YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health Winter 2019 | Page 19

KAREN INGE, APD
RACHAEL HUA
Karen has over 30 years’ experience and is a true
pioneer in the sports nutrition field. She is also one of
the nutrition experts behind Dineamic, which provides
healthy ready-made meals. Learn more at www.
dineamic.com.au
As a Nutritionist, Rachael is one of the experts
behind Dineamic. She is also responsible for food
safety and content creation. Learn more at 
www.dineamic.com.au
BUTTER OR MARGARINE
WHICH IS BETTER?
From traditional butter to trendy olive oil spreads and ‘functional’ margarines,
we stack them up nutritionally and give our insights into the healthiest choices.
efore tackling the question of
which spread is best, let’s firstly
recap the role of various dietary
fats. Saturated fats are known to
increase unhealthy blood fats (like LDL
and triglycerides). Conversely, the
unsaturated (mono or polyunsaturated)
fats have positive effects on our blood
lipid profile.
B
Butter
Butter contains more than 80% fat and
is made by continuously churning cream
to separate the buttermilk from butterfat.
Approximately 53% of butter is saturated
fat, which raises LDL cholesterol in the
blood, which is linked to an increased
risk of heart disease. That aside, butter’s
high fat content contributes more energy
to the diet than carbohydrates and
protein, so if weight maintenance is one
of your goals you may need to limit your
intake.
Margarine
Margarine contains at least 80% fat and
is made up of vegetable oil, water, salt
and emulsifiers. Australian margarine is
mandatorily fortified with vitamin D and
has negligible levels of hydrogenated oil,
or ‘trans fat’ (a type of dietary fat linked
to heart disease). The spreadability of
margarine means it’s easier to use less,
so you can keep your portions in check.
Other Spreads
Other spreads, like plant sterol spreads
and olive oil spreads, are below 80% fat
and can be made from one vegetable oil
or a blend of vegetable oil and butter.
Plant sterol spreads are vegetable-oil-
based spreads, fortified with plant sterols.
These
cholesterol-like
compounds
(derived from plants) have been shown to
lower LDL cholesterol by up to 10%, by
blocking the absorption of dietary
cholesterol in the gut. The Heart
Foundation recommends 2-3g of plant
sterols per day to lower LDL cholesterol in
people with elevated levels. This translates
to 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of a plant sterol
spread per day.
Olive oil spreads contain between 8 and
13% olive oil, which is high in
monounsaturated fats. They contain either
canola oil (which is high in omega 3 fatty
acids), or a blend of polyunsaturated oils
containing omega 3 and 6 fatty acids.
Research suggests that extra virgin olive
oil protects against heart disease for
those at high risk; however, olive oil
spreads are generally a blend of
vegetables oils, and cannot claim to mirror
the same antioxidant and protective
benefits of EVOO.
The verdict
Butter is a natural product but is high in
kilojoules and saturated fat. While
margarine and blended spreads are
generally lower in kilojoules and have
healthier fats, they tend to have additives
like colours, food acids, and emulsifiers,
which some people may prefer to avoid.
For more variety and nutritional benefits,
try some of the following alternatives on
your next toast, sandwich or wrap;
they’re rich in healthy fats and taste
delicious too!
} } Smash an avocado.
} } Drizzle or dip with extra virgin olive oil,
or whip up a fresh batch of pesto.
} } Explore the wide range of 100%
natural nut butters now available.
} } Experiment with legume and seed-
based products like tahini (sesame
base) and hommus (chickpea base).
WINTER 2019 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE
19