FAQs

How do “bad fats” impact health?

Elevated cholesterol levels are a known risk factor for heart disease. Both trans fat and saturated fat can raise cholesterol levels; intake of these “bad fats” should be kept as low as possible. Health professionals recommend minimizing the amount of trans fats in the diet while maintaining a nutritionally sensible diet. When shopping for a spread, choose soft spread margarines that are labeled “zero grams trans fat” and contain no cholesterol.

What about unsaturated fats?

Unsaturated fats (both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat) can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels when included in a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat  and cholesterol. They are also a source of essential fatty acids, which are needed for healthy growth and development. Unsaturated fats (often referred to as “good fats”) have also been shown to reduce inflammation.  Vegetable oils, and foods made from vegetable oils like soft spread margarine, are an excellent source of unsaturated fats, particularly polyunsaturated fats.

What is the difference between margarine and soft spread products?

Even before "margarine" first became a staple in the American diet in the 1950s, federal regulations (called standards of identity) required that both margarine and butter contain 80 percent fat. Today, many products found alongside margarine and butter in the store have less than 80 percent fat; they are called vegetable oil spreads (also called “soft spread” or “tub” margarines). These spreads are the most popular products today and are consistent with health professionals’ recommendations to choose foods low in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol.

Isn’t butter better?

Soft spread margarines are a wise alternative for consumers who want a versatile table spread that offers nutritional advantages over butter. Margarine spreads are made from natural vegetable oils, contain just 0-2 grams saturated fat per serving and are cholesterol free, unlike butter, which is made from animal fat, has 7 grams of saturated fat and 30 mg cholesterol per serving.

Do soft spread margarines contain trans fat?

Proactive reformulation of margarine products in the past two decades makes today’s soft spreads ideal choice for health conscious consumers. Although margarine products have always been low in saturated fat and contained no cholesterol, soft spread margarines are now labeled with “0 grams trans fat,” in keeping with the current dietary guidance that trans fat intake be kept as low as possible. Margarine product manufacturers have been leaders in the food industry in replacing bad fats with good fats and will continue to innovate and offer a wide array of products to meet the American consumers’ needs with respect to health, taste and convenience.

What do the experts say about the “margarine vs. butter” debate?

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released in January 2011 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) urges consumers to replace solid fats in the diet with oils, including soft spread margarines. The government’s endorsement of soft spread margarines is consistent with support from other key influencers, including: the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and the Harvard School of Public Health - all of whom recommend switching from butter to a soft spread margarine with zero grams trans fat.  Not only do today’s soft spread margarines list “zero grams” of trans fat on the Nutrition Facts Panel, they are lower than ever before in calories, total fat and saturated fact.