Butter? Margerine?

mreko2005
mreko2005 Posts: 56
edited November 11 in Food and Nutrition
May I ask why everyone says to use butter, instead of margerine, when butter has more calories, more fat, and more sodium? Is margerine really going to slow down my weight loss?

Replies

  • seal57
    seal57 Posts: 1,259 Member
    I haven't used either in years......
  • TheDevastator
    TheDevastator Posts: 1,626 Member
    I use organic extra virgin coconut oil with celtic sea salt in place of salted butter.
  • itsuki
    itsuki Posts: 520 Member
    I once heard it said that if you're eating enough butter/margerine in your diet that it would actually make a difference to switch to the other, then there's a bigger issue at hand.
  • LisaH1231
    LisaH1231 Posts: 18 Member
    I am not an expert but I think it is because butter is natural and margarine is not. I try to stay away from processed foods.
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    I prefer butter. I don't know if it will do anything to your weight loss, I just prefer the more natural side of things. If you are counting the calories in your margarine the same as I count the ones in my butter, it shouldn't make a difference. A calorie is a calorie.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Butter is a healthy fat. If you don't want the salt get unsalted. Margarine also has salt added. Margarine is ytpically made from hydrogenated vegetable oil. Trans fat in other words. Do a google search on both and get the education and decide for yourself.
  • There is an article somewhere about margarine being only a molicule away from being plastic. I don't use neither myself if I have toast I prefer peanut butter. I use olive oil for frying.
  • iuew
    iuew Posts: 624 Member
    i only use butter when baking food to bring to get togethers. the rest of the time, i use brummel and brown yogurt margarine.
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    Margarine is primarily partially hydrogenated oil which is a trans-fat. Possibly one of the worst things to ingest in your diet.
  • modernmom70
    modernmom70 Posts: 373 Member
    I think because butter is real food and margarine is not really. And cause it tastes so much better! Everything in moderation! I tend to use Olive oil more than anything.
  • honeydoozy
    honeydoozy Posts: 46 Member
    I have both in the house, but I prefer butter. Margarine is a trans fat - and as we all know, trans-fats are bad in a variety of ways. OK, that's one reason to pass on it. It's also been shown to raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol... and those are bad things, so butter's probably the better choice.
  • The margerine I use is Country Crock Churn Style and it says that it doesn't have any trans-fat so is it OK to use?
  • Kathleen_Presnell
    Kathleen_Presnell Posts: 46 Member
    I do Smart Balance and it's great! Uses olive oil & another one uses Flax seed oil. Cost more, I don't use much and it's good tasting. I use it in baking or toast. I use olive oil for homemade pizza or homemade dressing. Those are my go - to fats now.
  • nikkisa10
    nikkisa10 Posts: 31 Member
    I really don't use either but I would choose a pat of butter because I try to eat minimally processed foods as much as possible
  • Kathleen_Presnell
    Kathleen_Presnell Posts: 46 Member
    Country Crock...not a good product. Can't read the list of ingredents and don't let the label fool you. If you have to eat some butter, eat butter - use a little. But I have baked using "Smart Balance". It works. But if I want a cookie baked and only eat one - bake them and give them away but eat at least one (1) in butter. We used to have a cow and I have to admit now I really don't care for the real stuff like I used to since it's so rich but I will in a pinch.
  • Noadi
    Noadi Posts: 27
    I use both, it depends on what I'm eating. For toast I go with margarine because it's more spreadable out of the fridge than butter.

    Even if the margarine says no transfat it probably still contains some, as long as it's under .5 grams per serving it can be labeled as having no transfat. As long as it's being used sparingly it's probably not enough to worry about.
  • princeza9
    princeza9 Posts: 337 Member
    I only use butter. For a long time, my parents & I used margarine. We stopped when we found out that it's only a couple chemicals away from plastic. Plus, I now don't buy foods that require me to call my chemical engineer cousin to decode. :)
  • anarose13
    anarose13 Posts: 222 Member
    my family uses coconut oil. it does the same thing as butter and its way better for you.
  • coyoteo
    coyoteo Posts: 532 Member
    I use butter, but it's just because I hate how margarine is all soggy and made from chemicals and icky stuff.
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
    Butter is natural, and margarine is a trans fay. Dont use either much. But if I am gonna use it butter is my chpice.
  • premiumchilenita
    premiumchilenita Posts: 600 Member
    Avocado!!:bigsmile:
  • jenj1313
    jenj1313 Posts: 898 Member
    I use butter sparingly and get the whipped kind if I'm going to spread it on corn, bread, etc. It has more air, so fewer calories. Margarine is basically a petroleum product in my eyes... not something I want on my dining table.

    For cooking, I have a spray gadget that I put olive oil into, then pump to pressurize -- that way you don't get the chemicals in the spray.

    Lots of options... do what makes sense to you and try to keep it within reason and you should be ok.
  • JustLindaLou
    JustLindaLou Posts: 376 Member
    interesting!! I guess I too have been misled by Country Crock's "No Trans Fat" label... Back to butter for me. (Hopefully in more sensible portions since I am now eating way less bread, pasta, etc and rarely bake.)
  • jnhu72
    jnhu72 Posts: 558 Member
    People say that because margarine is solidified vegetable oil for the most part. I used to use the Parkay/I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray that is "0" calories (though it's really not) but have since switched to Land O' Lakes Light Canola Butter, because it's real and instead of pretending that the spray is 0 calories when it's really not I measure out the butter and count the calories.
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