In general, we eat a very low-fat diet. We always buy the leanest cuts of meat possible, and trim all visible fat. We eat low-fat dairy products, and try to keep high-fat treats (like ice cream and baked goods) to a minimum. I often saute veggies in broth, instead of oil, and we’ve eliminated most convenience foods and store-bought snacks from our diet. Until recently, we always used margarine instead of butter, because we thought it was better for our health.
However, there is great debate right now about which is worse – trans fat or saturated fat, such as in butter. Most doctors agree that the goal should be to eat as little of both as possible, although many people believe that trans fat, such as in margarine, is actually much worse for your body than saturated fat, because it causes inflammation.
Based on what I’ve read, I tend to agree. Which brings me to the point of this post – spreadable margarine. We used to use this product (usually Blue Bonnet or Country Crock) every single day on toast, waffles, and sandwiches. While spreadable margarines often claim to have “No trans fat,” what they mean is that if you use the recommended serving size, the amount of trans fat is small enough to meet government guidelines, so they can get away with making this claim. However, if you read the ingredients, you will still see “partially hydrogenated” oils. This is trans fat.
I decided to investigate Smart Balance, which is a trans fat-free spread, but I almost had a heart attack when I saw the price – $7.50 for a 45 oz container, versus $2.50 for Country Crock. Those of you who know me well understand that there was NO WAY I was gonna pay that.
Instead, I decided to investigate a different option, one that would allow me to have a buttery spread, with no trans fat, and a much lower amount of saturated fat than butter. I made my own spreadable butter.
A teaspoon of this homemade spreadable butter has no trans fat, and approximately 1 gram of saturated fat, versus 2.4 grams in regular butter. It also has poly and mono-unsaturates (from the canola oil) which are healthy fats. Plus, your butter lasts longer, and it tastes great!
The cost? $2.80 to make a 45-ounce container. Just slightly more than Country Crock. YAY!
Here’s what you need to make it:
A container with lid (I just washed and reused my Country Crock container)
Electric mixer
1 cup (2 sticks) butter at room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water at room temperature
Whip the butter until light and fluffy. With mixer still running, slowly add canola oil, then slowly add water. The mixture will be very light and fluffy, and quite pale in color, like this:
Transfer to clean storage container, and refrigerate until set.
