What's the best low-fat type of butter substitute. I LOVE butter and almost hope you advise me to simply use miniscule portions of it when I must absolutely have it (on fresh warm bread, eg).

Dear Sarah,

I think you'll like my answer! Of course from a flavor standpoint, it is a matter of opinion, but I agree, there is nothing that substitutes for the taste of butter in many places, fresh bread being one of them. You'll be happy to know, that some of the attempts at copy cat substitutes are really no better for you nutritionally than the real thing. That doesn't mean that butter would be better than an alternative (from a fat perspective) such as jam or non-fat yogurt cheese. However, there are many light margarines, and fake butters on the market that tout themselves as healthier alternatives to the saturated fat of butter.

The fact of the matter is, these products are made up of vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated (made more solid so you can spread them). As a result the oil has become less polyunsaturated (more saturated like butter). Also during the process of hydrogenation the molecular configuration of the fat molecule has changed from its natural 'cis' position to an unnatural 'trans' position, creating a kind of fat called a trans fatty acid. The significance of this change is what is important.

Although there are plenty of studies still in the works, there is some very compelling evidence that these fats are worse than those they were intended to replace. Some studies are revealing its negative impact on blood cholesterol levels. A report recently released showed a link between trans fatty acids and breast cancer, and most disturbing is the studies that indicate the possibility that trans fatty acids compromise fetal and infant early development.

Due to this evidence, I don't recommend any low fat type of butter-wanna-be. But the question still remains, to use or not use butter? There are some healthier alternatives to using butter that you can try.

If the meal is appropriate for this flavor, spreading a little olive oil on the bread is delicious! Olive oil is a healthy mono-unsaturated fat. If it is breakfast bread you are concerned about, a traditional idea would be a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar, or a light spreading of honey or a favorite jam. Some folks make their own yogurt cheese, mix in a little honey or jam, and spread that on toast. Jarred baby food can also make a good spread, particularly the pureed fruits.

I almost always use a teaspoon of real butter on my morning bread. That is because I take into account not just that food, or even that meal, but my whole diet for the day (or for a few days) and decide how I plan on spending my allotted fat calories. You are no doubt aware of the recommendation to get no more than 30% of your calories from fat. (So if you eat 2,000 calories a day, you can get 600 calories from fat,or 67 grams worth). Of course ideally we would eat much less than that, but the upper limit is posted at 30%. Of that 30%, only 1/3 should come from saturated fat. One teaspoon of butter contains about 4 to 5 grams of mostly saturated fat. This is well within my limits for fat. I can also balance that fat intake with the rest of the meal, making sure other food included are low or non-fat.

The rest of may breakfast would include juice, non-fat yogurt on top of fresh fruit, and whole wheat toast under that pat of butter. What you need to do is consider all the foods you eat and know where fat comes from, than you balance higher fat foods with lower fat foods. You can do this at each meal, but you don't have to. If you want toast, eggs, and bacon, then for lunch and dinner you'll want to go the low to non-fat route. If it is the holidays you are dealing with, and a few days go by where you know you've gone over your fat limits, balance it out during the following days.

I hope that answer satisfies!! Thanks for writing.