In the Western countries, there is a general consensus among the health experts that we tend to eat too much fat, particularly saturated fat, and that reducing the overall amount of fat in our diet can help us to be healthier.
As such, food manufacturers are now producing a wide range of low-fat products, including low-fat and reduced-fat spreads based on butter or margarine. These spreads contain considerably more water than is permitted in margarine or butter and, as a result, a number of emulsifying agents are added to them to prevent the fats and water from separating.
Labelling regulations require that these additives are declared. However, we must remember that most foodstuffs are ultimately made of chemicals and there is just no legal requirement to declare the chemical composition of butter.
So if using a low-fat spread can help to reduce our intake of fat, it is generally an accepted healthier choice than butter or ordinary margarine.
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