Margarine or Butter? (trans fats, weight gain)

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Yogi_Carl
Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
in Food and Nutrition
An interesting article I thought: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060619133024.htm

Research suggests that because the body has difficulty in digesting and burning trans-fats in margarine, the fats from margarine get stored - around the abdomen - and then the body has difficulty processing those stored fats for energy. In effect, they are stored and cannot then be processed, even when the diet is in deficit.

Butter - we have long been told is a saturated fat which can lead to coronary heart disease and we should choose polyunsaturated fats like soft magarine.

Now we find that, while butter is a saturated fat, at least the body is equipped to break it down and use it for energy while research suggests the body has problems processing trans-fats.

It has made me feel like switching back to butter and maintaining a diet that makes sure it is being used daily rather than using the health marg I have been trusting all this time - hey - I may even drop some weight if I can carve it off my waist!

Replies

  • jtslim42
    jtslim42 Posts: 240
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    BUTTER!!!!!:wink:
  • sandyjuly91955
    sandyjuly91955 Posts: 1
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    I have switched back to butter. I don't like all the additives in margarine.:happy:
  • AmyBoogie
    AmyBoogie Posts: 91 Member
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    when we started eating cleaner foods a couple of years ago one of the switches was going back to butter. We don't use a ton of it but it not only tastes better but it does feel better (at least mentally) not eating all the junk that's in margarine.
  • altinker
    altinker Posts: 173
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    I took a nutrition class many years ago in college, and our instructor said that she would blend half olive oil, half butter, and a little bit of milk solids together to make her own version of a spread.

    Any of that strange synthetic stuff usually isn't good for you, including mystery sweeteners.
  • Bumbeen
    Bumbeen Posts: 263 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with saturated fat. Even the USDA says there's not enough evidence one way or the other to say if it's good/bad, but they still go on to recommend that it is bad. In another 10 years their position will have to reverse and people will be outraged at the public health catastrophe that is the whole grain low fat diet.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    Oh well - that's me; a butter convert!

    Thanks for your replies.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    Oh well - that's me; a butter convert!
  • LoveMy3Boys
    LoveMy3Boys Posts: 562 Member
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    I switched back to butter a few years ago. I just use it as sparingly as possible.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    I never really find a need to use margarine/butter (well, it would have to be fake butter because I'm vegan) but I use olive oil for vegetables sometimes. Olive oil can replace butter for certain recipes and it's a healthy source of fat.
  • loadbang
    loadbang Posts: 4
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    Why not try sunflower or vegetable oil based spreads? Tastes just as good as butter, but without the trans or saturated fats. You can even buy blended butter and sunflower spreads. I've never seen margarine for sale here in the UK.

    Margarine is banned in some countries, and America used to have to colour it pink by law to put people off it. I believe some states still force manufacturers to colour them pink instead of yellow.
  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
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    Hi loadbang - yes this was part of my misunderstanding of what was being called margarines - I currently use plant oil spreads and had thought these were what the research was calling margarine - my error.

    that puts me back where I started this morning - but looking closer at the brands I choose for the hidden nasties!

    thanks loadbang for clearing that one up!
  • jessicawrites
    jessicawrites Posts: 235 Member
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    When I cook, I almost exclusively use olive oil. When I bake, though, it's butter all the way. I don't think I have ever bought margarine. Just seems weird...

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