The Scoop on Margarine

4. The Ban on PHOs

Thanks to flawed studies in the 1950s vilifying saturated fats, nutrition experts hailed partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) as healthy alternatives to butter for decades. Until the 2000s, many people were unaware that these alternative oils contain trans fats, lipids far more dangerous than saturated fats. In 2015, the FDA determined that PHOs are not safe for consumption. Consequently, food manufacturers can no longer include PHOs in their products, as of June 18, 2018. The FDA has called for complete removal of PHOs from the marketplace by January 1, 2021.