The variety of margarines available in the supermarket has expanded enormously in recent times. The interesting point is that many of them are no longer called “margarine”. According to Food Standards Australia, a food can only be called margarine if it contains at least 80 percent fat. Most margarine now contains less fat, so they are referred to as “spreads”.
Some margarine spreads have got added plant sterols and claim to be able to lower cholesterol absorption. Plant sterols are also known as phyto-sterols, and they include beta-sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, among others. It is true that plant sterols can inhibit cholesterol absorption in our digestive tract (cholesterol is also a type of sterol), and in this way reduce cholesterol levels. Therefore, if you eat some cholesterol containing food, such as eggs at the same time as the margarine, you will absorb less cholesterol from the eggs than usual. Bile that is secreted into our small intestine in response to a meal contains a great deal of cholesterol. Some of this is excreted in bowel movements but a lot of it gets re-absorbed back into our bloodstream through the intestinal wall. The sterols in margarine prevent some of this re-absorption of cholesterol.
Plant sterols or stands are a controversial topic. They are oestrogen-like compounds found naturally in many plants, but they are also a waste product of pulp and paper mills. Research has shown that rivers downstream of wood-pulp factories can become contaminated with plant sterols and this affects the fertility offish. Some fish became hermaphrodites and others switched gender! Experiments in test tubes have shown these sterols to stimulate breast cancer cells. Back in the 60s these compounds were used to manufacture human sex hormones. Since plant sterols clearly have hormonal effects, possibly it isn’t a good idea for every man, woman and child to be consuming them.
Some studies have shown that consumption of phyto-sterols reduces blood levels of vitamin E and beta-carotene. One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that plant sterols reduced the bioavailability of beta-carotene by 50 percent and alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) by 20 percent. What is the point of lowering your cholesterol if that is going to make you deficient in important antioxidants that have been shown to reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer?
Cholesterol lowering margarines are expensive; expect to pay more than seven dollars a tub. To get the full benefits from them you would have to eat 25g a day, roughly a heaped tablespoon. Some spreads contain canola oil and some contain olive oil and are promoted to be healthier, as they contain monounsaturated fat. However you don’t get as much olive or canola oil as you may think. Most canola spreads contain between 30 and 35 percent canola oil, and olive oil spreads typically contain only 22 to 23 percent olive oil. The rest of the product is made up of a vegetable oil blend; typically soybean oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil or palm oil. Low fat margarine spreads contain more water, and some even contain gelatin.
The vast majority of margarines have been made from refined vegetable oils that have been processed using heat and chemical solvents. This means they contain rancid fats and often some trans fatty acids. New manufacturing techniques have been able to get the trans fat content of margarine very low, and some margarines are free of trans fats altogether. However, there are much healthier, more natural options. It is possible to obtain plant sterols from more natural sources such as raw nuts and seeds, legumes and extra virgin olive oil. When combined with an appropriate liver friendly, low carbohydrate eating plan it is possible for most people to achieve a healthy cholesterol level.
Healthy alternative spreads
Remember that most bread is fairly high in carbohydrate, and eating too much of it can raise your cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as promote weight gain and Syndrome X. Eat bread in small quantities, and choose one that is made from stone ground flour and has a low glycaemic index. The following are all suitable spreads to use:
- Fresh avocado
- Tahini
- Hummus
- Natural nut butter/paste such as peanut, almond, cashew, macadamia or Brazil nut butter.
- Tomato paste
- Baba ganoush
- Extra virgin olive oil
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