Oil spread

Oil spread refers to a special type of products that are made based on dairy or vegetable fats. The spread includes fats, the indicator of which often reaches 95%. The new type of oil got its name from the word spread, which means to smear in English. Oil spread is really different for its good consumer qualities. It spreads easily, even if you've just taken a package of spread out of the fridge.

Spread composition

In addition to fats, the chemical composition of the spread includes quite saturated fatty acids, as well as vitamin A. At the same time, the harm of the spread may be the content of a large amount of cholesterol in the product. The usual composition of the ingredients for the spread looks like this: natural or modified vegetable oils, cream or butter, milk fat and various food additives, including dyes, preservatives and flavor enhancers.

Types of spread

The following types of spread are distinguished:



cream-vegetable or spread, which contains fats more than 50% of its composition, this product is considered a subspecies of butter.

vegetable and cream spreads contain up to 49% fat in their composition.

vegetable-fat spreads are considered a subspecies of margarine, because they do not contain dairy fats and components in their composition.



The appearance and taste of spreads are subject to special requirements that help distinguish a quality product. For example, the spread should have a uniform consistency, white or light yellow, the appearance of the product should be glossy. The taste of the spread can vary depending on the manufacturer and the set of dietary supplements. Therefore, spreads are sour, sweet and creamy to taste.

Spread harms

As in most cases, the main harm of the spread lies in the composition of the product, which contains cholesterol, as well as trans-isomeric acids that contribute to the development of cancer and infertility, as well as Alzheimer's disease. In some countries, the use of such fatty substances is not allowed in the production of food.

Recent studies have shown that excessive spread harm can be avoided by replacing the oils in the product with palm or coke oil, which does not contain dangerous fatty substances. The researchers also focus on the content of soybean and sunflower oils in the spread. Such oils, after treatment, pose a danger to human health, so it is better to completely exclude them from the product.

The most high-quality and harmless to human health are spreads that are obtained from several fats by enzyme transesterification, which allows you to affect the product with high temperatures and minimize the content of harmful substances.