The best ‘buttery’ spreads for your health – and the ones to avoid
Are you Team Butter or Team Spread? The relative merits of each have been the subject of slippery debate for decades. And with a wider range of spreads available than ever, it’s difficult to know which ones, if any, make healthy choices.
Spread has certainly come a long way since it was first made in France in 1869 from rendered beef fat churned with milk. By the 1970s, the popularity of spreads was growing, as we dutifully followed health advice to avoid saturated fat, the kind abundant in butter. As we entered the 2000s, spreads boomed; cheaper than butter, they were increasingly thought of as healthier, too.
Today we glide through more than 120 million kilograms of spread each year in the UK, according to consumer analysts at Mintel, not far behind the 147 million kilograms of butter we buy.
Our spread options are now many and varied, from spreadable butters right through to those designed to lower cholesterol. But what are we actually slathering on our toast when we reach for butter alternatives? And are they any good for us?
What are spreads?
Not so long ago, spreads were made by hardening vegetable oils into a butter-like consistency using a process called partial hydrogenation. This created trans fats, now known to be bad for heart health, so these days manufacturers of spreads sold in the UK use a different technique called interesterification to harden the oils.
“This method can harden vegetable oils to give them a butter-like consistency, making them suitable for spreads, while avoiding the health risks associated with trans fats,” says Alex Ruani, a doctoral researcher at University College London and the chief science educator at The Health Sciences Academy.
‘Margarine’ tends to be used as a generic term for any type of spread. Technically, it can only be used on packaging if the product has been fortified with vitamins A and D. But ‘margarine’ has fallen out of use; the term still carries connotations of unhealthy trans fats, and manufacturers now prefer to promote the healthy aspects of their products.
Different kinds of spreads
“There’s a broad spectrum when it comes to the healthiness of spreads,” says Nichola Ludlam-Raine, a registered dietitian and the author of How Not to Eat Ultra-Processed.
Some spreads contain a high percentage of healthy unsaturated fats, as well as added vitamins such as A, B12 and D, so they make good choices. “However, many commercial spreads are ultra-processed due to the presence of additives designed to alter flavour, texture, or shelf-life,” Ludlam-Raine explains. “Choosing less processed options often means selecting spreads that offer some health benefits, such as those with heart-healthy oils, without as many additives.”
Red flags that a spread is an ultra-processed food (UPF) are the presence of emulsifiers, preservatives, colours and flavours (whether natural or not) or other substances you don’t recognise on the ingredients list. Spread that contains just butter, water, oil and salt may not be a UPF, but it’s hard to know for sure. If the manufacturer has used interesterification to harden the oils, the product is a UPF. “The problem is, manufacturers don’t disclose whether the vegetable fats used are fluid or hard (interesterified).”
Generally, the shorter the ingredients list the better, Ludlam-Raine says, although this isn’t always the case. “Some spreads contain added vitamins, which would lengthen the ingredients list, but this isn’t a bad thing.”
We asked our experts to score a range of popular spreads for their healthiness, particularly how good they are for heart health. They took into account the amount of saturated fat and salt they contain, and whether they contain monoglycerides and diglycerides of fatty acids, kinds of emulsifiers. “These have been associated with higher heart disease and stroke risks,” Ruani says. However, she stresses that more research is needed into these substances. The amount of omega-6 fats have also been taken into account. “Too much omega-6 in the diet, in relation to omega-3, increases heart risk and inflammatory markers,“ she adds.
Buttery spreads
Spreadable butters contain butter (sometimes listed as cream or milk on the label) blended with rapeseed and/or other oils, water and salt. Their texture is soft enough to use straight from the fridge and – in theory at least – taste like butter.
Sometimes lactic cultures, known as ‘lactic acid bacteria ’, are added to enhance the flavour and make the buttery spreads softer and easier to use. Lactic acid bacteria are probiotics and have many benefits for gut health – but not when added to buttery spreads. “Their survival is very limited due to the high fat content, low moisture, and storage conditions,” Ruani explains.
Anchor Spreadable (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 63kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.1g
A nice buttery flavour, comparatively low in saturated fat and no emulsifiers but one of the more calorific spreads.
Health
Taste
Clover Spread with Buttermilk (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 59kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.5g
Rich in healthy unsaturated fats but relatively calorific and high in salt. Greasy in the mouth.
Health
Taste
Yeo Valley Organic Spreadable (unknown whether UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 63kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.3g
Comparatively low in saturated fat, a good amount of unsaturated fat and pleasant flavour. Comparatively calorific and high in salt but no additives.
Health
Taste
Standard spreads
The ingredients in these vary widely. Some contain several oils – rapeseed, palm oil, vegetable oil and/or sunflower oil are common. And lecithin (E322) sourced from soy or eggs is often used as an emulsifier and stabiliser to enhance the texture and extend shelf life.
“Anyone with a soy or egg allergy should closely check labels before purchasing these products,” Ruani advises. “Some spreads may also have small amounts of nut or seed butter (fat extracted from nuts or seeds), so if you are allergic to these, be sure to inspect the ingredients on the label before buying.”
These spreads generally contain added colours to give a buttery appearance, as well as flavours, so they’re UPF.
Flora Original (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 63kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.3g
Comparatively high in calories and salt, but low in saturated fat. Not much flavour, and while it contains added vitamins, it also has emulsifiers and other additives.
Health
Taste
Pure Buttery Taste Dairy Free Spread (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 48kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.5g
Contains traces of saturated fat, so scores highly for health when used as a spread. Not much flavour though, and leaves a greasy coating in the mouth, possibly from the added vitamins. Quite a lot of salt.
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Taste
Spreads that lower cholesterol
These are made from oils low in saturated fat, like those from vegetables, nuts and seeds, including sunflower, safflower, rapeseed, olive, peanut, walnut and corn oil. And healthful plant compounds called sterols and/or stanols are added to the mix. Various high-quality studies suggest these spreads may help reduce LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol, especially when consumed in several meals a day, Ruani says.
“Spreads fortified with sterols or stanols typically contain between 5.4 – 6.6g per 100g,” she says. “That means three or four 10-gram servings a day could help you meet the minimum intake for potential improvements in your cholesterol levels.”
Benecol Buttery Taste (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 54kcal
Salt per 100g: 1g
Low in saturated fat and rich in heart healthy unsaturated fats. Contains additives including emulsifiers, colours and flavours but also vitamins. Leaves a greasy taste in the mouth.
Health
Taste
ProActiv Buttery Taste (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 53kcal
Salt per 100g: 0.8g
High in healthy unsaturated fats, low in saturated fats with cholesterol lowering plant sterols. Tastes good, too, although comparatively high in calories and salt.
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Taste
Olive oil spreads
You might be surprised to learn there’s quite a low percentage of olive oil in these spreads, with vegetable oils like rapeseed and palm forming the bulk of the fats.
They’re still a healthy choice, as they do contain olive oil and are high in healthy unsaturated fats, says Ludlam-Raine. “But choose those with fewer additives where possible,” she recommends.
Bertolli with olive oil (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 53kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.1g
Comparatively low in saturated fat, but contains a small amount of olive and lots of additives including emulsifiers. Tastes bland and slightly greasy, possibly due to added vitamins.
Health
Taste
Waitrose Essential Olive Spreadable Butter (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 42kcal
Salt per 100g: 0.9g
Rich in heart healthy unsaturated oils, including 21 per cent olive oil, but also plentiful additives including emulsifiers and preservatives. A pleasant flavour.
Health
Taste
‘Lite’ spreads
These have a lower fat content than some other spreads, and are a lower calorie option, Ruani says. “It’s achieved through the addition of extra water, air for a fluffier texture, and sometimes fillers such as starches or whey powder to reduce the calorie count,” Ruani says.
Read the label, though, as they can be laden with additives.
Flora Lighter (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 25kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.2g
Although this spread is low in calories and rich in good-for-you unsaturated fats, it contains emulsifiers. Comparatively tasteless and greasy.
Health
Taste
Lurpak Lighter (unknown if UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 52kcal
Salt per 100g: 0.91g
Good flavour without being greasy, with the benefit of no additives, and comparatively low in saturated fats and salt. On the higher side in terms of calories.
Health
Taste
Clover Light made with buttermilk (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 46kcal
Salt per 100g: 1.4g
Quite salty with an unpleasant greasy taste that lingers. On the plus side, it is comparatively low in saturated fat.
Health
Taste
Bertolli Light (UPF)
Calories per 10g serving: 35kcal
Salt per 100g: 0.8g
Rich in healthy unsaturated fats including 10 per cent olive oil, low in saturated fats with the benefit of added vitamins. One of the lowest salt spreads tested but on the downside, it contains emulsifiers.
Health
Taste
How butter compares
In terms of creaminess and rich flavour, butter wins hands down, but that’s because it’s around 80 per cent fat, with the rest mostly water. Around 65 per cent of the fat in butter is the saturated kind, which we’re advised to limit our intake of, and significantly more than in spreads. But Ludlam-Raine says there’s no reason for healthy people to avoid butter completely.
“All foods can fit within a healthy and balanced diet,” she says. “However, individuals with specific dietary needs, such as those with high cholesterol, may find specially formulated spreads advantageous.”
Official health guidelines suggest no more than 30g/20g of saturated fat per for men/women. That means a 10g serving of butter – about two teaspoons – contains 8g of saturated fat.
