Becel, Flora

Heart-healthy choice

For more than 40 years Unilever has played a leading role in helping consumers maintain healthy hearts.

Recognising Unilever as a world leader in nutritional research, the medical profession asked the company to create a healthy alternative to butter, lard and hard margarines.

Lowering cholesterol

This led to us developing a blood cholesterol-lowering spread that was high in polyunsaturated fat and low in saturated fat.

Proven health benefits

Its success has led to brand extensions into a milk drink, yoghurts and 'one-a-day' yoghurt drinks, which also have proven health benefits.

Did you know?

• About 17 million people die of cardiovascular diseases, particularly heart attacks and strokes every year*
• High cholesterol causes a third of all cardiovascular disease worldwide*
• By 2020, heart disease and strokes will become the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, with the number of fatalities likely to reach more than 20 million a year – and by 2030 the figure will rise to more than 24 million a year*
• On average, a 10% lowering of cholesterol will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by up to 20% 
• Around half of the world's population has blood cholesterol levels that are too high
• Nearly a third (30%) of people across the world have raised blood pressure levels                   

Innovations

In 2009, we launched the Becel pro·activ Blood Pressure range, enriched with potassium to help manage blood pressure. Potassium helps maintain a healthy blood pressure, eliminating excess sodium in the body.

Ten years earlier, we launched spreads with plant sterols – our now best-selling Becel/Flora pro·activ spreads. These spreads have been clinically proven to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the body and are endorsed by key scientists and health professionals around the world.

The science

Consuming Becel/Flora pro·activ spread, milk drink or yoghurt can provide around 2g of plant sterols per day. Clinical studies show that, for those who follow a healthy diet, this level of plant sterols can reduce LDL – bad – cholesterol by about 10-15% within a few weeks. 

Key facts

• Unilever is the world's leading manufacturer of margarine
• Becel/Flora pro·activ has been approved by regulators in more than 20 countries
• The latest offering is the pro·activ Blood Pressure range, enriched with potassium
• Becel/Flora pro·activ has been endorsed by key scientists and health care professionals worldwide
• A programme of scientific research has established that the phytosterol esters used in Becel/Flora pro·activ – which can help lower cholesterol – are both safe and effective

From our range

* WHO, The Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke, 2004