Q: A friend told me that experts now think that butter is better for you than margarine. He also tells me that margarine is only one molecule removed from plastic. I have heart problems so I would like to know which is better. My doctor still tells me that vegetable oil margarine is best. What do you think?
A: Butter is made from cow’s milk by agitating or churning the milk fat until it coagulates. Margarines are made from vegetable oils such as canola, corn and soybeans.
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The oils themselves are not the problem, but to make margarine solid, the fats undergo a process known as hydrogenation that converts the unsaturated fats to saturated. The more solid the margarine is at room temperature, the more saturated fat is present. Unfortunately a side effect of the hydrogenation process is the production of trans fatty acids. This raises the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood and is not good for anyone, let alone someone who has heart problems.
Some manufacturers whip in a little water to make the margarine lighter in fat content, but when used in cooking, this water evaporates. In general, the runnier the margarine at room temperature, the less hydrogenation has occurred, and the less the trans fat content. It does not matter which type of vegetable oil is used.
The pro butter camp argues that butter does not contain any trans fats and so is better for you. However, when totals of trans and saturated fats are compared in butter and margarine, vegetable margarine comes out the winner. As well, there are non-hydrogenated margarines available that contain no trans fats.
A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at 56 families that each followed two five-week dietary programs – one using margarine and the other using butter. They discovered that families that switched from butter to margarine had significantly reduced LDL cholesterol levels compared to those who used butter. In some cases this proved just as effective as using a cholesterol lowering drug. The only problem with this study was that it was supported by grants from the United Soybean Board and the National Association of Margarine manufacturers in the United States.
My knowledge of biochemistry is a little rusty, but it could well be true that margarine is related to plastic. Plastic is made from oil and so is margarine. It’s just a different type of oil. I think the same applies to processed cheeses.
If you are really serious about reducing your LDL levels, why don’t you try dipping your bread in olive oil like they do in Mediterranean countries where the rates of heart disease are much lower than here?
Supplements and surgery
Q: I am about to have surgery requiring a general anesthetic. The doctor has told me to discontinue my medications for a day or two before the surgery. I take some herbal supplements. Should I discontinue these as well?
A: Medications can sometimes interfere with the anesthetic or substances such as Aspirin can change the blood clotting mechanism and lead to excessive bleeding during surgery.
There are no reliable guidelines for taking herbal remedies and food supplements before surgery. However, garlic, ginseng and ginkgo are known to interfere with clotting time and may increase the risk of bleeding during and after surgery. Other herbal remedies can increase the heart rate and raise blood pressure. They may interfere with the way the liver and kidneys dispose of other drugs such as those used for the general anesthesia and could delay recovery. Sedative substances may either make it more difficult to put you “under” or again, delay recovery.
A few years ago, the University of Chicago published guidelines that suggested erring on the side of caution and not taking alternative remedies for about two weeks before surgery. Many doctors do not have any idea what these treatments do.
Clare Rowson is a medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
