Benecol Buttery Spread, 6.99 for 500g; €13.98 per kg:For reasons we could not put quite our finger on, this came across as the healthiest of the five brands we tried.
Highs:It has quite a smooth and subtle flavour which is not instantly reminiscent of cheap margarine and is not as greasy as some of the competition. It actually tastes quite pleasant once you get used to it.
Lows:We were promised a buttery taste in big letters on the front of the box but apart from having a slightly salty edge, this is nothing at all like any butter Pricewatchhas ever tasted. It lacks the folic acid that some of the other brands have - something which may or may not make a blind bit of difference to you - and the foil cover shredded far too easily. Then there's the price - this was the most expensive spread tried.
Verdict:Grand, but pricey
Star rating:****
Flora Pro-Activ Light Spread
6.42 for 500g; €12.84 per kg
Highs:As Flora promises, this is very light indeed, thanks, presumably, to its low levels of fat - it has just half the fat of the Benecol. It is certainly a healthy option, as the fancy (but probably not entirely scientific) bar chart on the packaging works hard to make clear. It has a delicate flavour, which, when you consider what it is, is probably for the best.
Lows:This brand has been on the market for generations and while it is to be commended for being less greasy and less horrible than Floras of years gone by, it is not something you are ever likely to pull from your fridge and spread on your toast with a song in your heart.
Verdict: Mostly harmless
Star rating:***
Kerry Low Low Lower Cholesterol
6.09 for 500g; €12.18 per kg
Highs:This widely available, Irish-made brand tastes absolutely fine, all things considered. It has a nice lightness to it, has added folic acid and it lacks the nasty margarine aftertaste to be found in some spreads.
Lows:This promises to lower our cholesterol with a "butter melt", whatever that is supposed to mean. A 500g tub of Kerry Low Low costs €2.09 while a similarly sized tub of Kerry Low Low Lower Cholesterol costs €4 more (and has far to many lows in the title). We're not certain how much plant sterols cost, but we can't imagine there is any way they could cost enough to justify such a savage price hike. To be fair to Kerry, all the other spreads come with a similarly significant premium attached to them.
Verdict: Pretty average
Star rating:***
Tesco Cholesterol Reducing Spread
3.98 for 500g; 7.96 per kg
Highs:The best thing about this is its price. It is the cheapest of the cholesterol-busting spreads reviewed here, and by a long, long way. It also makes much of the fact that it contains something called "reducol" and has drawn 12 little hearts on the box to reinforce the impression that it is good for you.
Lows:And while it may well be good for you, spreading it on your toast of a morning might be a tough way to start the day. It is pale in colour, very greasy in texture and has a strong flavour of cheap margarine that wasn't to Pricewatch'staste at all.
Verdict:Cheap but cheerless
Star rating:***
Dairygold Omega 3
2.69 for 454g €5.93 per kg
Highs:This is not strictly speaking a cholesterol lowering spread (Dairygold does make one) but contains Omega 3s which are said to boost the "good" cholesterol levels. It is significantly cheaper than the other spreads (even the Tesco option) and is easiest to eat as it has a nice texture but tastes of very little indeed. This might well be the option for people who want their spreads to be healthier but can't abide the taste of margarine.
Lows:It's made with fish oils, so strict vegetarians might want to give it a wide berth. We're also unsure if something which has so little taste deserves to be commended.
Verdict:Pleasantly tasteless and nicely cheap.
Star rating:****
