Fat facts

The role of fats and oils in the body

Fats and oils are essential for growth and development throughout all life stages. They give our bodies energy to work and exercise, as well as providing essential fatty acids and vitamins.

Different types of fats

Fats are an important part of everyday eating and we should not try to exclude them. However, it is important to choose the right type of fats and oils to eat.

There are two main types of fats and oils in foods:




• Saturated fats and trans fats are ‘bad’ or unhealthy fats because they increase cholesterol in the blood.

• Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are ‘good or healthy fats because they lower cholesterol in the blood.

Here is a table to show you where different types of fats are found in foods:




Is MeadowLea a ‘good’ fat?

YES! MeadowLea is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. This is because MeadowLea is made from ‘good’ oils like canola and sunflower oils. These oils are naturally cholesterol free. Scientific research shows that these good oils are an important part of a healthy balanced diet.

The canola oil in MeadowLea is a natural source of omega-3. Omega-3 fats are valuable nutrients in a healthy diet – scientific evidence shows that omega-3 fats are beneficial throughout all stages of life, with the largest body of research proving that omega-3 fats are essential for healthy development and function of the brain and eye, and supportive of good cardiovascular function.

One of the easiest ways to reduce you saturated fat intake is to switch from butter to margarine spreads like MeadowLea. MeadowLea has 65% less saturated fat than butter. Each 10 gram serving of MeadowLea (enough for two slices of bread) contains 1.7g of saturated fat compared to 5.0g of saturated fat in butter. Saturated fat is known as a ‘bad’ fat as it can raise cholesterol levels. MeadowLea also contains significantly less trans fat than butter. It contains less than 1% trans fat, whereas butter contains 3 - 4% trans fat.

Click here for more reasons to switch to MeadowLea.

There has been some discussion in the media lately around Trans Fat, this is a complicated topic. For more information on trans fats click here.