Becel

Becel is a brand of margarine produced by Dutch company Upfield. In France, it is sold as Fruit D'or, and in the United States as Promise.

Becel
Product typeMargarine
OwnerUpfield
MarketsGlobal
Previous ownersUnilever
WebsiteBecel (Canada)

Name

The name Becel originates from the initials BCL (Blood Cholesterol-Lowering). When introduced, the makers of Becel claimed to achieve a blood cholesterol-lowering effect by modifying the triacylglycerol (TAG) profile of the fat used in the margarine under the idea that an increased level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reduces the blood cholesterol level.[1]

"Pro-active" brand

More recently, products were introduced under the "Pro-active" sub-brand.[2] Consumption of Becel products does not lower the risk for coronary diseases such as arteriosclerosis and therefore does not provide any medical benefits.[3]

In light of supporting evidence from various clinical trials, Becel Pro-Activ gained the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) approval for its claim to reduce cholesterol levels.[4] It does not reduce the risk of heart disease and is not claimed to do so by Upfield, although many consumers believe it does.[5]

2010 Academy Awards controversy

In 2009, Becel commissioned Sarah Polley to direct a two-minute short "to inspire women to take better care of that particular vital organ" [the heart].[6] A week before the short's planned premiere in Canada, a commercial break during the CTV broadcast of the 82nd Academy Awards aired, and Polley attracted headlines for taking her name off the film. Polley had understood that the film, titled "The Heart", would be used to promote the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, but was unhappy with the association with Becel. "Regretfully, I am forced to remove my name from the film and disassociate myself from it. I have never actively promoted any corporate brand and cannot do so now."[7][8][9]

References
  1. A. Keys et al., Serum cholesterol response to changes in the diet. IV. Particular saturated fatty acids in the diet, Metabolism 14, 776-787 (1965)
  2. M.B. Katan et al., Efficacy and Safety of Plant Stanols and Sterols in the Management of Blood Cholesterol Levels, Mayo Clinic Proceedings 78, 965-978 (2003)
  3. "Butter is alright, but margarine just might kill you, massive Canadian study finds". National Post. 12 August 2015.
  4. "Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to 3 g/day plant sterols/stanols and lowering blood LDL-cholesterol and reduced risk of (coronary) heart disease under Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006". EFSA Journal. European Food Safety Authority. 10 (5): 2693. 2012. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2693.
  5. "Butter is alright, but margarine just might kill you, massive Canadian study finds". National Post. Retrieved 2016-04-17.
  6. Gayle MacDonald. "Sarah Polley's new work gets Oscar debut". Toronto: The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 25 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
  7. Melissa Leong (2010-03-03). "The matter with The Heart is product endorsement". National Post. Archived from the original on 2010-04-07. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  8. Katherine Monk (2010-03-03). "Sarah Polley strips name from Oscar short". Vancouver Sun. Canwest News Service. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  9. "Polley pulls name from sponsored film". CBC News. 2010-03-02. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
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