Ask the Expert: Cooking

Q. Should I use butter or margarine?

A. If you’re choosing butter or margarine in moderation, or less than a tablespoon per day, use whichever fat you prefer. For weight loss, margarine and butter both provide the same total fat and calories. However, if you tend to be heavy handed with the butter knife, then margarine, specifically one that’s trans fat-free, will likely be your best bet for heart health. (Trans fats act similar to blood cholesterol-raising saturated fats in the diet.) But don’t forget, flavor and enjoyment are important for lifelong healthy eating habits too. So, make sure you like the taste of what you use.

Q. Why is olive oil better to use than other vegetable oils (is it)?

A. Olive oil is a vegetable oil. As far as total fat and calories are concerned, all oils are created equal. Why you may hear or read so much about olive oil is because it’s high in heart-healthful monounsaturated fat and relatively low in the "bad fat" called saturated fat. Compared to other commonly used vegetable oils, olive oil contains the greatest percentage (74%) of monounsaturated fat. If you choose extra virgin olive oil, you’ll get plenty of flavor too! Many vegetable oils, such as sunflower or safflower, provide little flavor. A good rule of thumb—or tongue: make your fat calories count!

Q. Is it true that you should no longer mix rice and beans? I recently heard that starch and protein should not be eaten together.

A. No, it’s not true! Mix your rice and beans, please. They go together so well. You no longer NEED to mix rice and beans together to form "complete proteins" as was once a popular vegetarian belief over a decade ago. The fact is your body prefers the variety of foods and nutrients together. A balanced approach includes eating foods and beverages at meals that provide all our major energy nutrients—proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.