| Type | Margarine |
|---|---|
| Owner | Unilever |
| Markets | Global |
| Website | Becel (Canada) |
Becel is a brand of margarine produced by Unilever and sold in a number of countries, including Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, and Turkey. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic, Australia and New Zealand the product is sold under the name Flora, and in the United States as Promise.
The name Becel originates from the three letter acronym BCL (Blood Cholesterol Lowering). When introduced, the blood cholesterol lowering effect was achieved by modifying the triacylglycerol (TAG) profile of the fat used in the margarine: an increased level of poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) reduces the blood cholesterol level (see e.g. 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)).
More recently, products were introduced under the "pro-activ" sub-brand. These products are based on the effects of plant sterols and sterol esters on blood cholesterol lowering (see e.g. 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)). In recent years the Becel/Flora brand has been extended to products other than margarine. Cooking oil, pot yogurt and yogurt drinks are some of the non-margarine products launched by Unilever under the Becel/Flora brand, all of which are designed to help lower blood cholesterol level.
Trends over the last couple of years have shown a greater demand for margarine over butter. "[1] Becel is a margarine-producing company that has taken advantage of this public shift towards "healthier" lower fat options by producing a variety of non-hydrogenated, low in saturated fats margarines. Becel bares the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Health Check symbol indicating that it meets the nutrient criteria based on the recommendations of Canada's food guide. "[2] By not hydrogenating their margarine they eliminate unwanted trans fats that are deemed to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease by raising bad cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins) and lowering good cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins).[3]
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].[4] A week before the short's planned premiere in Canada during a commercial break during the CTV broadcast of the 82nd Academy Awards, 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."[5][6][7] In response, Becel said it was a "founding sponsor" of the Canadian Heart Truth campaign and had commissioned the film "to put heart health on the radar of Canadian women."[8]