Unilever Replaces Trans Fats In Spreads With Plant-Based Oils

Vegetable oil-based spreads were once marketed as a healthier alternative to butter, but have fallen into disrepute because partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) create harmful trans fats. Though PHOs have been removed from major spread brands, consumers still see them as highly processed and less natural than butter. To boost the image of spreads, Unilever is removing ingredients that consumers don’t recognize and replacing them with “plant-based oils that you would find in avocados or walnuts”. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, for example, is being advertised as a “delicious blend of plant-based oils, purified water and a pinch of salt”.