toast<\/a> every morning.<\/p>\nMonro puts it plainly: \u201cEvidence reviewed by the Heart Foundation shows that when plant-based oils replace butter in the diet, LDL cholesterol is reduced.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is one of the reasons replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats remains a key recommendation for reducing heart disease risk.\u201d<\/p>\n
The \u2018natural\u2019 argument doesn\u2019t hold up<\/p>\n
One of the main drivers behind butter\u2019s comeback has been the idea that it\u2019s more natural than margarine. Registered dietitian Julia Sekula, a spokesperson for Dietitians NZ, acknowledges the appeal \u2013 but pushes back on the logic.<\/p>\n
\u201cNatural doesn\u2019t automatically mean healthier. When it comes to spreads, the key nutrition difference is the type of fat they contain. <\/p>\n
\u201cSmall amounts of butter can absolutely fit within a balanced diet, but if you\u2019re using a spread every day on toast or sandwiches, choosing one lower in saturated fat is the better option.\u201d<\/p>\n
What you\u2019ll find on NZ supermarket shelves<\/p>\n
The spread fridge has become more complex. Alongside traditional butter and margarine, you\u2019ll now find olive-oil spreads, dairy-free options, cholesterol-lowering spreads with added plant sterols, and products marketed as \u2018buttery\u2019 that aren\u2019t butter at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing that can be confusing is that some products labelled \u2018buttery\u2019 are not actually butter blends,\u201d says Sekula. \u201cMany of these are vegetable-oil spreads that contain small amounts of milk solids or buttermilk to give a creamier flavour, but they are still primarily oil-based spreads.\u201d<\/p>\n
On olive-oil spreads specifically \u2013 a category that tends to attract a health halo \u2013 they can be similar in nutritional profile to a canola or sunflower oil-based spread, but with a different flavour profile. But take note, the name on the front of the pack can sometimes give the impression that olive oil is the main ingredient, when it may only be part of the oil mix. <\/p>\n
How to read the label<\/p>\n
The most useful number on any spread is the saturated fat per 100g, found in the nutrition information panel. Sekula\u2019s advice: compare products using the 100g column, and look for a lower saturated fat and sodium level.<\/p>\n
Check the ingredients list too \u2014 ingredients are ordered by quantity, so the main oils will appear near the top. If canola, sunflower or olive oil leads the list, you\u2019re looking at an unsaturated-fat-dominant product.<\/p>\n
The NZ spread fridge, ranked<\/p>\n
Using saturated fat per 100g as the primary measure, here\u2019s how common NZ products stack up:<\/p>\n
Better everyday choices <\/p>\n
Less than 15g saturated fat per 100g<\/p>\n
![\"\"]()
Flora ProActiv Light \u2013 8.6gMeadowlea Lite \u2013 10.9gFlora Light \u2013 11.8gCountry Soft Lite \u2013 12.5gOlivani Cholesterol Lowering \u2013 13.2gOlivani Avocado \u2013 13.4gFlora ProActiv \/ Flora ProActiv Buttery \u2013 13.4gOlivani Lite \u2013 14.5gMeadowlea Buttery \/ Meadowlea Original \u2013 14.9g<\/p>\n
Moderate choices<\/p>\n
15\u201320g saturated fat per 100g<\/p>\n
![\"\"]()
Flora Original \u2013 15.8gFlora Buttery \u2013 15.9gCountry Soft Spread \u2013 16.8gNuttelex Buttery \u2013 16.9gOlivani \u2013 17.6gNuttelex with Olive Oil \u2013 17.8g<\/p>\n
Use occasionally<\/p>\n
![\"\"]()
Anchor Original Soft Spread Light Dairy Blend \u2013 22.7gAnchor Original Soft \u2013 26.7gTararua Super Soft Spread \u2013 70g (significantly higher than most other products in this category)<\/p>\n
Are spreads an \u2018ultra-processed\u2019 food? <\/p>\n
Spreads are often grouped into the ultra-processed category, however, that label on its own doesn\u2019t tell the full story, says Sekula. Many everyday foods in our diets, are processed to some degree and that processing can play a useful role.<\/p>\n
In the case of spreads, Monro says; \u201cReplacing foods high in saturated fat with unsaturated fat alternatives is a key recommendation for supporting heart health\u201d.<\/p>\n
Which means, the fact that spreads are typically designed to be lower in saturated fat than butter, while still delivering the same functionality, can be a positive aspect of using them.<\/p>\n
And for those who prefer less processed foods, natural choices like avocado, or simply using no spread, are always an option. But there isn\u2019t strong evidence to suggest spreads need to be avoided altogether, particularly when they are helping to reduce saturated fat intake in everyday eating.<\/p>\n
How to fit spreads into your life<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you use a spread most days, choose one that is lower in saturated fat,\u201d says Sekula. \u201cButter can still be enjoyed occasionally, but it\u2019s better thought of as an occasional option rather than the everyday default.\u201d<\/p>\n
Monro adds that heart health ultimately comes down to the whole picture.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t come down to one specific food. What matters most is the overall dietary pattern, including healthy fats from foods like nuts, seeds, avocado and oily fish, alongside plenty of plant foods.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you want a simple rule of thumb, flip the pack over, find the saturated fat per 100g, and aim for less than 15g for everyday use. The front of the pack is marketing. The nutrition panel is information.<\/p>\n
Herald contributor Nikki Birrell has worked in food and travel publishing for nearly 20 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cIt\u2019s best thought of as an occasional, rather than an everyday, spread because it is high in saturated…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":361823,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[95,108689,5195,298,80134,5972,5818,14768,42,57096,43,69,48211,12508,30618,33285,87116,223,40,38,41,39,197],"class_list":{"0":"post-361822","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-and","9":"tag-arc","10":"tag-be","11":"tag-butter","12":"tag-butters","13":"tag-day","14":"tag-eating","15":"tag-every","16":"tag-headlines","17":"tag-healthiest","18":"tag-news","19":"tag-nz","20":"tag-ones","21":"tag-quite","22":"tag-reputation","23":"tag-shouldnt","24":"tag-spreads","25":"tag-the","26":"tag-top-news","27":"tag-top-stories","28":"tag-topnews","29":"tag-topstories","30":"tag-you"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361822","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=361822"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/361822\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/361823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=361822"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=361822"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=361822"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}