We're always being told that natural is best and it would
seem that milk from cows is, well, natural. So, what about
the butter made from that milk? Shopping shelves are filled
with substitutes to butter — such as margarine. It
claims to be a healthier alternative, but is it really? You
can exercise and watch what you eat, but when it comes to
slathering something tasty on your toast or English Muffin,
you probably still ask what's better for me: Butter or
margarine?
We've heard conflicting reports over the years, so we're
going to find out once and for all what's better for us
— butter or margarine?
Eleven recent studies that directly evaluated the health
effects of margarine versus butter have all confirmed that
soft margarine is healthier. These 11 studies, involving
more than 70,000 individuals, clearly demonstrate the
cholesterol-lowering benefits of margarine products
compared to butter.
Health professionals recommend that we reduce the total
amount of fat in our diet, but some fat is essential. It is
important to pay attention to both the amount and type of
fat eaten. Both butter and margarine are 80% fat and are
made with many of the same ingredients, namely fats and
oils. The difference between them is the type of fat they
contain. Butter is made from milk/dairy fat which is high
in saturated fat and also contains trans fat. Both
saturated and trans fat raise blood cholesterol levels.
According to a recent study published in the Journal of the
American Medical Association, switching to margarine from
butter can greatly reduce blood cholesterol levels. Keeping
blood cholesterol under control is a key factor in reducing
the risk of heart disease and stroke. Health professionals
recommend choosing margarine instead of butter as one of
the simplest ways people can improve their diets to become
more heart-healthy.
Margarines are made from natural vegetable oils. If they
are hardened by hydrogenation then trans fats will be
formed. It is therefore best to choose a margarine/spread
that is non-hydrogenated, low in saturated fat and contains
mono and polyunsaturated fat that help lower blood
cholesterol levels. None of the Unilever margarines and
spreads contains trans fats.
Margarine is clearly the heart-healthy choice recommended
by health professionals and leading health organizations.
The heart foundation has given the tick to margarine's that
have removed those trans fatty acids. So, just because
butter comes straight from nature doesn't mean it's
healthier for you.
----------------------------------------------------
We love cooking from scratch and crEATing new delights in
the kitchen. Stork to bake, Stork to spread, Stork
Culinesse to cook, Stork Crèmendous to pour and Stork
Crèmendous to whip will ensure you have flop free days
in the kitchen. Reveal the kitchen goddess in you with a
little help from Stork. ...find out more at
http://www.stork.co.za
EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=44605
0 comments
Post a Comment