What makes a healthy spread? The type of fat we eat matters even more than the quantity. Eating foods rich in saturated and trans fats increases your risk of heart disease, while replacing saturated and trans fats with mono- and polyunsaturated fats lowers the risk. (Trans fats are created by a process called hydrogenation, used to convert liquid oils into the solid fat needed to get the right consistency in a spread.) But we all need some fat in our diet. Fats provide essential fatty acids that our bodies can't manufacture. They also supply the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K, and fat-soluble antioxidants like beta-carotene. Fat also makes our food tastier and more palatable, adding to the enjoyment of eating. It does, though, contribute more than twice the kilojoules as the same weight of protein or carbohydrate, so you've still got to watch how much you eat. For the healthiest choice, look for a spread that's low in saturated and trans fats. We checked out over 90 spreads and dairy blends and found plenty to choose from. Dairy blends If you really like the flavour of butter, dairy blends might seem a good compromise. They're made from butter blended with vegetable oils or from butterfat processed to remove some of the saturated fat. They have less saturated fat than traditional butter, with the added bonus that they come out of the fridge easier to spread.
Unfortunately even those with the least saturated fat still have more of it than over three quarters of the spreads based on vegetable oil. But our spreadability test confirmed they're definitely easier to spread than butter at fridge temperature, though there were some big differences between brands. Big fat lies You may have seen some alarming reports in the media that the vegetable oils in spreads are causing blindness (macular degeneration) and that the only safe fats to eat are butter or olive oil. There's little evidence to support these claims. The suggestion that butter's a preferable fat choice is particularly unhelpful. Not only is it inconsistent with the evidence, it's poor health advice for other reasons. And don't be put off by the rumours circulating on the internet that canola oil is toxic - there's no truth in them. To find out how much saturated and trans fat you eat, do our Fat quiz.
See the full CHOICE Online report for the details on all these claims. Go to choice.com.au for more expert, unbiased advice on appliances, electronics, food and finances. Buy smarter, go to choice.com.au first.
|
