Big Food Inc is not your friend. Big Food Inc follows the latest trends and is only too happy to give consumers what they want.
You want low-fat? No problem. You want low-carb, natural, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, Paleo, Keto? No problem. However, their motive is a healthy bottom line, not your health.
They know humans are hardwired to desire sugar, salt, and fat. Foods with those ingredients sell. Convenience sells. At the end of the day, they are more interested in sales than they are in your health.
They don’t want you to buy whole foods and cook them from scratch. They don’t make money from whole foods. They want you to buy their pre-packaged convenience foods instead.
A prime example of how Big Food Inc of how Big Food takes a healthy food and turns it into a nutrition disaster is what I call “The Breakfast Cereal Scandal”.
The Breakfast Cereal Scandal
It’s hard to believe that breakfast cereals started as health food, but they did. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was a Seventh-day Adventist who took over the Western Reform Health Institute in 1877 and renamed it the Battle Creek Sanitarium.
It gained prominence as a health resort where people went to be healed through a combination of physical activity and healthy eating.
Dr. Kellogg invented Corn Flakes in 1878 as a healthier alternative to the high-fat breakfasts most Americans were consuming at that time. Corn Flakes had less than 5% sugar. It was a great idea for its time, but what happened next is nothing short of appalling.
It is a perfect example of how Big Food Inc leads us astray. The graphic above that I created illustrates what the major food companies have done to breakfast cereals over the decades since then.
It all started with Corn Flakes. Then other food companies started bringing out competing products. Cereals like Wheaties and Rice Krispies were still pretty healthy, but they had a bit more sugar, which gave them better consumer appeal.
As soon as the food companies figured out that sugar increased their sales, the race was on. The percentage sugar increased to 40%, then to 50%, and now to almost 60%.
No sane parent would fill their child’s cereal bowl half full of sugar, but that is exactly what they are doing when they feed them some of today’s breakfast cereals. The food companies are hiding the outrageous sugar content of their cereals with slogans like “Just a touch of honey.”
Speaking of deception, can anyone tell me how you label a product with 20% sugar 100% Bran Flakes?
I created the graphic above in the 1990’s. At that time, I assumed breakfast cereals couldn’t get much worse. But I was wrong. Big Food’s “race to the bottom” continues.
The investigators used data from the Mintel Global New Products Database, which tracks new product launches for foods and beverages. From this database they identified 1,200 new children’s cereals introduced in the US market from 2010 through 2023.
Children’s cereals were defined as breakfast cereal products explicitly marketed (through packaging or branding) to children between 5 and 12 years old.
Using product label information, they compared the total fat, sodium, total carbohydrate, sugar, protein, and dietary fiber per serving and analyzed the trends between 2010 and 2023.
The Race To The Bottom Continues
If the previous decline in nutritional value of breakfast cereals between the 1870s and 1970s can be described can be described as “appalling”, the latest results can only be described as disastrous.
For newly introduced children’s breakfast cereals in the 13 years between 2010 and 2023,
Fat content increased 34%.
Sodium (salt) content increased 32%.
Sugar content increased by 11%.
Protein content decreased by 11%.
Fiber content decreased by 30%.
The authors of the study concluded, “Analysis of newly launched children’s RTE (ready to eat) cereals from 2010 to 2023 revealed concerning nutritional shifts: notable increases in fat, sodium, and sugar along decreases in protein and fiber.
Children’s cereals contain high levels of added sugar, with a single serving exceeding 45% of the American Heart Association’s daily recommended limit for children.
These trends suggest a potential prioritization of taste over nutritional quality in product development, contributing to childhood obesity and long-term cardiovascular health risks.”
In short, despite the American public’s increasing interest in a healthy diet, Big Food is still prioritizing sales over healthy foods. The race to the bottom continues.
What Does This Mean For You?
Tip of Iceberg
The take home lesson is clear. Don’t trust Big Food with your health. Their priority is sales, not your health.
Even when they claim their processed foods are healthy because they have removed fat or sugar, they have simply replaced them with a witches brew of chemicals so they look, taste, and smell delicious.
And breakfast cereals are just the tip of the iceberg. For most Americans 60-70% of their diet comes from highly processed foods.
If you value health, the choice is clear. Choose whole, unprocessed food whenever possible.
The Bottom Line
The dramatic decline in the nutritional quality of breakfast cereals between the 1870s and 1970s is well documented. By the turn of the century most breakfast cereals had gotten so bad, you might assume they couldn’t get any worse. You would be wrong. Big Food’s race to the bottom continues.
A recent study evaluated the nutritional value of newly introduced children’s breakfast cereals between 2010 and 2023. In those 13 years,
Fat content increased 34%.
Sodium (salt) content increased 32%.
Sugar content increased by 11%.
Protein content decreased by 11%.
Fiber content decreased by 30%.
The authors of the study said, “These trends suggest a potential prioritization of taste over nutritional quality in product development, contributing to childhood obesity and long-term cardiovascular health risks.”
I agree. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. For most Americans 60-70% of their diet comes from highly processed foods.
If you value health, the choice is clear. Choose whole, unprocessed food whenever possible.
For more details on this study and what it means for you, read the article above.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.
My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.
For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.
Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.
Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”.
Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.
Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.
For the past 53 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.
You’ve seen the claims. “You should avoid all seed oils. They are toxic.”
Any time you see claims like, “Avoid all…[add the food villain of the day]” or “[a certain food] is toxic” your “truth-meter” should go on high alert. Claims like that are more likely to be hype than truth.
More specifically, the claims about seed oils are:
They are heavily processed.
They contain toxic ingredients.
They are genetically modified.
They cause inflammation and oxidative damage.
They increase your risk of inflammatory diseases, heart disease, and cancer.
A healthier option is to replace seeds oils with animal foods high in saturated fats.
Like any good food myth, there is a kernel of truth to each of these claims. In this article I will describe the kernel of truth associated with each of these claims, put them into perspective, and give practical guidelines for incorporating seed oils into your diet.
The topics I will cover are:
The truth about fats.
The truth about omega-6 fats.
The truth about saturated fats.
The truth about canola oil.
The truth about seed oils.
The Truth About Fats
The health authorities and media must think the American public is stupid. They oversimplify everything. They tell us:
Animal fats are saturated fat.
Olive oil is monounsaturated fat.
Vegetable oils are omega-6 polyunsaturated fat.
Fish oil is omega-3 polyunsaturated fat.
The truth is that every naturally occurring fat and oil is a mixture of all four kinds of fat. And each food contains a unique mixture of fats. The kernel of truth is:
Animal fats have a higher percentage of saturated fat than other fats and oils.
Olive oil has a higher percentage of monounsaturated fat than other oils.
Vegetable oils have a higher percentage of omega-6 polyunsaturated fat than other oils.
Fish oil has a higher percentage of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat than other oils.
But the full truth is that each food contains a unique mixture of fats. For example,
Meat and butter from grass-fed animals contain a greater percentage of omega-3 fats than meat and butter from animals which were fattened on corn.
Flaxseed oil has a higher percentage of omega-3 fats than other seed oils.
High-oleic sunflower oil has the highest percentage of monounsaturated fat than other seed oils.
Other vegetable oils with high monounsaturated fat content include olive oil, avocado oil, and canola oil. [Note: Although olive oil is the source of monounsaturated fat that we hear about most, avocado oil is equally high in monounsaturated fat and has a higher smoke point, which makes it a better choice for high-heat cooking.]
Walnuts have a higher percentage of omega-3 fats than other nuts.
Macadamia nuts and almonds have the highest percentage of monounsaturated fats than other nuts, with cashews and peanuts not far behind. Nut butters, of course, reflect the fat composition of the nuts.
The point I am making is that while myths are simple, the truth is much more complex.
Take Home Lesson: Every vegetable oil and every seed oil has a unique composition of fats. Each has its unique benefits and unique drawbacks.
That is something you will want to think about the next time you read an article about the dangers or the benefits of all seed oils. Every seed oil is unique. No generalization applies to all of them.
Biochemistry 101 – Essential Fats
Let’s start with the most important point.
Omega-6 fats and omega-3 fats are essential. Simply put, that means:
We can’t make them.
They are essential for life.
We must get them from our diet.
If they are essential, the next question is, “Why do we need them?” Let me start with a little “Biochemistry 101” and talk about their role in cell membranes and cellular regulation.
Cell Membranes:
You might think of cell membranes as a solid protective armor around the cells, but nothing could be farther from the truth. A better analogy would be the ocean that covers vast areas of our planet. Our membranes are quite fluid.
And that membrane fluidity is important. Our cell membranes contain receptors like the cholesterol receptor and insulin receptor that must cluster together for cholesterol and insulin to be transported into the cell. Those receptors cluster best when cell membranes are very fluid.
Our membranes are most fluid when they contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats (For membrane fluidity it doesn’t matter if they are omega-6 or omega-3). Conversely, our membranes are less fluid when they contain high levels of saturated fats.
And here is the most important point. Because our bodies cannot make omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats, this is the one time it is literally true that, “We are what we eat”. If our diets are high in saturated fats, our membranes are high in saturated fats. If our diets are high in polyunsaturated fats, our membranes are high in polyunsaturated fats. And the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats in our membranes reflects the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats in our diet.
Take Home Lesson: Diets high in omega-6 and/or omega-3 fats help lower cholesterol levels and improve blood sugar regulation.
Cellular Regulation:
Our cells also use the polyunsaturated fats in our cell membrane to make hormone-like substances called prostaglandins and leukotrienes that exert profound effects on nearby tissues. [Note: For the sake of simplicity, I will just talk about prostaglandins for the rest of this article, but what I say applies equally to leukotrienes.]
The enzymes that make prostaglandins do not distinguish between omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fats. They just use whatever polyunsaturated fat they come across.
That’s important because the effects of omega-6 and omega-3 prostaglandins are often different and are sometimes opposite.
Here’s where the “We are what we eat” principle comes into play. The ratio of omega-6 and omega-3s in our diet determines the omega-6 and omega-3 content of our membranes. And that determines the type of prostaglandins our cells produce.
Take Home Lessons:
Some of the benefits of omega-6s are unique because they are dependent on omega-6 prostaglandins. These benefits cannot be duplicated by diets high in omega-3s.
Because some effects of omega-6 and omega-3 prostaglandins are opposite, we need to look closely at the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in the diet to optimize the health benefits of these two essential polyunsaturated fats.
Now, with Biochemistry 101 behind us, we are ready to look at the truth about omega-6 fats.
The Truth About Omega-6 Fats
Let’s start by looking at the pros and cons of omega-6 fats.
Pros Of Omega-6 Fats
Cellular Health: Omega-6 and fats are important for maintaining proper membrane fluidity. And omega-6 prostaglandins also regulate cell metabolism and cellular repair mechanisms.
Heart Health: Omega-6s are associated with lower risk of heart disease. This is caused by:
Lower cholesterol levels due to proper membrane fluidity which allows clustering of cholesterol receptors.
More flexible endothelial cells lining our arteries, which helps lower blood pressure and prevent blockage of the arteries by blood clots. This is most likely due to more fluid cell membranes and the production of beneficial prostaglandins.
Some of these benefits are duplicated by omega-3 fats, but the American Heart Association stated in a recent Health Advisory (WS Harris et al, Circulation, 119, 902-907, 2009) that omega-6 fats are essential for some heart health benefits. They cannot be replaced by omega-3s.
Brain Health: Omega-3s get most of the press here, but experts feel that omega-6s play an important and independent role as well.
Fetal Growth and Development: Omega-6 fats are essential for normal neural development and growth. The mechanism(s) for this benefit are ill-defined.
Other Benefits:
Omega-6 fats support healthy skin, hair, and bones. The mechanisms for these effects are unknown, but most experts feel they are independent of omega-3 fats.
Omega-6 fats are also important for reproductive health. Most experts think this is due to the production of omega-6 prostaglandins.
Take Home Lesson: Omega-6 fats are essential for a healthy heart, a healthy brain, and normal fetal growth and development.
Cons Of Omega-6 Fats
Oxidation: Omega-6 (and omega-3) fats are very susceptible to oxidation, especially at high temperatures. This can lead to free radical formation, which can promote the formation of cancer cells.
You may have seen the statement that omega-6 fats cause cancer. This is an oversimplification. A more accurate statement would be, “Improperly used, any polyunsaturated fat may increase cancer risk. But this is largely avoidable. Here are the precautions I recommend:
Choose your source carefully.
For seeds and nuts look for freshness. If they look or taste funny, throw them out.
For oils choose reputable brands and choose ones that use low-heat processing. Also, look for ones with minimal processing. They may be cloudy rather than clear, but they will also contain naturally occurring antioxidants and polyphenols.
Don’t overheat them.
Most vegetable oils are only suitable for use as salad dressings and other room temperature cooking.
The exceptions are vegetable oils with high smoke points – for example, olive oil for stir fries and avocado oil for higher temperature cooking.
Store them safely. Don’t give them a chance to become oxidized.
We store sunflower seeds and almonds in our refrigerator and walnuts in our freezer.
We buy unsaturated vegetable oils in small quantities (so they are used up quickly) and store them in the refrigerator.
Take Home Lesson: Improperly used, omega-6 fats, like any unsaturated fat, can become oxidized and form free radicals (the kernel of truth). Choose your source carefully. Don’t overheat them. Store them safely.
Inflammation: This is the one you hear the most about. You have been told that omega-6 vegetable oils (seed oils) cause inflammation. As a blanket statement, it is mostly untrue. But it does have a kernel of truth.
Let’s start with the kernel of truth:
Omega-6 fats are inflammatory only when compared to omega-3 fats. You have also been told that omega-6 fats are inflammatory when compared to saturated fats. This is false, as I will discuss below.
Let me elaborate on the first statement with a little more Biochemistry 101 (If you haven’t guessed, that’s my favorite topic. Once a professor, always a professor).
Omega-6 fats are converted into one inflammatory prostaglandin. Omega-3 fats are converted into several anti-inflammatory prostaglandins (This is an example of some omega-6 and omega-3 prostaglandins having opposite effects).
Because of their opposite effects on inflammation, some experts say that the optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats is in the range of 1:1 to 4:1. But the typical American diet is around 15:1.
If the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is important (and not every expert agrees that it is), the statement that we should avoid omega-6-containing vegetable oils (seed oils) because they are inflammatory is mostly untrue.
Every omega-6 oil has a different omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. For example,
Corn oil has a 50:1 ratio and sesame oil has a 42:1 ratio. If you are just going by omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, you might want to avoid these.
Soybean oil has a 7:1 ratio and extra virgin olive oil has a 5:1 ratio. They are almost in the optimal range.
Canola oil has a 2:1 ratio. It’s in the optimal range.
And flaxseed oil is the clear winner with a 1:4 ratio.
But the truth is also much more complex than you have been led to believe.
The kernel of truth is that omega-6 fats can be converted to an inflammatory prostaglandin.
But omega-6 fats can also be converted to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. And some omega-6 fats such as GLA are anti-inflammatory.
Human clinical studies find that omega-6 fats either have no effect on inflammation or decrease it slightly (A Poli et al, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24, 4567, 2023).
Take Home Lesson: Omega-6 fats are converted into one inflammatory prostaglandin (the kernel of truth). But they are also converted to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. The net effect in the human body is a slight anti-inflammatory effect.
The Truth About Saturated Fats
Saturated fats on tables. Raw meat, sausages, cheese, butter. Bad food concept. Top view
You have been told that saturated fats are anti-inflammatory and decrease the risk of heart disease. For many Americans those claims are enticing because it means they don’t have to change their diet. But are the claims true?
You have been told that these claims are based on science. There are clinical studies behind them. Is that true?
The problem is that there are a lot of bad studies on saturated fats in the literature, and the Dr. Strangeloves of the world cherry pick the ones that support their beliefs.
If you want to compare the effect of different kinds of fat on either inflammation or heart health, you must make sure that all other components of the diet are the same. Too many of these studies have compared a whole food diet high in saturated fat with the typical American diet high in omega-6 fats. The results are predictable. Anything is better than the typical American diet.
In a previous issue of “Health Tips From The Professor” I discussed the criteria for a good study of fats. High quality studies must:
Show the subjects stick with the new diet for the duration of the study. Subjects find it difficult to adhere to a diet to which they are not accustomed long term and often revert to their more familiar diet. This requires either very close monitoring of what the subjects are eating or measurement of fat membrane composition to verify diet adherence, or both.
Carefully control or measure what the saturated fats are replaced with. In good studies only the fat composition of the diet changes. All other components of the diet remain the same.
Last two years or more. The fats we eat determine the fat composition of our cell membranes, and that is what ultimately determines both inflammation in our bodies and our risk of dying from heart disease. While it is true to say, “We are what we eat”, changing the fat composition of our cell membranes does not occur overnight. It takes 2 years or more to achieve a 60-70% change in the fat composition of cell membranes.
Measures multiple markers of inflammation or actual cardiovascular end points such as heart attack, stroke, and deaths due to heart disease.
When studies are done that meet these criteria the results are as follows:
Inflammation (A Poli et al, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24: 4567, 2023):
Replacing saturated fats with omega-6 fats reduces inflammation by 8%.
Replacing saturated fats with omega-3 fats reduces inflammation by 48%
Heart Disease (FM Sacks et al, Circulation, 136, Number 3, 2017):
Replacing saturated fats with omega-6 from decreased the risk of heart disease by 24%.
Replacing saturated fats with a mixture of both omega-6 and omega-3 fats decreased the risk of heart disease by 29%. This is equivalent to statin therapy, without the side effects.
When the replacement of saturated fats with omega-6 and omega-3 fats occurred in the context of a heart healthy diet such as the Mediterranean diet, heart disease risk was reduced by 47%.
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine recommends that Americans not exceed 10% of calories from saturated fat.
Two thirds of Americans exceed this limit.
The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that omega-6 fats be around 5-6% of calories. Because omega-6 fats play an important role in heart health, the American Heart Association recommends they be at 5-10% of calories.
Americans get around 6.5% of their calories from omega-6 fats.
Take Home Lesson: Replacing saturated fat with omega-6 fats reduces both inflammation and heart disease risk. Adding omega-3 fats reduces both even more. So, bringing omega-6 and omega-3 into a better balance is a good idea. But omega-6 fats are essential and are at the recommended intake for most Americans, so don’t do this by cutting back on healthy omega-6 fats. Instead, add some more omega-3s.
The Truth About Canola Oil
There are a lot of things t like about canola oil:
It is an excellent source of healthy omega-6 fats.
It has a good omega-6 to omega-3 ratio (2:1), which makes it anti-inflammatory.
It is also a good source of monounsaturated fats and has a moderate smoke point, which makes it suitable for low heat cooking.
So, why is it so unpopular? Unfortunately, it suffers from a lot of undeserved myths. Each has a kernel of truth. But like a secret passed around the room, the myths have grown with each repetition, and the truth has become unrecognizable.
So, let’s try to separate the myths from the truth.
Myth: Canola oil is genetically engineered.
Truth: It was created by old-fashioned plant breeding.
Myth: Canola oil contains toxic ingredients.
Truth:
Rapeseed oil comes from the oilseed rape plant (a relative of mustard).
Rapeseed oil contains erucic acid and glucosinolates, both of which can be toxic in large amounts (the kernel of truth).
Baldur Stefansson from the University of Manitoba bred a “double low” variety the oilseed rape plant which produces an oil that contains <2% of both erucic acid and glucosinolates and is safe for human consumption. This new oil was named canola oil (from Canada and ola for oil).
Both cultivars of the oilseed rape plant are still grown. Rapeseed oil is used for industrial purposes, and canola oil is used for human consumption.
Canola oil is tightly regulated in Canada, the US, and the EU to <2% erucic acid.
98% of the canola oil sold in the US is grown in Canada and the northern US.
Myth: Canola oil is unhealthy.
Truth: Because it is one of the least expensive omega-6 oils, canola oil is often found as an ingredient in unhealthy, highly processed, food (the kernel of truth). The solution is simple. Avoid unhealthy foods. Adding a different kind of fat to unhealthy foods is not going to make them healthier.
The Truth About Seed Oils
By now I have covered most of the myths about seed oils in my sections on omega-6 fats and canola oil, but here is a quick review.
Myth: All seed oils are…[add your favorite derogatory term here].
Truth: Every seed oil has a unique composition of fats. Each has its unique benefits and unique drawbacks.
Myth: Seed oils are genetically modified.
Truth: The plants producing canola oil and high oleic sunflower oil have been modified (the kernel of truth), but they were modified by conventional plant breeding rather than genetic engineering.
Myth: Seed oils contain toxic ingredients. This myth is most often directed at canola oil.
Truth: Rapeseed oil contains components that can be toxic at high levels (the kernel of truth). However, the rapeseed plant has been bred to produce canola oil with safe levels of those components.
Myth: Seed oils are inflammatory, which increases your risk of inflammatory diseases and heart disease.
Truth: Seed oils contain omega-6 fats which can be converted into one inflammatory prostaglandin (the kernel of truth). But they are also converted to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. The net effect in well done human clinical trials is a slight anti-inflammatory effect.
Myth: Seed oils cause oxidative damage, which increases your risk of cancer.
Truth: Seed oils (like any polyunsaturated fat) are susceptible to oxidation, especially at high temperatures. This can lead to free radical formation and oxidative damage (the kernel of truth). But this is only true when you use them improperly. The solution is to store them safely and to not overheat them when cooking.
Myth: Saturated fats are healthier than seed oils. Replacing saturated fat with the omega-6 fats found in seed oils increases inflammation and heart disease risk.
Truth: Many studies in this area of research are poorly designed. Well-designed studies show that replacing saturated fat with the omega-6 fats found in seed oils reduces both inflammation and heart disease risk.
Myth: Omega-3 fats are healthier than the omega-6 fats found in seed oils, so we should replace seed oils with omega-3 fats.
Fact: Omega-3 fats are more effective than omega-6 fats at reducing inflammation and heart disease risk (the kernel of truth). However, omega-6 fats are essential for a healthy heart, a healthy brain, and normal fetal growth and development. We can’t make them, so we must get them from our diet. Americans are currently consuming the recommended amount of omega-6 fats. So, we should not decrease the amount of omega-6 fats in our diet. Instead, we would benefit from adding more omega-3s to our diet.
Myth: Seed oils are highly processed. High heat processing alters the oils. Processing also removes beneficial antioxidants and polyphenols from the oils.
Truth: This is mostly true. The solution is to choose your brands carefully.
For oils choose reputable brands and choose ones that use low-heat processing. Also, look for ones with minimal processing. They may be cloudy rather than clear, but they will also contain naturally occurring antioxidants and polyphenols.
It’s not easy to choose your source carefully. But this difficulty is not unique to seed oils. For example:
The term EVO is supposed to mean extra virgin olive oil was used, but cheaper oils are sometimes blended into the olive oil to save money.
If a company wishes to use the term “grass fed” on their product, they must file a certification with the USDA, but the USDA does not inspect to determine whether the certification is accurate.
Seed oils are also found as an ingredient in unhealthy, highly processed foods. The solution here is simple. Avoid unhealthy foods. Adding a different kind of fat to unhealthy foods is not going to make them healthier.
For more details about each of these Truth statements, read the article above.
The Bottom Line
There are many myths about seed oils. Each myth has a kernel of truth but is mostly false. In this week’s “Health Tips From the Professor” I discuss the myths and truths about seed oils. Because this is a complex subject, I have broken it down into individual topics that address one or more seed oil myths before talking about seed oil myths directly.
The topics I covered are:
The truth about fats.
The truth about omega-6 fats.
The truth about saturated fats.
The truth about canola oil.
The truth about seed oils.
For more details read the article above.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.
My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.
For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.
Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.
Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”.
Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.
Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.
For the past 45 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.
For years we have been told to select low fat dairy foods. But recent headlines claim, “That’s nonsense. Whole fat dairy foods are healthy.” Are those headlines true?
In previous issues of “Health Tips From the Professor” I have kept you abreast of recent studies suggesting that whole fat dairy foods may not be as bad for us as we thought. I also cautioned you that the headlines may not have accurately represented the studies they described.
Headlines have to be simple. But truth is often more nuanced. If we believed the current headlines, we might be asking ourselves questions like, “Should we ditch the current health guidelines recommending low-fat dairy foods? Are foods like ice cream, sour cream, and cheddar cheese actually be good for us?
Spoiler alert: If I could summarize the study findings in two sentences, they would be, “Whole fat dairy can be part of a healthy diet. But can it be part of an unhealthy diet?”
Stay tuned. I will discuss the science behind that statement below.
How Was This Study Done?
This study started with data collected from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. The PURE study is an ongoing study correlating diet, lifestyle, and environmental effects on health outcomes. It has enrolled 166,762 individuals, age 35-70, from 21 low-, middle-, and high-income countries on 5 continents.
Habitual food intake was determined using country-specific food frequency questionnaires at the time participants joined the study. Participants (166,762) from the PURE study who had complete dietary information were included in this study and were followed for an average of 9.3 years.
Based on preliminary analysis of data from the PURE study, the authors developed their version of a healthy diet, which they call the PURE diet. Like most other healthy diets, the PURE diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fish. However:
Based on studies suggesting that whole fat dairy foods can be part of a healthy diet, the PURE diet includes whole fat dairy foods.
This is different from most other healthy diet recommendations.
They went on to develop what they referred to as the PURE healthy diet score by:
Determining the median intake for each of the 6 food groups included in their PURE diet (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and whole fat dairy).
Assigning each participant in the study a score of 0 or 1 depending on whether their intake for that food group was below or above the median intake.
Adding up the points. Since 6 food groups were included in the PURE diet, this means that each participant in the study was assigned a PURE diet score ranging from 0-6.
Once they had developed a PURE diet score, they expanded their data by including five additional large independent studies that included people from 70 countries. The combined data from all six studies amounted to 245,597 people from 80 countries. Of the people included in the data analysis:
21% came from high income countries.
60% came from middle income countries.
19% came from low-income countries.
This is very similar to the global population distribution. This is a strength of this study because it allowed them to ask whether the PURE diet score worked as well in low-income countries as in high-income countries.
Finally, they correlated the PURE diet score with outcomes like all-cause mortality, heart attack, and stroke.
Is Whole Fat Dairy Healthy?
The authors of this study divided the participants of all 6 studies into quintiles based on their PURE diet score and compared those in the highest quintile (PURE score of ≥ 5) with those in the lowest quintile (PURE score of ≤ 1).
The people in the highest quintile were eating on average 5 servings/day of fruits and vegetables, 0.5 servings/day of legumes, 1.2 servings/day of nuts, 0.3 servings/day of fish, 2 servings/day of dairy (of which 1.4 servings/day was whole fat dairy), 0.5 servings/day of unprocessed red meat, and 0.3 servings/day of poultry.
The people in the lowest quintile ate significantly less fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, and dairy; and slightly less legumes, unprocessed red meat, and poultry than those in the highest quintile.
However, they consumed significantly more refined wheat foods and white rice. This study did not track consumption of highly processed foods, but the high consumption of white flour leads me to suspect they ate a lot more highly processed food.
With that in mind, when the authors compared people with the highest PURE diet scores to those with the lowest PURE diet scores:
All-cause mortality was reduced by 30%.
Cardiovascular disease was reduced by 18%.
Heart attacks were reduced by 14%.
Strokes were reduced by 19%.
The PURE healthy eating score was slightly better at predicting health outcomes than the Mediterranean, DASH, and HEI (Healthy Eating Index) scores. But the differences were small. So, I still recommend choosing the healthy diet that best fits your preferred foods and your lifestyle.
The PURE healthy eating score was significantly better at predicting health outcomes than the Planetary diet score. I will discuss the nutritional inadequacy of “sustainable diets” like the Planetary diet in next week’s “Health Tips From the Professor” article.
Because of the size and design of this study, they were able to make three interesting observations.
The PURE, Mediterranean, DASH, and HEI diet scores were predictive of health outcomes in every country across the globe. You no longer have to wonder if what works in the United States will work in low-income countries and in countries with very different food preferences. Previous studies have not been able to make that claim.
2) You don’t have to be perfect.
A 20% increase (one quintile) in PURE score was associated with a 6% lower risk of major cardiovascular events and an 8% lower risk of mortality. In other words, even small improvements in your diet may improve your health outcomes.
The health benefits of the PURE diet started to plateau at a score of 3 (with 6 being the highest score). The authors concluded that most of the health benefits were associated with a modestly higher consumption of healthy foods compared to little or no consumption of healthy foods.
Simply put, that means the health benefits gained by going from a moderately healthy diet to a very healthy diet are not as great as the health benefits gained by going from a poor diet to a moderately healthy diet.
[Note: There are still improvements in health outcomes when you go from a moderately healthy diet to a very healthy diet. My recommendation: “You don’t need to achieve perfection, but you shouldn’t accept mediocrity”.]
3) The PURE diet score was more predictive of health outcomes in some countries than in others.
The PURE diet score was more predictive of health outcomes in low-income countries. The authors felt that was because low-income countries started with average PURE scores of 2.1, whereas higher-income countries started with average PURE scores of 3.5.
The authors felt this was another example getting more “bang for the buck” by going from a poor diet to a moderately healthy diet than from a moderately healthy diet to a very healthy diet. (Remember, the health benefits associated with improving PURE diet scores start to plateau at a PURE score of 3.
The difference in benefits for low-income countries compared to high-income countries was observed for the Mediterranean, DASH, and HEI diet scores. So, it is probably safe to say for any healthy diet you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be better.
The authors concluded, “A diet composed of higher amounts of fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and whole fat dairy is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in all world regions, especially in countries with lower income where consumption of these foods is low.”
Is It Dairy Or Diet?
The headlines are telling us that recommendations to choose low-fat dairy products are out of date. They say there is no reason to fear whole fat dairy foods. They are good for you. Bring on the ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese, and high fat hard cheeses!
As usual, there is a kernel of truth in the headlines, but headlines have to be simple. And the latest headlines are an oversimplification of what the studies actually show. Let me provide perspective to the headlines by asking two questions.
#1: Is it dairy or diet? A major weakness of this and similar studies is that they fail to consider diet context. What do I mean by that? Let’s dig a little deeper into this study.
Let’s start with a description of the PURE diet. It is a diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fish. In other words, it is a primarily plant-based diet.
Although the authors keep referring to the diet as one that includes whole fat dairy. It would be more accurate to say that it includes dairy, which was 30% low-fat and 70% whole fat.
The authors said that removal of any one food group from this combination reduced the predictive power of the PURE diet. In other words, the beneficial effect of 70% whole fat dairy is best seen in the context of a primarily plant-based diet.
The PURE diet was most effective at predicting health outcomes in low-income countries where a significant percent of the population consumes a primarily plant-based diet because meats are expensive.
So, a more accurate description of this study would be it shows that a mixture of low-fat and whole-fat dairy foods are a healthy addition to a primarily plant-based diet. But that is too complicated for a headline.
#2: If whole fat dairy can be part of a healthy diet, can it also be part of an unhealthy diet?
To answer that question let’s compare the potential effects of whole fat dairy on a primarily plant-based diet compared to the typical American or European diet.
Milk and other dairy foods are excellent sources of calcium, vitamin B12, and iodine and good sources of protein, vitamin D, choline, zinc, and selenium – nutrients that are often low or missing in plant-based diet. And this is true whether the dairy foods are low-fat or whole fat.
Primarily plant-based diets tend to be low in saturated fat, so the potential negative effects of adding a small amount of saturated fat to the diet may be outweighed by the beneficial effects of the nutrients dairy foods provide.
On the other hand,
The typical American or European diet provides plenty of protein and vitamin B12 and significantly more choline, vitamin D, iodine, and zinc than a plant-based diet. The added nutrients from adding dairy foods to this kind of diet is still beneficial, but the benefits are not as great as adding dairy foods to a primarily plant-based diet.
If you read the American Heart Association statement on saturated fats, it does not say that any amount of saturated fat is bad for you. In fact, small amounts of saturated fats play some beneficial roles in our bodies. The American Heart Association says, “Eating too much saturated fat can raise the level of LDL cholesterol in your blood…[which] increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.”
Here is where the problem lies. The typical American or European diet already contains too much saturated fat. Whole fat dairy just adds to that excess.
So, the most accurate description of this study would be it shows that a mixture of low-fat and whole-fat dairy foods are a healthy addition to a primarily plant-based diet but may not be a healthy addition to the typical American diet. But that is way too complicated for a headline.
You are probably wondering what this means for you. Here are my recommendations.
If you eat like most Americans, you should continue to follow the current health guidelines to choose low-fat dairy foods.
If you happen to be among the few Americans who eat a primarily plant-based diet, you will probably benefit by adding a mixture of low-fat and whole fat dairy foods to your diet.
The Bottom Line
Once again, the headlines are telling us that recommendations to choose low-fat dairy products are out of date. The articles say there is no reason to fear whole fat dairy foods. They are good for you. Bring on the ice cream, sour cream, cream cheese, and high fat hard cheeses!
As usual, there is a kernel of truth in the headlines, but headlines have to be simple. And the latest headlines are an oversimplification of what the studies actually show. In this post I looked at the study behind the most recent headlines and provided perspective to the headlines by asking two questions.
#1: Is it dairy or diet? A major weakness of this and similar studies is that they fail to consider diet context.
When you consider diet context a more accurate description of this study would be it shows that a mixture of low-fat and whole-fat dairy foods are a healthy addition to a primarily plant-based diet. But that is too complicated for a headline.
#2: If whole fat dairy can be part of a healthy diet, can it also be part of an unhealthy diet?
When you consider that question the most accurate description of this study would be it shows that a mixture of low-fat and whole-fat dairy foods are a healthy addition to a primarily plant-based diet but may not be a healthy addition to the typical American diet. But that is way too complicated for a headline.
You are probably wondering what this means for you. Here are my recommendations.
If you eat like most Americans, you should continue to follow the current health guidelines to choose low-fat dairy foods.
If you happen to be among the few Americans who eat a primarily plant-based diet, you will probably benefit by adding a mixture of low-fat and whole fat dairy foods to your diet.
For more information on this study, and the science behind my summary of the study, read the article above.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.
My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.
For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.
If you believe the headlines, olive oil is a superfood. It is often described as the star of the Mediterranean diet. It is referred to as the healthiest of dietary fats. Is this true, or is it hype?
Olive oil’s resume is impressive:
It is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, which…
Are less susceptible to oxidation than polyunsaturated oils.
Make our arteries more flexible, which lowers blood pressure.
Lower LDL-cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of heart disease.
Extra-virgin olive oil contains phytonutrients and tocopherols (various forms of vitamin E), which…
Have anti-inflammatory properties.
Improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.
Olive oil consumption is also associated with healthier gut bacteria, but it is not clear whether this is due to olive oil or to the fact that a Mediterranean diet is also richer in fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Several recent studies have shown that olive oil consumption is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. However, these studies were conducted in Mediterranean countries where the average intake of olive oil (3 tablespoons/day) is much greater than in the United States (0.3 tablespoons/day).
The amount of olive oil Americans consume decreases the risk of heart disease.
Whether olive oil consumption had benefits beyond a reduction in heart disease risk.
How Was This Study Done?
This study combined data from 60,582 women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study and 31,801 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study). The participants:
Were free of heart disease and diabetes at the start of the study.
Were 56 at the start of the study with an average BMI of 25.6 (Individuals with BMIs in the 25-30 range are considered overweight, so they were at the lowest end of the overweight range).
The Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professional Follow-Up Study are both association studies, meaning they looked at the association between olive oil consumption and health outcomes. They cannot directly prove cause and effect. However, they are very strong association studies because:
Every 2 years, participants filled out a questionnaire that updated information on their body weight, smoking status, physical activity, medications, multivitamin use, and physician-diagnosed diseases.
Every 4 years, participants filled out a comprehensive food frequency questionnaire.
In other words, this study did not just rely on the participant’s lifestyle, dietary intake, and health at the beginning of the study, as so many association studies do. It tracked how each of these variables changed over time.
The participants were followed for an average of 28 years and their average olive oil intake over those 28 years was correlated with all-cause mortality and mortality due to specific diseases.
Deaths were identified from state vital statistics, the National Death index, reports by next of kin, or reports by postal authorities.
Causes of death were determined by physician review of medical records, medical reports, autopsy reports, or death certificates.
Does Olive Oil Help You Live Longer?
During the 28 years of this study:
Olive oil consumption in the United States increased from an average of ~1/3 teaspoon/day to ~1/3 tablespoon/day.
Margarine consumption decreased from 12 g/day to ~4 g/day.
The consumption of all other fats and oils remained about the same.
As I mentioned above, olive oil consumption was averaged over the life of the study for each individual. When the investigators compared people consuming the highest amount of olive oil (>0.5 tablespoon/day) with people consuming the least olive oil (0 to 1 teaspoon/day):
Mortality from all causes was decreased by 35% for the group consuming the most olive oil.
However, the group consuming the most olive oil also was more physically active, had a healthier diet, and consumed more fruits and vegetables than the group who consumed the least olive oil.
After correcting for all those factors, mortality from all causes was decreased by 19% for the group consuming the most olive oil.
The authors concluded, “We found that greater consumption of olive oil was associated with lower risk of total…mortality… Our results support current dietary recommendations to increase the intake of olive oil…to improve overall health and longevity.” (I will fill in the blanks in this statement once I have covered other aspects of this study)
The authors also said, “Of note, our study showed that benefits of olive oil can be observed even when consumed in lower amounts than in Mediterranean countries.”
Are There Other Benefits From Olive Oil Consumption?
The study didn’t stop there. The investigators also looked at the effect of olive oil consumption on the major killer diseases in the United States and other developed countries. When they compared the effect of olive oil consumption on cause-specific mortality, they found that the group who consumed the most olive oil reduced their risk of dying from:
Cardiovascular disease by 19%.
Cancer by 17%
Respiratory disease by 18%.
Neurodegenerative disease (cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease) by 29%.
The reduction in neurodegenerative disease was much greater for women (34% decrease) than for men (19% decrease).
With this information I can fill in one of the blanks in the author’s conclusions: “We found that greater consumption of olive oil was associated with lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality… Our results support current dietary recommendations to increase the intake of olive oil…to improve overall health and longevity.”
Which Fats Are Healthiest?
The sample size was large enough and the dietary information complete enough for the investigators to also estimate the effect of substituting olive oil for other dietary fats and oils.
They found that every ¾ tablespoon of olive oil substituted for an equivalent amount of:
Margarine decreased total mortality by 13%.
Butter decreased total mortality by 14%.
Mayonnaise deceased total mortality by 19%
Dairy fat decreased total mortality by 13%.
The same beneficial effects of substituting olive oil for other fats were seen for cause-specific mortality (cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and neurodegenerative disease).
There was a linear dose-response. This means that substituting twice as much olive oil for other dietary fats doubled the beneficial effects on total and cause-specific mortality.
However, substituting olive oil for polyunsaturated vegetable oils had no effect on total and cause-specific mortality.
Now I can fill in the remaining blanks in the author’s conclusion: “We found that greater consumption of olive oil was associated with lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality. Replacing other types of fat, such as margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat, with olive oil was also associated with a lower risk of mortality. Our results support current dietary recommendations to increase the intake of olive oil and other unsaturated vegetable oils in place of other fats to improve overall health and longevity.”
What Does This Study Mean For Us?
As I said above, this is an association study, and association studies do not prove cause and effect. However:
1) This is a very strong association study because:
It is a very large study (92,383 participants).
It followed the participants over a long time (28 years).
It utilized a very precise dietary analysis.
Most importantly, it tracked the participant’s lifestyle, dietary intake, and health at regular intervals throughout the study. Most association studies only measure these variables at the beginning of the study. They have no idea how they change over time.
2) This study is consistent with several previous studies showing that olive oil consumption decreases the risk of dying from heart disease.
3) This study draws on its large population size and precise dietary analysis to strengthen and extend the previous studies. For example:
The study showed that increased olive oil consumption also reduced total mortality and mortality due to cancer, respiratory disease, and neurodegenerative disease.
The study measured the effect of substituting olive oil for other common dietary fats.
The study showed that increased olive oil consumption in the context of the American diet was beneficial.
I should point out that the headlines you have seen about this study may be misleading.
While the headlines may have depicted olive oil as a superfood, this study did not find evidence that olive oil was more beneficial than other unsaturated vegetable oils. Again, this is consistent with many previous studies showing that substituting vegetable oils for other dietary fats reduces the risk of multiple diseases.
The headlines focused on the benefits of increasing olive oil consumption. However, they neglected the data showing that increasing olive oil (and other vegetable oils) was even more beneficial (35% reduction in total mortality) in the context of a healthy diet – one with increased intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and long-chain omega-3s and decreased intake of red & processed meats, sodium, and trans fats.
So, my recommendation is to follow a whole food, primarily plant-based diet and substitute extra-virgin olive oil and cold pressed vegetable oils for some of the animal fats in your diet.
Some vegan enthusiasts recommend a very low-fat whole food plant-based diet. They point to studies showing that such diets can actually reverse atherosclerosis. However:
Those studies are very small.
The overall diet used in those studies is a very healthy plant-based diet.
The studies did not include a control group following the same diet with olive oil or other vegetable oils added to it, so there is no comparison of a healthy vegan diet with and without vegetable oils.
If you have read my book, “Slaying the Food Myths”, you know that my recommendations encompass a variety of whole food, primarily plant-based diets ranging all the way from very-low fat vegan diets to Mediterranean and DASH diets. Choose the one that best fits your food preferences and the one you will be most able to stick with long term. You will be healthier, and you may live longer.
The Bottom Line
A recent study looked at the effect of olive oil consumption on the risk dying from all causes and from heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. When the study compared people consuming the highest amount of olive oil (>0.5 tablespoon/day) with people consuming the least olive oil (0 to 1 teaspoon/day):
Mortality from all causes was decreased by 19% for the group consuming the most olive oil.
They also found that the group who consumed the most olive oil reduced their risk of dying from:
Cardiovascular disease by 19%.
Cancer by 17%
Respiratory disease by 18%.
Neurodegenerative disease (cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease) by 29%.
They also found that every ¾ tablespoon of olive oil substituted for an equivalent amount of:
Margarine decreased total mortality by 13%.
Butter decreased total mortality by 14%.
Mayonnaise deceased total mortality by 19%
Dairy fat decreased total mortality by 13%.
However, substituting olive oil for polyunsaturated vegetable oils had no effect on total and cause-specific mortality.
The authors concluded, “We found that greater consumption of olive oil was associated with lower risk of total and cause-specific mortality. Replacing other types of fat, such as margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat, with olive oil was also associated with a lower risk of mortality. Our results support current dietary recommendations to increase the intake of olive oil and other unsaturated vegetable oils in place of other fats to improve overall health and longevity.”
For more details and a summary of what this study means for you, read the article above.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Many of you may have seen the recent headlines proclaiming that a recent study has shown that margarine is healthier than butter.
Some of you may be saying, “I don’t believe it.”
Others may be saying, “Of course. Hasn’t that always been true.”
So, to clear up the confusion, let me share a brief history of margarine.
Margarine was invented in 1869 by a French chemist in response to a request from Napoleon III to create a poor man’s butter substitute. Napoleon’s intentions weren’t entirely altruistic. He also wanted a cheaper butter substitute for his armies.
Margarine initially encountered a strong headwind in this country. The dairy lobby influenced congress and state legislatures to pass numerous laws designed to increase the cost and reduce the desirability of margarine.
In the 1950s the ground started to shift. Scientists and the medical community started to recognize that saturated fats were a major contributor to heart disease. Suddenly, butter became a villain, something to avoid.
But that was a problem. Butter was preferred spread for bread and toast. It was used for cooking. It was ubiquitous. You may even remember the popular “I like bread and butter” song. What was a person to do?
At that time margarine was made by partially hydrogenating vegetable oils (usually corn oil because it was the cheapest). The hydrogenation converted some of the unsaturated fats in vegetable oils to saturated fats so that margarine would not be in liquid form at room temperature. However, the total amount of saturated fat in margarine was less than in butter, and the ratio of polyunsaturated fat to saturated fats was much healthier. Margarine took on a new luster. It was now the healthier alternative to butter.
Once margarine attained the “healthier” status, most of the anti-margarine laws were quickly abolished, and margarine quickly outpaced butter as the spread of choice.
In the 1980s the ground shifted again. A French study found the margarine increased the risk of heart disease more than butter. Further studies showed that the hydrogenation process created a novel type of fat called trans fats. By the 1990s it was widely accepted that trans fats increased the risk of heart disease even more than saturated fats.
Margarine became the villain, and butter was considered the more natural, healthier spread. By 2000 sales of butter once more surpassed those of margarine.
In 2018 the ground shifted once again. After almost 20 years of deliberation, the FDA banned trans fats from the American food supply as of 2018. Margarine no longer contained trans fats.
The study analyzed the fat composition of 53 margarine tub or squeeze products, 18 margarine stick products, 12 margarine-butter blend products and compared them with the fat composition of butter. The results are shown below:
There was no detectable trans fat in any of the margarine products. So, based on saturated fat content and the ratio of unsaturated fats to saturated fats, the margarine products were all healthier than butter. This is what the paper concluded.
But let’s look a bit deeper. First, we should look at the fat sources.
The saturated fat in the margarine products comes from either palm or coconut oil. There are claims that these plant saturated fats may be healthier than saturated fats from animal sources. But there are no long-term studies to back up those claims, So, I will simply consider them equivalent to any other saturated fat for this review.
Next, we should look at the labels.
The labels of most butter products are simple. Butter is sweet cream and salt. Unsalted butter is sweet cream and natural flavoring (usually lactic acid). This is the way that butter has been made for hundreds of years.
Margarine products are manufactured foods. They didn’t come from a cow. Their labels are significantly longer. And you should read the labels carefully.
Some margarine products are made with natural ingredients.
However, many margarine products contain preservatives and artificial flavors.
So, choosing between margarine products and butter is not as simple as looking at saturated fat content alone.
But what if you didn’t have to choose between margarine and butter? What if there were other options to consider?
What Should You Put On Your Toast?
Once you decide to look beyond margarine and butter you will find lots of healthy options. For example:
If you have ever eaten at a fine Italian or Greek restaurant, you may have had your bread served with olive oil to dip it in. Of course, this may be a better option for lunch and dinner than for breakfast. (I don’t think jam would pair well with olive oil.)
Nut butters are an excellent choice any time of day. Peanut and almond butters are the most popular, but there are many other nut butters to choose from.
Avocado is another excellent choice.
This just scratches the surface. There are healthier options for almost every palate.
If you look at the fat composition of my top four suggestions, you can readily see why they are healthier choices than either margarine or butter. They are much lower in saturated fat and high in heart healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Nut butters are also a good source of protein. And both nut butters and avocados provide nutrients, phytonutrients, and fiber you don’t find in margarine or butter.
There are also labels to consider:
Avocados are whole foods and don’t require labels. There are no other ingredients. What you see is what you get.
Olive oil is a bit more complicated. It is often blended with cheaper oils to reduce the cost, and that doesn’t always show up on the label. My best advice is to get extra virgin olive oil from a brand you trust.
With nut butters, you should read the label. For example, the ingredient label for almond butter should list almonds as the sole ingredient. Peanut butter should just list peanuts. However, some brands add other oils, sugar, emulsifying agents, etc. These are the brands you should leave on the shelf.
Our “go-to” spread is almond butter. I like it with cinnamon sprinkled on top, although sliced bananas and cinnamon is another excellent choice.
As for butter, we still like it on baked sweet potatoes and corn on the cob. We freeze our butter and cut off a slice whenever we need it. A stick of butter lasts us many months.
The Bottom Line
Now that trans fats have been removed from margarine products a recent study revisited the question as to whether margarine or butter was the healthier choice. On the basis of their saturated fat content, the study concluded that margarine products were healthier than butter.
However, that is just part of the story. When you look at the labels:
The labels of most butter products are simple. Butter is sweet cream and salt. Unsalted butter is sweet cream and natural flavoring (usually lactic acid). This is the way that butter has been made for hundreds of years.
Margarine products are manufactured foods. They didn’t come from a cow. Their labels are significantly longer. And you should read the labels carefully.
So, choosing between margarine products and butter is not as simple as looking at saturated fat content alone. But what if you didn’t have to choose between margarine and butter? What if there were other options to consider?
Once you decide to look beyond margarine and butter you will find lots of healthy options. I discuss my top 4 choices above.
For more details, read the article above.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Big Food Inc is not your friend. Big Food Inc follows the latest trends and is only too happy to give consumers what they want.
It’s hard to believe that breakfast cereals started as health food, but they did. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg was a Seventh-day Adventist who took over the Western Reform Health Institute in 1877 and renamed it the Battle Creek Sanitarium.
The investigators used data from the Mintel Global New Products Database, which tracks new product launches for foods and beverages. From this database they identified 1,200 new children’s cereals introduced in the US market from 2010 through 2023.
If the previous decline in nutritional value of breakfast cereals between the 1870s and 1970s can be described can be described as “appalling”, the latest results can only be described as disastrous.
Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.
