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For Parents & Families Margarine Spreads Understanding
the Nutrition Facts Panel: Margarine vs Butter
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With standard Nutrition Facts panels appearing on most
foods found in the grocery store, you can easily compare the nutritional
content of each when making heart-healthy choices.
Compare butter and margarine spreads for example. Margarine spreads, like
the one shown here in this Nutrition Facts panel illustration, contains
no cholesterol, less than two grams of saturated fat and no trans fat
per serving. Compare that to butter, which has seven grams of saturated
fat, 31 milligrams of cholesterol, and no trans fats. The margarine spread
is clearly the healthier alternative.
“Look at the Nutrition Facts panel when comparing products. Choose foods low in the combined amount of saturated fat and trans fat and low in cholesterol as part of a nutritionally adequate diet.”
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
| Butter | Margarine Spread (an example) |
|
Saturated Fat : 2 grams |
| Saturated Fat : 7grams + Trans Fat: 0 grams Combined Amt.: 7grams Cholesterol: 30 mg. 10 % DV |
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), saturated fat and cholesterol have been included on the Nutrition Facts panel since 1993. As of January 1, 2006, foods will also include the amount of trans fat as part of the Nutrition Facts panel. However, the trans fat content is now being listed on a variety of foods.
Beginning in 2006, FDA notes, “…consumers now know for the first time how much of all three -- saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol -- are in the foods they choose…. This revised label, which includes information on trans fat as well as saturated fat and cholesterol, will be of particular interest to people concerned about high blood cholesterol and heart disease. However, all Americans should be aware of the risk posed by consuming too much saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol.”
For more information about trans fats and the new Nutrition
Facts panel, go to:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/transfat.html
