FOR RELEASE: DECEMBER 2003
TITLE: IS BUTTER BETTER THAN
MARGARINE?
(Stillwater)---
The Food and Drug Administration has required that saturated fat and
dietary cholesterol be listed on food labels since 1993. When
trans fat is added to the Nutrition Facts panel by 2006,
you will know for the first time how much of all three--saturated
fat, trans fat, and cholesterol--are in the foods you
choose.
Trans fat is made when
manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil--a process called
hydrogenation. Not all of the saturated fat formed during the
process takes the trans form. There is also a small amount found
naturally in foods. 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.
The new
labeling laws bring up an old question. Is it better to eat butter
instead of margarine to avoid trans fat? The answer is No, because
the combined amount of saturated fat and trans fat (the
cholesterol-raising fats) and cholesterol for butter is usually
higher than margarine, even though some margarine contains more
trans fat than butter.
Scientific
evidence shows that consumption of saturated fat, trans
fat, and dietary cholesterol raises low-density lipoprotein (LDL),
or "bad" cholesterol, levels, which increases the risk of coronary
heart disease (CHD).
FDA estimates
that the average daily intake of trans fat in the U.S.
population is about 5.8 grams or 2.6% of calories per day for
individuals 20 years of age and older. On average, Americans consume
approximately 4 to 5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat
in their diet.
It is better
to eat softer or liquid margarines that contain a lower combined
amount of saturated fat and trans fat and a lower amount of
cholesterol. For a healthful alternative, nonstick cooking spray can
be substituted for other fats when "greasing" the pan.
The following
table compares the amounts and types of fats and amount of
cholesterol in butter and some margarine.
|
FAT TYPE PER SERVING (Serving Size - 1 tbsp.) |
|
Product |
Saturated Fat g |
Trans
Fat g |
Saturated and
Trans Fats g |
Cholesterol mg |
|
Butter |
7.2 |
0.3 |
7.5 |
31.1 |
|
Margarine, stick |
2.1 |
2.8 |
4.9 |
0 |
|
Margarine,
spread |
1.8 |
2.7 |
4.5 |
0 |
|
Margarine, tub |
1.2 |
0.6 |
1.8 |
0.1 |
|
Margarine,
bottle |
0.1 |
0 |
0.1 |
0.2 |
Prepared by:
Janice R. Hermann
321 HES
Cooperative
Extension Service
Stillwater, OK
74078-6111
Phone: (405)
744-6824
Fax: (405)
744-3538
jrher@okstate.edu
Barbara J. Brown
321 HES
Cooperative
Extension Service
Stillwater, OK
74078-6111
Phone: (405)
744-6824
Fax: (405)
744-3538
bbrown@okstate.edu
|
