Butter and margarine are popular spreads that you can buy in supermarkets, but there is a clear difference between the two: one contains unsaturated fat while the other contains more saturated fat. Does it matter?
The British Nutrition Foundation explained the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats. The former may «help maintain healthy cholesterol levels» while the latter «may increase ‘bad’ cholesterol.» Too much «bad» cholesterol in the blood can cause «fatty material to build up on the walls of our blood vessels and cause them to narrow.» This is a major health risk as it increases the risk of blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke.
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How do unsaturated fats help cholesterol levels?
Foods high in unsaturated fats cause an increase in «good» cholesterol, which carries «bad» cholesterol from the body to the liver.
Once the «bad» cholesterol is deposited in the liver, it can be broken down, preventing it from sticking to the walls of the arteries.
«As part of a healthy, balanced diet, it’s best to choose foods that contain higher amounts of unsaturated fat and less saturated fat,» said the British Nutrition Foundation.
The Heart Foundation said: «It is better for our hearts to replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats.
«Making the simple switch from butter to margarine spread is one way to do it.»
This is because margarine contains less saturated fat than butter, and there are other healthier options as well.
«Consider avocado, hummus, vegetable oils (such as olive or avocado oil), and nut or seed butters,» the Heart Foundation suggested.
Does this mean stop using butter altogether?
Not exactly, «using small amounts of butter from time to time shouldn’t be a problem for most people,» the Heart Foundation said.