25. d (tub margarine). Butter has saturated fat, light butter has half as much sat fat, and most stick margarines have trans and sat fat, so all should raise your cholesterol. Ordinary tub margarines, which have little or no trans or sat fat, should help lower cholesterol. Fat-free spreads are lower in calories (10 to 20 per tablespoon) than regular spreads (60 to 100), but they won't lower your cholesterol because they're mostly water, rather than unsaturated fats. Light tubs (with 40 to 50 calories per tablespoon) may be the best compromise.