I Can’t Believe It’s Not…Bad For Me? | Q+A

Answer:

Before I get into nutritional analysis, let me say that in regards to any substitutes (for fat, sugar, or salt) I always mention that their risks and benefits depend on how much and how often you consume them. If you use less than a teaspoon only once per week, the difference between the substitute and the real thing is probably negligible. However, heavier daily use may mean a significant change in overall fat, sugar or sodium intake. So you can decide how important the following is for you.

The butter substitute you speak of has 50% less fat than real butter with the following breakdown for a tablespoon; 6 gm total fat, 2 gm Saturated, 0 Trans, 3 gm Polyunsaturated, 1.5 Monounsaturated. Compare that to a tablespoon of butter: 12 gm total fat, 7 gm Saturated, 0.5 gm Trans, 0.4 gm Polyunsaturated, 3 gm Monounsaturated. The substitute has less of the harmful saturated and trans fat with more of the heart-healthy unsaturated fats. In addition it has alpha-linolenic acid, a precursor to omega-3 fat which provides a couple of heart benefits, namely a lower risk of coronary heart disease and improvement in cholesterol.

Yes, used as a spread, the product is safe for your arteries. If you are cooking with it in a pan, I’d suggest using straight oil instead, as margarine and the like are not intended for high heat.

– Debbie J., MS, RD