As more studies highlight olive oil’s health benefits, many people are trying Bertolli olive oil spread to boost their wellbeing. But what is this product exactly? Is it genuinely healthy or mostly marketing? Should you swap your usual butter or margarine for it?
This post looks at the benefits and nutritional details of Bertolli olive oil spread so you can decide whether it’s a good cooking alternative for your health goals.
Main points
Bertolli spread isn’t just butter or pure olive oil — it’s a blend. It’s made from vegetable oils, olive oil and buttermilk (for flavor), and it’s fortified with vitamins A and D. That’s why it’s often called a “spreadable butter,” since real butter is a natural source of those vitamins.
Ingredients (Original)
Vegetable Oils (49%) (Rapeseed, Palm), Water, Olive Oil (10%), Salt (1.1%), Buttermilk (Milk), Emulsifiers (Mono- and Diglycerides of Fatty Acids, Lecithin), Natural Flavouring, Vitamins A and D
There’s only 10% olive oil in the spread, and it’s not extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the healthier option because it’s cold-pressed and less processed, keeping more polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. Regular olive oil still helps heart health thanks to monounsaturated fats, but extra virgin is better.
The main oils in Bertolli are rapeseed and palm. They’re not as heart-healthy as extra virgin olive oil, but they do have benefits:
– Rapeseed oil has less saturated fat than olive oil and contains some omega-3s, which can be good for the heart.
– Palm oil is higher in saturated fat and lower in monounsaturated fats than olive oil, but it’s still preferable to fats high in trans fats like hydrogenated shortenings.
Bertolli is fortified with vitamins A and D, which support bone health and the immune system. It’s not dairy-free because it contains buttermilk.
How it compares to butter and other fats
Bertolli spread has less saturated fat than butter: 16g per 100g versus 52.1g in real butter. It’s also lower in calories and has more monounsaturated fats.
One tablespoon (14g) of Bertolli olive oil spread contains about 74 calories, compared with 102 calories per tablespoon of butter.
Bertolli is free from trans fats. Trans fats usually come from hydrogenated oils, but Bertolli uses non-hydrogenated vegetable oils.
What about cholesterol and heart health?
If you have high cholesterol, cut down on foods high in saturated fat and replace them with options higher in monounsaturated fats — like olive oil, avocados and nuts. The NHS advises eating less butter, lard, ghee and foods that contain palm oil.
By those standards, Bertolli is a better option than butter because it’s lower in saturated fat and has no trans fats. However, it contains only a small amount of olive oil and includes palm oil, so it’s not the best choice for lowering cholesterol on its own.
Simply swapping butter for Bertolli is unlikely to significantly lower your cholesterol. To really improve cholesterol levels you should also eat more fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fiber, cut back on sugar and processed foods, and get regular exercise. Talk to your doctor for personalized advice.
Bottom line
Bertolli olive oil spread has fewer calories and less saturated fat than butter and is fortified with vitamins A and D. But it’s made from a blend of oils — including palm oil — and contains only 10% olive oil, so it isn’t as heart-healthy as extra virgin olive oil. If you want a healthier choice than butter, Bertolli is reasonable, but extra virgin olive oil is the best option for maximizing olive oil’s health benefits.
Related content:
Best Olive Oil Spreads You Can Buy in the UK
Is Olive Oil Mayonnaise Healthy?