Butter vs. Margarine

1brokegal44

Butter.

PJ64

Butter is delicious. There is no contest.

:drinker:

dorthymcconnel

considering that butter is made from cream, so much better than something made in a factory. Butter is a healthy fat, especially grass fed if you can afford it. As with a lot of other things out there, I would much rather have the real thing and maybe smaller amounts of it than lots of the fake stuff.

AllieMWard

Land o Lakes makes a yummy spreadable butter. In a light option as well!

bcattoes

Butter is a much healthier fat. Margarine is horrible for you.

based on what?

Please grab your margarine package, list the ongredients here, and maybe someone will be kind enough to tell you. It won't be me though...i personally don't care what crap others put in their bodies. And I get really annoyed with the 'give me an article' demands. How about common sense? Is that sooooo hard at this point?

I didn't ask for an article or if anyone cared what others eat. I asked what information the post was based on. I could grad a dozen margarines and they'd likely all have different ingredients. What makes them all "horrible for you"?

The range of ingredients that you are referring to is a fairly recent change in response to the negative coverage that trans fats have received, based on solid studies of their negative effects. Such as this one:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12915329

But of course there is traditional margarine, which is made from vegetable oil by hydrogenation, and the various non-butter "spreads" that you find in the butter area of the grocery store. I am sure there are several spreads on the market that do not have hydrogenated fats in them. Whether they are healthy or not is not for me to say.

The question asked in this thread was about the specific comparison of butter and margarine, and OP did not specify which margarine. We are all using standard inference rules of cooperative conversation, I think, and assuming that the margarine in question is the kind that was invented in the 20th century and the one that had such a poor showing in the "healthy fats" literature.

I do not know of any specific controlled study comparing butter and hydrogenated oil-based margarine--if someone does, I would be interested in reading it.

So, your thought is all margartines are horrible because one brand was "horrible" 20 years ago? Sounds like solid reasoning.

FYI - Fully hydrogenated oils do not produce trans fats, only partially hydrogenated oils do. Not all margarines contain partially hydrogenated oil. And even those that do may still be healthy because some margarines are now fortified with plant sterols or stanols, which have been shown to reduce heart disease.

Even partially hydrogenated oils are not necessarily "horrible" for you, though they are generally worse than the saturated fat found in butter. You'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call either trans fat or saturated fat "healthy".

Please explain why natural saturated fats are bad for us, your own words would be great. i could link hundreds of Dietitians and Doctors that say it's not unhealthy at all. The problem is when someone has a bias they generally only look for support.....changing ones mind is serious business, especially in nutrition.

I did not say natural saturated fats are bad for us.

Fair enough, which saturated fats are you referring too, if not naturally occurring.

I never said saturated fats are bad for us. I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call them healthy. The medical recommendation is to limit saturated fats (eat more unsat than sat). But that doesn't mean they are "bad" or can't be part of a healthy diet.

karenertl

Thanks everybody! So now another question... The reason I don't like butter is because it is so hard to spread! What can I do to help with this? Leave it out for a bit before using it?

Land o Lakes makes a yummy spreadable butter. In a light option as well!

You can get spreadable butter. It should be in your grocery store's dairy or butter section.

dcr5452WECHANGED

People still use margarine ? I havent used it in about 15 years. If you cant do dairy or something--just use a good quality extra virgin olive oil. If you need to cook something at high temperatures and you are worried about extra virgin breaking down due to the high heat--sub canola or peanut oil or even the light olive oil shouldnt break down as easily..

GLDawson

Butter has cholesterol (LDL) as do all animal products. Margarine does not (unless it is added, check the label.) Both are pure fat. Cholesterol (LDL) clogs the arteries. Your heart doesn't like that. It is harder to exercise, you slow down. When you slow down you burn fewer calories.

Just my humble opinion.

neanderthin

Butter is a much healthier fat. Margarine is horrible for you.

based on what?

Please grab your margarine package, list the ongredients here, and maybe someone will be kind enough to tell you. It won't be me though...i personally don't care what crap others put in their bodies. And I get really annoyed with the 'give me an article' demands. How about common sense? Is that sooooo hard at this point?

I didn't ask for an article or if anyone cared what others eat. I asked what information the post was based on. I could grad a dozen margarines and they'd likely all have different ingredients. What makes them all "horrible for you"?

The range of ingredients that you are referring to is a fairly recent change in response to the negative coverage that trans fats have received, based on solid studies of their negative effects. Such as this one:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12915329

But of course there is traditional margarine, which is made from vegetable oil by hydrogenation, and the various non-butter "spreads" that you find in the butter area of the grocery store. I am sure there are several spreads on the market that do not have hydrogenated fats in them. Whether they are healthy or not is not for me to say.

The question asked in this thread was about the specific comparison of butter and margarine, and OP did not specify which margarine. We are all using standard inference rules of cooperative conversation, I think, and assuming that the margarine in question is the kind that was invented in the 20th century and the one that had such a poor showing in the "healthy fats" literature.

I do not know of any specific controlled study comparing butter and hydrogenated oil-based margarine--if someone does, I would be interested in reading it.

So, your thought is all margartines are horrible because one brand was "horrible" 20 years ago? Sounds like solid reasoning.

FYI - Fully hydrogenated oils do not produce trans fats, only partially hydrogenated oils do. Not all margarines contain partially hydrogenated oil. And even those that do may still be healthy because some margarines are now fortified with plant sterols or stanols, which have been shown to reduce heart disease.

Even partially hydrogenated oils are not necessarily "horrible" for you, though they are generally worse than the saturated fat found in butter. You'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call either trans fat or saturated fat "healthy".

Please explain why natural saturated fats are bad for us, your own words would be great. i could link hundreds of Dietitians and Doctors that say it's not unhealthy at all. The problem is when someone has a bias they generally only look for support.....changing ones mind is serious business, especially in nutrition.

I did not say natural saturated fats are bad for us.

Fair enough, which saturated fats are you referring too, if not naturally occurring.

I never said saturated fats are bad for us. I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call them healthy. The medical recommendation is to limit saturated fats (eat more unsat than sat). But that doesn't mean they are "bad" or can't be part of a healthy diet.

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking. I've seen lots of speculation but of course that is primarily based on the SAD diet where sugar, refined carbs and trans fats which are unsaturated fats are part/included in these studies, which hopefully everyone is aware that when consumed in abundance influences health markers deleteriously for CVD........I also said there's hundreds if not thousands of health professionals around the world that would say that saturated fat is not unhealthy. You said that trans fats are generally worse than saturated fat, which infers that saturated fat is no healthy.......I know you like to play with wording, but I really would like to hear you own opinion on the mechanisms in saturated fat that make it the boogie man.

neanderthin

Butter has cholesterol (LDL) as do all animal products. Margarine does not (unless it is added, check the label.) Both are pure fat. Cholesterol (LDL) clogs the arteries. Your heart doesn't like that. It is harder to exercise, you slow down. When you slow down you burn fewer calories.

Just my humble opinion.

LDL's are actually not cholesterol.

Acg67

AAAgggghhhhhh! NOT MARGERINE! That stuff is one molecule away from plastic!
Butter every time for me!!

I hope you don't drink water, that stuff is one molecule away from being all sorts of stuff you don't want to be ingesting

fishgutzy

Butter is better. More natural. And contrary to myth, it does not raise bad cholesterol.

Lard (pork fat) has actually been shown to raise the good hdl cholesterol and lower triglycerides.

On the other hand, low fat diets have been shown to raise ldl, raise triglycerides and increase clinical depression.

I get more than half my calories from fat. (butter, lard, nut oils, coconut oil etc.) My LDL and triglycerides are lower than at any time in my adult life. HDL is up where is should be too.

Your body needs fat to function properly.
There are plenty of low fat vegetarians with high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Like most things, moderation is the watch word. Don't take a bath in it :bigsmile:

odusgolp

Unsalted Butter FTW!!!!

Alissakae

Butter is delicious. There is no contest.

Amen.

ldrosophila

Two words butyric acid...youre welcome enjoy your butter. Just teasing butyric is a short chain fatty acid found in butter that has great antimicrobial and antiviral properties.

Also, if it's not too hot leave the butter out like our grandparents did. It wont go rancid if used timely.

bumblebums

A bit off topic, but some of you guys should look up the difference between molecules and atoms. I know chemistry was a long time ago for some of you, but no need to continue embarrassing yourselves and your chemistry teacher.

costahobo

I buy a type of margarine that's a blend of olive oil and flaxseed oil. I use it for my toast and baguettes. I use butter for cooking. I think people get too anal about their food.

Imagine this ... humans are the only species that apparently have no idea what they're supposed to eat. I think of it this way ... it's not what you're eating that's causing the damage - it's what you're NOT eating that's doing it.

odusgolp

A bit off topic, but some of you guys should look up the difference between molecules and atoms. I know chemistry was a long time ago for some of you, but no need to continue embarrassing yourselves and your chemistry teacher.

:flowerforyou:

RobTheGourmet

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margarine
read the process used to make it vs natural churned butter the flavor in margarine is added as an afterthought spreading generic soy oil does not sound to good... and as to the olive oil versions thats taking a healthy oil and making it bad for you imo... and lacks all the flavor of a proper fresh olive oil which should be light fruity and aromatic with a mild fruity flavor profile.

I would never use margarine its not healthier and it tastes terrible it provides nothing

and why not just use fresh extra virgin olive oil on toast which is much more flavorful if you do not want to use butter

pluckabee

Butter has cholesterol (LDL) as do all animal products. Margarine does not (unless it is added, check the label.) Both are pure fat. Cholesterol (LDL) clogs the arteries. Your heart doesn't like that. It is harder to exercise, you slow down. When you slow down you burn fewer calories.

Just my humble opinion.

Oh sweetie... You have it all wrong I'm afraid

costahobo

Why do people care so much about what I eat (or do not eat)?

bcattoes

I did not say natural saturated fats are bad for us.

Fair enough, which saturated fats are you referring too, if not naturally occurring.

I never said saturated fats are bad for us. I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call them healthy. The medical recommendation is to limit saturated fats (eat more unsat than sat). But that doesn't mean they are "bad" or can't be part of a healthy diet.

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking. I've seen lots of speculation but of course that is primarily based on the SAD diet where sugar, refined carbs and trans fats which are unsaturated fats are part/included in these studies, which hopefully everyone is aware that when consumed in abundance influences health markers deleteriously for CVD........I also said there's hundreds if not thousands of health professionals around the world that would say that saturated fat is not unhealthy. You said that trans fats are generally worse than saturated fat, which infers that saturated fat is no healthy.......I know you like to play with wording, but I really would like to hear you own opinion on the mechanisms in saturated fat that make it the boogie man.

You seem to have switched subjects. You asked why, in my own words, I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical expert that would say butter is "healthy". I answered that. Because of the medical recommendation to limit saturated fat from dairy and beef.

I limit butter because of the medical recommendation. I don't think butter is "bad" or a "boogie man" or "unhealthy". Those are your words. But not being "unhealthy" doesn't necessarily make something "healthy" in my book. Nutrition is not that black and white.

Those are my own words and thoughts.. If you want to paraphrase with your own little catchphrases, go ahead. It's the internet. I can't stop you.

Blizaine

Butter has cholesterol (LDL) as do all animal products. Margarine does not (unless it is added, check the label.) Both are pure fat. Cholesterol (LDL) clogs the arteries. Your heart doesn't like that. It is harder to exercise, you slow down. When you slow down you burn fewer calories.

Just my humble opinion.

Oh sweetie... You have it all wrong I'm afraid

It's sad that people still think this is true.

neanderthin

I did not say natural saturated fats are bad for us.

Fair enough, which saturated fats are you referring too, if not naturally occurring.

I never said saturated fats are bad for us. I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call them healthy. The medical recommendation is to limit saturated fats (eat more unsat than sat). But that doesn't mean they are "bad" or can't be part of a healthy diet.

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking. I've seen lots of speculation but of course that is primarily based on the SAD diet where sugar, refined carbs and trans fats which are unsaturated fats are part/included in these studies, which hopefully everyone is aware that when consumed in abundance influences health markers deleteriously for CVD........I also said there's hundreds if not thousands of health professionals around the world that would say that saturated fat is not unhealthy. You said that trans fats are generally worse than saturated fat, which infers that saturated fat is no healthy.......I know you like to play with wording, but I really would like to hear you own opinion on the mechanisms in saturated fat that make it the boogie man.

You seem to have switched subjects. You asked why, in my own words, I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical expert that would say butter is "healthy". I answered that. Because of the medical recommendation to limit saturated fat from dairy and beef.

I limit butter because of the medical recommendation. I don't think butter is "bad" or a "boogie man" or "unhealthy". Those are your words. But not being "unhealthy" doesn't necessarily make something "healthy" in my book. Nutrition is not that black and white.

Those are my own words and thoughts.. If you want to paraphrase with your own little catchphrases, go ahead. It's the internet. I can't stop you.

lol. So basically you have no idea why they say to limit saturated fat, gotcha!

WendyTerry420

Thanks everybody! So now another question... The reason I don't like butter is because it is so hard to spread! What can I do to help with this? Leave it out for a bit before using it?

You can get it out beforehead, nuke it for about 5-10 seconds, or you could get a butter spread that mixes olive oil into the butter.

bcattoes

I did not say natural saturated fats are bad for us.

Fair enough, which saturated fats are you referring too, if not naturally occurring.

I never said saturated fats are bad for us. I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call them healthy. The medical recommendation is to limit saturated fats (eat more unsat than sat). But that doesn't mean they are "bad" or can't be part of a healthy diet.

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking. I've seen lots of speculation but of course that is primarily based on the SAD diet where sugar, refined carbs and trans fats which are unsaturated fats are part/included in these studies, which hopefully everyone is aware that when consumed in abundance influences health markers deleteriously for CVD........I also said there's hundreds if not thousands of health professionals around the world that would say that saturated fat is not unhealthy. You said that trans fats are generally worse than saturated fat, which infers that saturated fat is no healthy.......I know you like to play with wording, but I really would like to hear you own opinion on the mechanisms in saturated fat that make it the boogie man.

You seem to have switched subjects. You asked why, in my own words, I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical expert that would say butter is "healthy". I answered that. Because of the medical recommendation to limit saturated fat from dairy and beef.

I limit butter because of the medical recommendation. I don't think butter is "bad" or a "boogie man" or "unhealthy". Those are your words. But not being "unhealthy" doesn't necessarily make something "healthy" in my book. Nutrition is not that black and white.

Those are my own words and thoughts.. If you want to paraphrase with your own little catchphrases, go ahead. It's the internet. I can't stop you.

lol. So basically you have no idea why they say to limit saturated fat, gotcha!

*sigh*
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-and-cholesterol/

LilMissDB

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking.

Wow. Really? What research did you do? There's like a good 50 years of research including level 1 evidence that shows this.

A famous dietitian in Australia recently said that despite the strong evidence against saturated fat, we shouldn't be asking whether butter or margarine is better but rather trying to reduce our intake in general and opting for truly better choices such as avocado.

neanderthin

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking.

Wow. Really? What research did you do? There's like a good 50 years of research including level 1 evidence that shows this.

A famous dietitian in Australia recently said that despite the strong evidence against saturated fat, we shouldn't be asking whether butter or margarine is better but rather trying to reduce our intake in general and opting for truly better choices such as avocado.

Level 1.......ok, show us the studies that show causation, thanks. Also an avocado has more saturated fat (twice as much) than an equal amount of pork tenderloin. Does that mean I should replace avocado with pork tenderloin?

bcattoes

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking.

Wow. Really? What research did you do? There's like a good 50 years of research including level 1 evidence that shows this.

A famous dietitian in Australia recently said that despite the strong evidence against saturated fat, we shouldn't be asking whether butter or margarine is better but rather trying to reduce our intake in general and opting for truly better choices such as avocado.

Level 1.......ok, show us the studies that show causation, thanks. Also an avocado has more saturated fat than an equal amount of pork tenderloin. Does that mean I should replace avocado with pork tenderloin?

Plenty of studies suggest causation. None that I know of prove it. But show me studies that prove it is not a cause of disease.

If 100,000 people walk into a cave and 77% of them die. Later 50,000 walk in and 62% die. Over time, more people that walk in this cave die than do not. We know that walking into that cave doesn't cause death, because a lot of people that went in did not die. We may not know exactly why the people died, but that cave has an association with death. I'm not crossing walking in and hoping I'm in the minority that live.

Eating a diet high in saturated fat from dairy and beef (which includes butter) has an assiciation with disease and limited lifespan. I'm not eating a lot of it.

neanderthin

I did not say natural saturated fats are bad for us.

Fair enough, which saturated fats are you referring too, if not naturally occurring.

I never said saturated fats are bad for us. I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical professional that would call them healthy. The medical recommendation is to limit saturated fats (eat more unsat than sat). But that doesn't mean they are "bad" or can't be part of a healthy diet.

I understand, but why the limit on saturated fat.............obviously there must be studies that show deleterious effects on health when too much is consumed and therefore these recommendations are in place for that reason. I've never seen a study that shows that effect and it's why I'm asking. I've seen lots of speculation but of course that is primarily based on the SAD diet where sugar, refined carbs and trans fats which are unsaturated fats are part/included in these studies, which hopefully everyone is aware that when consumed in abundance influences health markers deleteriously for CVD........I also said there's hundreds if not thousands of health professionals around the world that would say that saturated fat is not unhealthy. You said that trans fats are generally worse than saturated fat, which infers that saturated fat is no healthy.......I know you like to play with wording, but I really would like to hear you own opinion on the mechanisms in saturated fat that make it the boogie man.

You seem to have switched subjects. You asked why, in my own words, I said you'd be hard pressed to find a nutrition or medical expert that would say butter is "healthy". I answered that. Because of the medical recommendation to limit saturated fat from dairy and beef.

I limit butter because of the medical recommendation. I don't think butter is "bad" or a "boogie man" or "unhealthy". Those are your words. But not being "unhealthy" doesn't necessarily make something "healthy" in my book. Nutrition is not that black and white.

Those are my own words and thoughts.. If you want to paraphrase with your own little catchphrases, go ahead. It's the internet. I can't stop you.

lol. So basically you have no idea why they say to limit saturated fat, gotcha!

*sigh*
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fats-and-cholesterol/

That's just an opinion and you obvious don't need evidence and appeal to their authority blindly. I like that part where they say to ditch trans fats and then recommend consuming canola oil which have has trans fats from the refining process........unbelievable really. But you said that trans fats aren't so bad but worse than saturated fat.....nice assessment.