The Bread-spread Solution

Move Over Butter
Margarines have been competing with butter ever since 1869, when the Emperor of France offered a prize to anyone who could make a substitute for butter. A French chemist invented a substance he called oleomargarine. Soon after, the United States attempted to restrict the sale of margarine by enacting legislation. One law required that margarine be tinted a soft blush color. Would you want to spread pink margarine on your toast? I didn’t think so. Bans on coloration became common worldwide and endured for nearly 100 years.

Margarine Gets a Makeover
When margarine was first introduced into the market place, it contained trans fats from the process of hydrogenation. In recent years, recipes have been revised in light of new knowledge about the negative health effects of trans fats, and non-hydrogenated margarines are now widely available.

Vegetable oil margarine is growing in popularity and provides both vegan and pareve options. Take Earth Balance whipped spread, for instance, is 100% vegan and has no hydrogenated oils or trans fats. Certified organic, this buttery spread is also gluten free and has 100 calories per tablespoon. Packaged in a tub, it has the consistency of firm butter. Allow it to sit out and it softens like margarine. The label claims that it tastes, spreads, and cooks like rich butter. The patented formula of oils was created by nutrition researchers at Brandeis University. One serving yields an 8:1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3’s (Omega 3 = 340 mg and Omega 6 = 2720 mg).

Fat-Free Fails the Taste Test
There’s no need to switch to a fat-free margarine. In fact, unsaturated fats, especially polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, are good for you. Personally, I think the fat free margarines should be fed to Oscar—my garbage disposal. One of the popular brands, spread on toast, couldn’t compete with natural, unprocessed, no-additives butter in terms of flavor.

Fat-Free Foils Weight Loss Efforts
One of the most common mistakes I see among weight loss clients doing is the elimination of most sources of fat from their diets. For lunch, they might have a tuna sandwich made with fat-free mayonnaise. Their thinking goes something like this: “If I don’t eat fat, I will burn more body fat.” Yet, a recent study failed to demonstrate this. Women who consumed a fat-free lunch went on to eat 81% more calories at the evening meal. It’s critical to ingest an adequate amount of fat for proper immune function as well as permanent weight loss. In addition, when people get hungry soon after a meal they tend to overcompensate for the missing calories at the next meal.

Move Over Mayo
Instead of using a fat free mayo, try Vegenaise, a dressing is made from canola oil. It delivers all the taste of real mayonnaise without the usual eggs, dairy products, refined sugars, fillers, or preservatives. I use it for tuna sandwiches and can’t tell it from light mayonnaise. Vegenaise is available in stores nearly everywhere in the United States, but you won’t find it on a shelf with the other salad dressings. It’s a fresh product, available only in the refrigerated case. Vegenaise comes in four varieties: original, grapeseed oil, organic, and expeller-pressed.

Nuts for Peanut Butter
Peanut Butter is still America’s favorite sandwich filling, whether it is married with jelly or other sweet nothings. “The Nutty Mallow (peanut butter with marshmallow cream) and The Buckeye (peanut butter with a chocolate hazelnut spread) are the most popular made to order sandwiches at Krema Nut Company,” according to Brian Giunta, senior vice president. But the Classic Old Timer is quickly catching up. This sandwich is made with crunchy natural peanut butter with freshly sliced strawberries and a wonderful strawberry preserve.

Make Way for the Almighty Almond
Sales of almond butter are still climbing. Almonds are frequently in the news for myriad benefits, including cardiovascular, diabetes, and weight management. The sodium content is significantly lower than peanut butter at only 55 milligrams versus 140.

Check Out These Chicks
The sandwich has survived the low carb craze, competition, and even shorter lunch breaks, but it still remains one of America’s favorite eats. Newer sandwich spreads on the market include hummus, made from garbanzo beans, or chickpeas, in a variety of flavors, including roasted garlic, fiery red pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes. My favorite way to enjoy it is spread on tortilla chips or Wheat thins toasted chips.

Try These Delightfully Different Sandwiches

Fruit Nut Delight
Spread almond butter on the inside of a pita. Add fresh sliced peaches (leave whole until ready to serve, then slice and add to sandwich) or peach jam. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds, if you like.

Asian Surprise
Sauté onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and Asian greens (Chinese cabbage, bok choy, etc) in oil and soy sauce until tender. Add to the inside of kangaroo or pocket bread spread lightly with peanut butter.

Middle Eastern Peace Bagels
Spread halved bagels with cream cheese and store-bought hummus. Add thinly-sliced cucumbers, chopped lettuce, tomato, and toasted sesame seeds.

—Lynda Murray, MA, RD, LD, CSSN