A healthful, tasty spread.(fat foods test results)

Trans fat is good for margarines and spreads--hydrogenation, which creates trans fat, solidifies and stabilizes them--but bad for the people who eat it. Trans fat boosts the risk of heart disease by raising bad cholesterol and lowering good.

In the past, you could tell that a food had trans fat only by reading its ingredients: "Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" meant trans fat. But as of Jan. 1, 2006, the government is making all food products with a nutrition label list trans-fat content. The new rule lets a product call itself trans-fat free if it has less than 0.5 grams per serving.

We chose 13 trans-fat-free spreads and a trans-fat-free margarine, all in tubs, and had trained tasters try them plain, on bread, and on toast. Here are the results:

The taste. Best overall was Smart Balance. Tasters called it "a butter-fooler" with plenty of dairy flavor. The rest had less dairy flavor and more artificial-butter flavor, and were salty. Most also had a slight Crisco-like feel in the mouth, not present in Smart Balance. All the products spread easily on bread and toast (Smart Balance was firmest, but didn't rip bread). All melted partly or completely on toast.

The nutrition. All the tested spreads are lower in total fat and calories than the average butter or margarine. Stick margarines may have some trans fat; butter is officially trans-fat free. Products labeled trans-fat free may still list partially hydrogenated oil as an ingredient. The mixed message occurs when each serving has less than the 0.5-grams limit.

The bottom line. Smart Balance won for taste. The rest tasted quite similar to one another. If total fat is your main concern, buy a spread with "light" in its name. To lower blood cholesterol, try Benecol or Take Control. Studies suggest that they can do so, though you'll pay extra. Cost is based on what we paid locally. Lower-fat spreads usually aren't great for baking or sauteeing, but results vary with recipe, heat, and cookware.

 
Within groups, in alphabetical order. 
 
                                                 Per tablespoon 
 
                                                               Total 
Product                                   Cost     Calories   fat (g) 
 
VERY GOOD 
 
Smart Balance       ...