<< Back to News Releases

Get News Alerts by E-mail:

(Bellingham, WA - March 1, 2010) - March is Nutrition Month, which makes it a great time to take a good look at the buttery spreads your family is using throughout the day -- for toast at breakfast, sandwiches at lunch, and maybe even rolls at dinner. Many people choose spreads as a lighter, healthier alternative to butter, which tends to be higher in calories, plus contain more cholesterol and saturated fats. But since some buttery spreads are now claiming to offer additional health benefits like omega-3s and added calcium, or fancier nutritional ingredients like flax oil, olive oil, and soy, it can be hard to know which spread is the best choice for your family -- and which claims you can really believe.

HealthCastle.com, the largest nutrition network run by Registered Dietitians, reviewed and analyzed 39 popular buttery spreads for their Go UnDiet - Packaged Food Review tool.

"Some of the results were pretty shocking," said Gloria Tsang, RD, editor-in-chief of HealthCastle.com. "People choose spreads because they're looking for a healthier alternative to butter, as recommended by the American Heart Association. While some spreads live up to that reputation, we were shocked to find that some popular spreads still contain trans fats, and some newer versions have even added high-fructose corn syrup!"

Here are some of the findings from HealthCastle.com:

• Watered-down calorie count: Regular spreads contain 80-100 kcal per Tbsp, while light versions have 50-70 kcal. The light versions cut the calories by adding water and emulsifiers, which may also cut the flavor. Be sure not to compensate by using more.
• Hidden trans fat: Any product that contains partially hydrogenated fat has trans fats, even if the label has a zero-trans-fat claim. Of the 39 spreads reviewed, four -- from popular brands Benecol, Land O Lakes, and Country Crock -- contained partially hydrogenated fat.
• Watch out for HFCS: High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is an extra-sweet version of corn syrup that's got a bad reputation linking it to empty calories and weight gain, and it's popping up in "honey-flavored" buttery spreads.
• Don't count on calcium: Spreads "fortified with calcium" only contain 10% of the recommended daily intake of calcium -- not enough to be considered a significant source.
• Check olive oil claims: Olive oil on the label does not necessarily mean a healthier product. In many cases, it's actually one of several ingredients in an oil blend, which may contain more soybean or canola oil than olive oil.

For Nutrition Month, it's time to finally learn what's in your buttery spread - and whether you might want to consider making a switch. Ideally, choose one with zero trans fat or partially hydrogenated fat, and no more than 2 g of saturated fats per Tbsp that lists liquid vegetable oil as the first ingredient. The Go UnDiet - Packaged Food Review tool allows users to sort spreads by trans fat, calories, saturated fat, and more, and to filter out products with partially hydrogenated oil or HFCS. Each spread's description also includes an "RD's take" summary to help interpret the nutrition facts.

In addition to sorting, you can do a side-by-side comparison, and based on what's most important for your family, you can choose the brand that best suits your needs.

About HealthCastle.com: HealthCastle.com is the most comprehensive nutrition community run by Registered Dietitians on the web. The dietitians at HealthCastle.com have been sharing their passion for nutrition and health since 1997. For fun and practical healthy eating tips, exclusive nutrition guides, and nutrition podcasts, visit www.HealthCastle.com.

To speak to HealthCastle.com's Editor-in-chief Gloria Tsang, please contact Tracey Johnston at . HealthCastle.com is an official USDA MyPyramid Partner.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/HealthCastleGlo
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/healthcastle