At your last annual physical, you learned that your blood cholesterol levels were elevated. As a result, you decided to take your doctor’s advice and meet with a dietitian to fine tune your diet. Your nutritionist recommended a diet plan that was low in fat and cholesterol. You cut out most foods rich in saturated fats from your diet, but when it came to using butter or margarine you asked, “which one is better?” Butter and some margarines have been shown to raise the LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels in the blood, but now there is a butter substitute that has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol.

Benecol^® is a margarine-like spread you can add to your shopping list without the heart risk and guilt. When taken in the recommended amounts, it has been proven to lower LDL cholesterol levels by up to 14 percent while maintaining HDL or “good” cholesterol levels. It has been shown to start working in just two weeks. With unique ingredients called stanol esters, derived from the wood pulp of pine trees, Benecol^® blocks cholesterol and prevents its absorption into the body. In order to get the cholesterol-lowering effect, you need to use two to three tablespoons of Benecol^® per day (one serving per meal or snack). In fact, it can be used in place of butter or margarine on breads, vegetables, crackers, hot cereals, and potatoes. And, for those who are weight-conscious, there is a reduced-calorie light spread. Each tablespoon of Benecol^® contains 80 calories and can be used for baking and cooking, while Benecol^® Light contains 45 calories per tablespoon and is best used melted over your favorite food.