Angie loves toast. She has toast and jam for breakfast, tomato on toast for lunch and just plain toast for a snack in the evening.

She knows she is out of step with the low-carb crowd but doesn’t care. Angie’s bread always is whole grain, and she eats her share of fresh fruits and vegetables. Her only worry is what kind of spread to put on her toast to keep her from getting too many fat calories.

The average American consumes 15 to 20 grams of butter or margarine a day, and Angie’s consumption is about twice that much. It amounts to about half of the fat calories she allots herself for a day on a moderate fat (30 percent of calories) diet.

Butter or margarine? Most health-conscious Americans answered this question decades ago in favor of margarine. Butter is animal fat; a tablespoon contains 30 grams of cholesterol while margarine has none.

In terms of keeping your serum cholesterol (and your risk of heart disease) low, the cholesterol, and even the total fat, in your diet may be less important than the saturated fat and trans fat.

The goal is not to cut out fat altogether but to minimize the amount of saturated and trans fats. Butter has its share of saturated fat, but margarine is higher in trans fat, produced by the hydrogenation process required to make vegetable oil into a solid stick and increase its shelf life.

And between these two, some believe trans fat is worse because it tends to lower HDL (good) cholesterol.

A tablespoon of butter has seven grams of saturated fat but no trans fat; a tablespoon of stick margarine has three grams of saturated fat plus two grams of trans fat for a total of five. The difference is two grams.

WEIGHT LOSS VS. HEART HEALTH: Light margarines have fewer calories and fewer grams of total fat but also have less monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. So while these products are good for weight loss, they may not be as beneficial to your heart health. (Being overweight is a negative factor for both cholesterol and heart disease risk.)

Most Americans know by now olive and canola are “good” monounsaturated oils, and there are margarines on the market, such as Canoleo and Olivio, touting their use of these oils. But don’t be fooled; eating a spread containing olive oil is not the same as drizzling olive oil on your toast. Trans fat and saturated fat have been added to make the product spreadable.

Spreads made with buttermilk or yogurt are attractive mainly for their flavor and texture rather than their health benefits. There’s not enough yogurt or buttermilk to add significant nutrition. And there’s still the need for trans and saturated fat.

Benecol and Take Control are the only two margarines that have been proven to lower cholesterol. They are made from plant sterols and stanols that reduce the absorption of cholesterol from the intestines.

Studies found eating two grams a day of plant stanols or sterols results in a significant reduction of LDL cholesterol. This amounts to about a 25 percent decrease in the risk of heart disease after two years of taking either of these products.

The effect is best when Benecol or Take Control are used in conjunction with exercise and a diet low in saturated fat. And these spreads work well in conjunction with cholesterol-lowering medications, although they are not effective enough to be used as a replacement.

Benecol and Take Control have been approved for safety by the FDA, but there is one concern. Studies show stanols and sterols lower blood concentrations of antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamin E. There is no evidence this is a safety problem, and this effect can be countered by eating more fruits and vegetables.

Ideally, plant stanols and sterols are only for people who stand to benefit by lowering their cholesterol — which is about half of the population. They are expensive, however, about $4.99 for a tub.

If you’re a smart consumer, there are many factors to consider: your health status, weight, taste preferences and budget. Note not only the numbers and the claims but the list of ingredients.

If Angie can find the choice that’s right for her, so can you.



Rupp is information and assistance case manager with the Northern Oklahoma Development Authority Area Agency on Aging.