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Which is better: butter or margarine?
STILLWATER, Okla. – Saturated fat and dietary cholesterol have been listed on food labels for 14 years. It was not until 2006 that the Food and Drug Administration required that trans fat also be listed on food labels.
It wasn’t until last year that consumers truly knew how much of all three – saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol – were actually in the foods they consumed, said Janice Hermann, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service nutrition education specialist.
“When the FDA required food labels contain the amount of trans fat in a food, it brought up the old question of whether butter is better than margarine,” Hermann said. “Should consumers eat butter in order to avoid trans fats? The answer is no.”
Trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil in a process called hydrogenation. Not all of the saturated fat formed during the process takes the trans fat form. There is also a small amount found naturally in foods.
Hermann said trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils.
As far as butter and margarine are concerned, the combined amount of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol found in butter is generally higher than in margarine, even though some margarines contain more trans fat than butter. And now there are many soft margarines available that contain no trans fat.
“Research and scientific evidence show that consumption of saturated fat, trans fat and dietary cholesterol raising low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as the ‘bad’ cholesterol,” she said. “High levels of LDL increase the risk of coronary heart disease.”
On average, the daily intake of trans fat among the population of the United States is about 5.8 grams, or 2.6 percent of calories per day for individuals 20 years of age and older. Americans consume approximately four to five times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diet.
“It’s a better, healthier choice to eat softer or liquid margarines that contain a lower combined amount of saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol,” Hermann said. “For a healthful alternative, nonstick cooking spray can be substituted for other fats. These sprays come in a variety of flavors including butter and olive oil.”
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Oklahoma
State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and
Local Governments Cooperating: The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national
origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an
equal opportunity employer.
Trisha Gedon
Communications
Specialist
Agricultural
Communications Services
136 Agriculture
North
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK
74078
405-744-3625
(phone)
405-744-5739
(fax)
trisha.gedon@okstate.edu
