4 Reasons to Stick to Butter and Avoid Margarine

Remember "I can't believe it's not butter?" Well, don't let the tagline tempt you - when it comes to your health, there's no substitute for the real thing.

When looking for a spread for your morning toast, it's hard not to be overwhelmed by the plethora of margarines and other manufactured spreads that promise everything from "lowering cholesterol" to "heart health."

So, what's a health-conscious, savvy consumer to reach for when faced with these choices? 
Let's start with a short history lesson on margarine... a version of the margarine we know today was developed in a lab in the early 1900s. Seeking to provide an alternative for those who couldn't afford butter, chemists came up with different blends of oils that underwent a process called hydrogenation to harden them to become spreads. These spreads include fake flavors to simulate the real taste and consistency of butter.

Over the years, the look, taste, and appearance of margarine has improved considerably, but is there really a health or heart benefit? Is there truth to the claims of improved health?

As Marion Nestle so elegantly writes in her book, What to Eat, "No matter what their labels say, all margarines are basically the same - mixtures of soybean oil and food additives. Everything else is theater and greasepaint."

What are the health reasons to avoid margarine?

1. It contains Trans Fat: hydrogenation, the chemical process required to harden soybean and other oils into a spread, significantly increases the risk of heart disease. Walter Willet, MD, Professor of Epidemiology and Chair of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, states that trans fat represents "the biggest food processing disaster in history." Even if you avoid using margarine on your morning toast, it is in everything from bakery products to packaged crackers, cookies and desserts. It's hard to avoid unless you are making all your own food and eating at home.

2. It contains omega-6 fats: omega-3 fats are the necessary fats both our brains and bodies need to help lower inflammation, insulin resistance and disease processes. Omega 6-fats are necessary in small amounts, but have a pro-inflammatory effect. Research shows that 100 years ago, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in our diet was approximately 2 to 1. Estimates show as our food supply has changed the ratio is as high as 20 to 1 and rising, which may be part of the health epidemic with inflammatory conditions on the rise like arthritis, cancer and heart disease.

3. It contains emulsifiers, additives, artificial flavors and colorings: since the color of margarine is grey, it is bleached white with yellow dye added for the appearance of butter. The artificial flavorings are also added to create a butter taste. Finally, preservatives like BHT are added to create stability.

4. Many have plant sterols added: although plant sterols have been advocated as "heart-healthy" by some healthcare professionals, and are added to margarines to lower cholesterol, these estrogen compounds can lead to endocrine problems and actually promote cardiovascular disease.

So what is the alternative? The best choice is to use a little organic grass-fed butter. It's a real food, free of trans fat and additives. You may be worried about the saturated fat, but in moderation, it's better for you than the trans fats or other ingredients found in margarine. You can also substitute extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil high in monounsaturated fat. Your body prefers real whole foods in their natural state. Skip the man-made margarine and enjoy the taste of real fat for optimal health.

Move over Whole Foods and Make Room for Delicious Orchards

While in New Jersey, I got the chance to go shopping at Delicious Orchards with my cousin Brennan who is just about to graduate from high school.

It was like being at Disneyland for me, with the array of organic foods, delicacies and treats spaced strategically around the store.

 

Upon entering, there was the usual display of beautiful flowers and plants, and the bakery products and breads. It was not your typical bread aisle, but composed of healthy breads made by the bakery in house.  I quickly walked by till I got to the rest of the store, which was peeking my curiosity.

Delicious Orchards is unlike a regular grocery store in that there are no aisles.  More than three quarters of the store is produce – every type of fruit, and vegetable imaginable in season, along with rows of nuts, and seeds.

The inviting space was organic and free flowing – very similar to an open air market – where one could mingle and give thought to how one would nourish themselves.

There were cases of various foods spaced throughout the floor plan like organic, grass-fed cheeses, organic yogurts, teas, coffee, baking necessities (Bob’s Red Mill organic flours, spices, etc.), dark chocolate, and cases of wild fish, and some prepared food for purchase.

I did not find much of a scent of processed foods in a box, except a few healthy whole-wheat crackers.  It made me long for the day’s of the old Mrs. Gooch’s.

The only comparable store in Los Angeles is Sprouts, which is now opening a new store in West Los Angeles.  Although not as gourmet as this store, Sprouts has a similar feel and look and avoids the commercialese of other health food stores. The Santa Monica Cooportunity also has a similar feel, but not nearly as beautiful and inviting.

Brennan had finished checking out our food, and I was still inside longing to linger, but time was running out for our family gathering to begin.  Being in that store felt very familiar and made me want to return to Colts Neck, New Jersey just to shop there.  Later I found out from my Mother she took me there frequently as a little girl.

Remember your life is not a dress rehearsal.  Healthy shopping and eating is of the essence if you want to avoid health ramifications.  Finding a pleasant and inviting place to shop can be beneficial to your health and eating experience since it’s not too late to start your health plan now.

Eating my Way through the Garden State

Many of you know my roots started in New Jersey.  This past weekend I went to visit my 92 year old grandmother for Mother’s day as you never know when it will be your last with your only remaining grandparent.

I was able to more clearly see how moving to California and my current profession helped me escape the clutches of Italian food, diabetes and weight issues.  From the moment I was off the plane, the smells and sights of food were at my every step.

Navigating the menus of pasta, Italian pastries and goodies, I felt the full impact of my clients’ challenges with traveling and eating out.  How did I combine enjoyment with family, and the tradition of Italian food while still holding onto my clean eating?

Organizing your food for travel:

Although there is not too much you can bring on a plane, I always pack a quart-size bag of raw cashews, almonds, and pumpkin seeds so that no matter what I have a go to snack to pull out during the flight.

A few months back I got introduced to Simply Snackin’ – a beef and chicken jerky that is made from grass-fed beef along with limited healthy ingredients.  They are nicely packaged in single servings with approximately 8-12 grams of protein per stick.  I brought a few of these for Jeffrey and myself.

Finally, Jeffrey made 4 hard-boiled eggs and we brought a small blue ice to keep cold during the flight.  These snacks along with a few pieces of fruit and some raw veggies (carrots, celery) brought us to our destination without having to eat the less than optimal airline food.

Having a few items can not only be cost saving, but can leave your system energized and ready to go from avoiding overly salted processed airport and plane food.

Eating Out:

Sitting in a beautiful Italian restaurant on the Jersey shore looking at the ocean and the menus of pasta, pizza and the warm Italian bread at the table I thought about what one of my client’s had told me the previous week:  “Susan, I’m overwhelmed looking at menus.”   So what was my thought process? 

1. Thanks but no thanks – I ignored the pizza, pasta entrees and bread
2. I looked for the protein dishes, and found a chicken entrée, and a few fish and shellfish options
3. I asked myself what I felt like eating, what dish was authentic Italian and was there something I can’t readily get in California?

So what did I choose?  I did not really feel like fish and chicken is normally not that interesting but this chicken dish looked tasty and came with broccoli rabe and some other veggies.  When it came, although a bit salty for my taste, it was yummy and I was able to get my protein and veggies.

What did I do to enjoy a little of the Italian food that others were eating?  I got a forkful of al dente pasta with clams from my uncle and one of the porcini raviolis that were for the table.  Both were well worth the bite and all I needed for satiation.  I drank unsweetened iced tea as well as drinking in the view of the ocean and smell of the salt water.

Mother’s Day Italian Fest:

So what was on the menu?  Antipasto salad, cheese, grapes, assorted high carbohydrate appetizers, chicken cutlets, sausage and peppers, eggplant Parmesan, and baked ziti (baked pasta with cheese), in addition to multiple Italian pastries and cookies.

I had a small plate of the salad which, included veggies and cheese.  For the entrée I had one chicken cutlet that had melted cheese on top, a slice of the eggplant Parmesan and a few peppers.

I skipped the pastries and ate half of one of the anise biscotti since it was homemade from my cousin Tooter who taught Jeffrey and I how to make several wonderful Italian dishes we used for A Recipe for Life. 

For the rest of the meals, I had asked my aunt Marjorie to buy me plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and fruit so I could stay on track with my breakfasts’ and a few lunches that were free of family gatherings.  I went with my young cousin Brennan to this wonderful store Delicious Orchids (a future blog), where I found organic natural peanut butter for snacks with apples.

Flying home today I don’t feel like I have to detox from New Jersey eating.  I ate a bit more than I usually do, but nothing a few days of clean eating and exercise can’t fix.   Traveling and eating at family gatherings is not entirely within your control, but controlling what you can by bringing food and choosing as wisely as possible is doable for staying on the lifestyle track.  The last thing I wanted to feel today was a huge carbohydrate hangover and I can successfully report that did not happen.

Your Gut: The Gateway to Health?

I watched a recent you-tube video on “Debunking the Paleo Diet” that clearly showed that our ancestors ate differently than the current Paleo culture would advocate.  It is a fascinating talk by archelogical scientist Christina Warinner and worth the 22 minutes of your time.

However, this blog is not about the Paleo diet so if you are interested in my recommendations on it read this past blog.

This blog is about your gut and how important it is to overall health.  For starters, your gut is the biggest organ in your body and approximately 30 feet long.    Our intestines are the largest interface between the environment and us.  One single layer of cells separates the blood stream from the intestines.

Since food and health is my job, I constantly think about how health is affected by what we put in our mouths.  However, the last few weeks it’s really hit me how every morsel of food, where it comes from, and it’s integrity is key to overall health.

The gut is the organ that digests our food, is responsible for how it is processed for delivery to every organ and cell in our body.  If one is eating a processed diet with suboptimal nutrients this affects one at the cellular level. 

We all know that what we eat affects our health but do we really UNDERSTAND the ramifications of excess sugar, additives, preservatives, and toxic fats to our system, especially on a regular basis?

The take home messages from this video are sound:

We are evolved to eat fresh, whole foods.   Our guts are full of good bacteria that regulate and protect your immune system, and inhibit bad bacterial growth.  Whole foods have the complete package with fiber and roughage, which modulate metabolism and feed the good bacteria.

If we consume processed food full of preservatives we lose the connection and balance our bodies require.  The loss of fiber exacerbates risk of diabetes, obesity and cancer.  We lose the ability to know when we’re hungry or full.  Our gut stops protecting us from disease and dumps toxic substances into our system and we wonder why we don’t feel good or have the energy we want.

It’s all so simple:  eat whole real foods in season and stay away from the inside aisles of the grocery store.  You’ll know what’s in your foods, which will provide the nutrients and fiber you need for health.  Sounds to me like the gateway to better health!

Bananas, Sugar, and Resistant Starch

A resounding question I hear each week is:

“I’m supposed to avoid bananas – they have too much sugar, right?”

To answer succinctly, I don’t think anyone gained weight or suffered ill health (unless allergic) just from just eating bananas but here’s the more scientific response.

A fellow RD, Sofia Layarda, MPH, RD, wrote a great blog on the comparison of bananas versus apples and grapes with the breakdown of calories versus sugar, total carbs and fiber so take a look and see that bananas are right in line with other fruits.

What I wanted to address was the topic of resistant starch.  And WHAT is resistant starch?

Resistant starch is one of those substances your gut loves since it is not digestible in the small intestine but passes through to the large intestine where the healthy bacteria in your gut change it into fatty acids.

These fatty acids contribute to colon health since they make the environment less hospitable to bacteria that cause illness or potentially toxic or carcinogenic compounds.

Resistant starch also adds bulk to the stool, which helps with improved digestion and absorption.  In addition, resistant starch is associated with positive changes in metabolism since it linked to a lowered glycemic response to food, lower cholesterol and triglycerides levels, and increased satiety.

Finally, bananas have been linked to improved mood since they can slightly alter serotonin and dopamine levels.

The disclaimer is that to get the most resistant starch make sure your bananas have a touch of green or are a bit under ripe.  Eating ripe and spotted bananas will not achieve the same effect.

A healthier gut, improved metabolism and mood, and feeling more full?  Since your gut is the key to health (stay tuned for a future blog), I’d say eat a banana a day.