're trying to lose weight, lower cholesterol or control diabetes, the best products for a hint of butter taste are the spray oils or the butter buds, with 5-10 calories per serving.
If you can afford the calories and want to use added fats, try the Continental habit of drizzling a little olive oil on bread or other foods.
For more information on Partially Hydrogenated Oils, see report #N185; on Benecol and Take Control, #8137.
Checked 5/3/07