Why MeadowLea Is Better For Your Kids Than Butter
There's a lot of confusion about whether butter or margarine spreads, like MeadowLea, are better for you. Many dietitians and nutritionists recommend margarine spreads over butter for a number of reasons.
Here are 10 simple reasons why MeadowLea is a better alternative to butter:
- MeadowLea is made from plant seed oils, whereas butter is made from animal fat. Every tub of MeadowLea is made from the natural goodness of canola and sunflower seed oils, also known as 'good oils'. Scientific research now shows that these good oils are an important part of a healthy balanced diet.
- MeadowLea is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats; butter is rich in saturated animal fat. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are found in canola and sunflower seed oils. They are 'good' fats because they lower cholesterol in the blood. Saturated fats are bad or unhealthy fats because they can increase cholesterol in the blood.
- MeadowLea is a natural source of omega-3, whereas butter does not contain any omega-3. MeadowLea is made with canola seed oil, which is a natural source of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are "essential" fatty acids because they are vital for normal metabolism and cannot be synthesised by the human body. They also help maintain healthy heart function and general well being. Butter does not contain omega-3 fatty acids.
- MeadowLea plant seed oils are naturally cholesterol free, whereas the saturated fat in butter contains cholesterol. MeadowLea is made with plant seed oils which are naturally cholesterol free, whereas butter is an animal fat and contains around 8mg of cholesterol in a 10 gram serving.
- MeadowLea contains less trans fats than butter. MeadowLea contains less than 1% trans fatty acids, whereas butter contains 3% to 4% trans fatty acids. Trans fats are now being recognised as being even more harmful to heart health than saturated fats as they not only increase LDL-cholesterol ('bad' cholesterol) but they also decrease the protective effects of HDL-cholesterol ('good' cholesterol) in the body.
- MeadowLea contains 65% less saturated fat than butter. Saturated fat is known as a 'bad' fat as it raises cholesterol levels. In a 10 gram serving, MeadowLea Original contains 1.7g of saturated fat compared to 5.4g of saturated fat in butter. That's 65% less saturated fat than butter!
- MeadowLea contains less total fat than butter. MeadowLea contains 65% total fat, whereas butter contains 80% total fat - that's 15% LESS total fat.
- ALL MeadowLea products have the Heart Foundation Tick of approval; butter does not. MeadowLea Original has just earned the Heart Tick, which means now ALL MeadowLea products have the Heart Foundation Tick of approval. Butter does not have the Heart Tick due to its higher saturated fat levels.
- MeadowLea contains no artificial colours and flavours and has a natural buttery taste. MeadowLea contains no artificial colours and flavours. In fact, 99% of the ingredients used to make MeadowLea come from natural sources. MeadowLea also has a natural buttery flavour which gives it a delicious taste without the saturated and trans fat levels of butter.
- MeadowLea is perfect for cooking and baking. One of the simplest ways to reduce saturated and trans fat intake, is to simply switch from butter to MeadowLea # when cooking and baking. MeadowLea offers a great tasting alternative to butter and it's a simple change that will make a big difference!
#Excludes MeadowLea Extra Light which is not suitable for cooking and baking due to its low fat content.