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46
Families End the Margarine vs. Butter Debate
Margarine
Significantly Lowers Cholesterol Compared to Butter
ATLANTA
(December 6, 2000) -- Groundbreaking research published in
the December 6, 2000 Journal of the American Medical Association
ends a common diet debate by proving that margarine is a more
heart-healthy choice than butter. In the first ever head-to-head
competition evaluating the health benefits of margarine versus
butter in families, margarine wins hands down.
The
research, "Individual Cholesterol Variation in Response to
a Margarine- or Butter-Based Diet," involved 46 biological
families (226 individuals in all, with 92 adults and 134 children
as young as six years). The end result? Regular soft margarine
significantly lowered total cholesterol and bad (LDL) cholesterol
when compared to butter. In about one-fourth of the study
population, the margarine-based diet even lowered total cholesterol
levels as much as cholesterol-lowering medication.
Margo
Denke, M.D., an associate professor of medicine and nutrition
researcher at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical
Center at Dallas, notes that compared to butter, the margarine
lowered levels of the LDL (bad) cholesterol by an average
of 11 percent in adults and 9 percent in children. Total cholesterol
levels were significantly reduced as well and did not affect
the levels of the good (HDL) cholesterol. Such reductions
in cholesterol levels can result in dramatic improvements
in heart-health over one's lifetime. It is a well-established
fact that reductions in blood cholesterol result in a reduced
risk of coronary heart disease.
The
study, which was designed to evaluate responsiveness to diet
within families, confirmed that almost everyone can benefit
from a heart-healthy diet. This was done by testing the simple
change of one food component - margarine or butter. Results
were similar for both adults and children, an important finding
since other research has confirmed that heart disease begins
developing in childhood.
The
research findings support findings of ten other recent research
studies which have found that commonly available margarine
products are a significantly better choice than butter when
it comes to maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels.
The
margarine used in this study was chosen because it is representative
of the types of margarines consumers can currently select
in grocery stores today. The study results also support recommendations
from the American Heart Association and the National Cholesterol
Education Program to select softer margarines instead of butter.
So
if consumers have been confused about which is healthier --
margarine or butter -- this research certainly demonstrates
that the simple substitution of margarine for butter can make
a significant difference in an entire family's heart-health.
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Reference:
Denke, M., Adams-Huet, B., Nguyen, A. Individual Cholesterol
Variation in Response to a Margarine- or Butter-Based Diet.
Journal of the American Medical Association. December 6, 2000.
Vol. 284. No. 21.2740-2747.
Note:
The JAMA study was supported by a grant from the United Soybean
Board and the National Association of Margarine Manufacturers,
and by the General Clinical Research Center at UT Southwestern
(U.S. Public Health Service grant).
For
Further Information:
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