The truth about margarine

Do you still have doubts about whether or not healthy? You do not have clear whether margarine or butter? Well if you still assail these and other questions, here are the answers you experts.

1 Butter is natural and the artificial margarine?
We have moved the question to Professor Juana Morillas, the Dept. Of Food Technology and Nutrition at the San Antonio Catholic University and member of the Institute Flora. "It is true that the consumer is clear that the origin of the butter is milk, and if milk is natural, it is considered that the butter so it should be. However, I think the consumer is not clear the origin of margarine. He knows that it is made in the industry, but perhaps not known to be derived from vegetable oils are also natural products ". That said, we must explain that in both cases there is a technological process for both butter and margarine: "Why only wonder for margarine," says Juana Morillas.

2 In the processing of margarine, is not when trans fats appear?
As explained by Professor Juana Morillas, "more than 15 years, the production of margarine involved the formation of trans fats, since a technique called hydrogenation that favored the appearance of this type of fat used. To put it simply: with the hydrogenation, we managed to make an oil, which is liquid, is solid. When fully hydrogenated oil, all fatty acids are saturated, unsaturated disappear all (curiously, trans fats are a type of unsaturated) and therefore it is unlikely the existence of trans fats. But the product obtained has such hardness that it is difficult to spread. When oil is partially hydrogenated (and thus is more easily spreadable) coexist in the composition of the resulting product with the chemical structures unsaturated saturated, unsaturated and can be generated trans isomers. Today, all our food industry technology ensures that the content of trans fats in margarines is less than 1%. "

3 How to read a label margarine to see if indeed healthy?
To find out if a margarine is healthy should look at the label which has the largest amount of unsaturated fatty acids (sum of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) in the final product. Unsaturated fats are those beneficial for cardiovascular health. "On the other hand, when choosing a margarine we have to look at the amount of saturated and trans fats are as low as possible. There are many rich in unsaturated margarines and virtually free of trans fats that we have on the label, "says Anna Montanyà, Flora nutritionist Institute.

4 And, in margarines, there are more suitable for a type of population than another?
"It is necessary to include fat in our food and margarine provides essential fatty acids and vitamins A, D and E, essential for life, to have a good health and to ensure development," says Montaya. They exist in the market different types of margarines according to the needs of every consumer:
Margarine standard, ideal for the whole family.

    Margarine light, with 30% fewer calories and fat than standard margarine, for use as part of a diet for weight control.
    Margarines enriched with plant sterols. Plant sterols are natural compounds that have been shown in numerous studies to help reduce LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) in the context of a varied and balanced diet.
    Unsalted margarine, recommended for those who follow a diet low in salt.
    Margarines with vitamins and minerals recommended for people who need to increase the intake of these nutrients.
    Margarines lactose: margarines are for those with intolerance to this milk sugar.


5 What helps us margarine and how much should be taken?
Juana Morillas confirms that there are numerous studies showing that it is advisable to reduce the intake of saturated fats, which are predominant in animal foods (milk fat, fat meat, sausages, pates, etc.) and substitute vegetable fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated). "Margarines, besides being sources of vegetable fats, are also advisable in our diet because it contains fat-soluble vitamins. Moreover, some margarines (nope, labeling!) contain phytosterols, which are bioactive compounds (also of plant origin) capable of lowering levels of total cholesterol and cholesterol circulating LDL in the bloodstream, thereby reducing cardiovascular risk. " To derive the recommended consumption of margarine amount, just make a simple calculation: consider that a person has to eat a diet of 2,200 calories a day, of which 30% maximum, should come from lipids (660 calories ). Of these, 7% may come at the most saturated fat, ie 46 calories. So, they are around 600-610 calories, which are around 65-70 grams of unsaturated fats that this person can incorporate into your daily diet in the form of oily fish, vegetable oils and margarine.