MYTHS AND TRUTHS – FLORA FAT FACTS – UNCOVERED
Did you know that FLORA spread was launched in 1964 when the bright minds in the government and medical profession came together and asked us to create a heart healthy alternative to butter, lard and hard margarines?
Since then weve kept working hard to create some of the heart healthiest yet tastiest spreads possible, which means weve learned a thing or two about good and bad fats. Thats why we thought wed share what weve learned with you, so that you can unravel the myths surrounding fats and make the best choices to help keep your heart healthy.
MYTH
ALL FAT IS BAD FOR YOU
TRUTH
SOME FATS ARE GOOD FOR YOU
Take polyunsaturated fats for example, which are important for maintaining a healthy heart as part of a balanced diet and are found in foods like seeds ,nuts & oily fish. The great news is that Flora spreads contain essential polyunsaturates, are low in saturates and are virtually trans fat free, so you can feel good about what you spread on your bread!
MYTH
LIGHTER PRODUCTS ARE ALWAYS BETTER FOR YOU
TRUTH
LIGHTER SPREADABLE BUTTERS ARE HIGH IN SATURATES
Even lighter spreadable butters have at least 60% more saturated fat than Flora Light spread, which is low in saturated fat and is still a rich source of essential fatty acids. As a general rule of thumb, the harder the fat is at room temperature, the more saturated fat it contains, e.g. lard, butter & cheese, so try to ensure you dont eat too much.
MYTH
ALL SPREADS ARE FULL OF TRANS FATS
TRUTH
FLORA SPREADS ARE VIRTUALLY TRANS FAT FREE
On the other hand, butter naturally contains trans fats, as well as saturated fats. As part of our commitment to improving the nations heart health, were committed to ensuring that the trans fat content of our products remains as low as possible. Both trans fats and saturated fats increase your levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol, but trans fats are the superbaddies as they decrease your levels of good (HDL) cholesterol too.
MYTH
USING BUTTER WONT DO ME ANY HARM
TRUTH
BUTTER IS HIGH IN SATURATED FAT
And in the UK we eat more saturated fat than is good for us. The amount of butter normally spread on 2-3 slices of bread (20g) contains approximately 10g of saturated fat – thats the same amount youd find in 5 rashers of streaky
bacon! Whereas the same amount (20g) of Flora Original only contains 2.4g of saturated fat, thats over 75% less than butter. Eating too much saturated fat can lead to increased cholesterol levels in the body, which has an adverse effect on heart health. All Flora spreads are low in saturated fat, virtually trans fat free and contain essential polyunsaturates so, as part of a balanced diet, they can help to keep your heart healthy.
MYTH
ONLY OLDER PEOPLE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HEART HEALTH
TRUTH
WE ALL NEED TO THINK ABOUT HEART HEALTH
Cholesterol deposits can start to build up in the arteries in early childhood, so its vital that children enjoy a healthy, balanced diet and an active lifestyle right from the word go. The good fats found in Flora spreads are not only essential for healthy growth and development now they can also help to maintain good heart health from childhood through to adulthood as part of a healthy balanced diet. So its never too early to start looking after your familys heart health – visit nevertooearly.co.uk for more information.
DID YOU KNOW?
THERE IS A FLORA PRODUCT TO SUIT EVERYONE.
Theres a whole range of Flora products for you and your family, created to suit your requirements and appeal to your taste. Flora Original and Light are firm family favourites. Flora Extra Light is perfect for people looking to cut back on their fat intake, Flora No Salt is for those cutting salt from their diet, while Flora Omega 3 Plus contains more of the most effective form of Omega 3 (EPA/DHA from fish) than any other spread, which is good for your familys hearts as part of a healthy balanced diet. And if you just cant do without the taste of butter, theres even Flora Buttery Taste!
DID YOU KNOW?
ITS NOW EVEN EASIER TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES.
At Flora, were committed to helping you make the right choices, which is why weve introduced a simple panel of information across the Flora range. We want you to know exactly what youre eating when you choose Flora, which is why we provide you with Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) information for certain nutrients. Take a look at the comparison between Flora Original and butter below, and youll see why its essential to have all of the facts in front of you when youre choosing what to eat. For more information about GDAs, click on florahearts.co.uk