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Eco-Test Results Margarine brands are often deficient
Many people prefer to smear margarine instead of butter on their bread. Be it because they want to do without animal products or the vegetable fat is considered to be healthier and more environmentally friendly. What many consumers do not know: Margarine often contains palm oil, for whose production hectares of rainforest are cleared. Öko-Test looked at the spreadable fats and examined their origin and ingredients. The frightening result: Many organic brands are also contaminated.
Rainforest clearing for palm oil plantations
Margarine consists of 30 percent palm oil. The world's most widely used vegetable oil is derived from the fruits of the oil palm and is currently contained in every second supermarket product, according to the environmental and environmental organization "WWF". The problem with this: For the production hectares of rainforest are cut down. This has serious consequences such as the emission of immense amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and the loss of biodiversity.
The magazine Öko-Test has tested 20 margarine products and was in many cases awarded only a bad overall rating. (Photo: exclusive-design / fotolia.com) Manufacturers rely on RSPO certification
Many manufacturers are now using palm oil with RSPO certification, which confirms that the oil comes from sustainable production. However, a recent study by the magazine "Öko-Test" shows that even this certificate does not seem to warrant that the criteria for environmentally sound production are actually fully respected.
20 margarines and spreads in the test
Öko-Test examined 20 different margarines and spreadable fats in the laboratory, including the four organic products "Alnatura margarine tri-quarterfat", "Rapunzel Prima pure vegetable margarine", "Alsan-organic margarine" and "Landkrone organic margarine". Since all tested products contained palm oil, the testers required manufacturers to provide evidence of the origin of the oil or evidence of RSPO certification. According to the report, the testers received answers to 19 of the tested products, according to which 18 should contain exclusively RSPO-certified palm oil.
Not all manufacturers submit supporting documents
However, meaningful evidence about the entire manufacturing process was only supplied by the organic suppliers and the conventional manufacturers Walter Rau and Vandemoortele - in each case also for the respective discounter products. Sustainably produced palm oil can be found in "Deli Reform The Original", "Landkost Pflanzen Margarine" and the margarines of Aldi Süd, Norma and Globus (produced by Walter Rau) as well as those of Aldi Nord, Kaufland and Lidl (produced by Vandemoortele).
No information about health food margarine
The global corporation Unilever, however, remained guilty of its four tested products ("Homa Gold", "Becel Gold", "Rama Dreiviertelfett" and "Flora plant margarine") among other things, so Öko Test the criteria of the sent RSPO certificate only as " partially "satisfied. REWE, too, could only "partially prove" the required criteria from the experts' point of view. The provider Heirler did not provide any information for the "Eden Die Gute Pflanzenmargarine mit Sonnenblumenöl" from the health food store.
Fat pollutants in organic products
Even in the lab, the experts made some unpleasant discoveries. All four tested organic margarines therefore contained fat pollutants, with the highest load in the Alsan organic margarine was found. In addition, three of the four organic margarines only got a "satisfactory" (Rapunzel, Alsan) or "sufficient" (Landkrone) fat composition, as they provide abundant saturated but low-unsaturated fatty acids.
Too many saturated fatty acids
This can be detrimental to your health, as a diet high in saturated fat increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, among other things. In the overall judgment, only the Alnatura margarine achieved a "satisfactory" in organic spread fats, all others got a "sufficient" or even "insufficient".
Also unpleasant is that in all four organic products elevated to high levels of saturated mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH / POSH) were measured. These are sometimes suspected of being potentially carcinogenic and therefore should be used in food as little as possible. The highest value reached here "Eden Die Gute" by Heirler.
"That's annoying. All four organic brands are heavily contaminated. Why do not the manufacturers manage to get a better grip on this? ", According to the magazine Eco-Test Editor and Nutritionist Birgit Hinsch.
Discounter margarine performs best
In total, six of the spreadable fats tested achieved a "poor", including e.g. "Becel Gold", the "Yes! Pflanzenmargarine "by Rewe," Bellasan "by Aldi Süd and the" Landkost Pflanzen Margarine "by Walter Rau. The well-known "Rama" of Unilver and "Frisan" of Norma and "Eden the Good" rated the experts in total even with "insufficient".
The best overall rating was awarded to "Deli Reform The Original" by Walter Rau and "K-Classic Pflanzenmargarine" by Kaufland and "Vita D'Or Classic by Lidl" (both by producer Vandemoortele). These three came up with a "satisfactory" level of ingredients and a "very good" fat composition, all of which provided the necessary evidence of RSPO certification. (No)