Becel

A Dutch Becel product

Becel is a brand of margarine produced by Unilever and sold in a number of countries. In the United Kingdom, Ireland, Poland and Australia, the product is sold under the name Flora, in Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands and Portugal as Becel 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 yoghurts and yoghurt 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.

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