Margarine or real butter?

Question

Which is better healthwise?

Answer 1

Neither. As a chemist who spent 30 years in the fat and oil industry I've seen this battle from all aspects. Butter is undesirable because it contains many fatty acids that are foreign to the human body. research has shown that butter contains over 200 fatty acids, including trans fatty acids that arise in the rumen of the cow from bacterial action. Most margarines are made from partially hydrogenated soybean oil. This source has come under severe scrutiny because of its trans acid content and also due to the fact it raises serum cholesterol levels.

The only safe margarines are the recently introduced ones that contain no partially hydrogenated oils.

Answer 2

"synthetic crap" is only called "synthetic" because it is not naturally-occurring. It is no more "fake" than real butter, though. Real butter is not naturally occurring. Humans made the butter by raping female cows and stealing their milk. Anyway, "laboratory" is in no way a bad thing. Anyone who has even a proficient knowledge of chemistry can see how there is nothing wrong with creating things with "chemicals." And I don't understand why people use the word "chemical" as if it is a bad thing. Do you even know what a chemical is?! Chemical has become a silly word that gets thrown around to scare people away from certain things. It's stupid and childish. Butter contains saturated fat. Margarine contains unsaturated fat. Let me explain to you what that means. If person 1 consumes butter and person 2 consumes the same amount of margarine as person 1 consumes of butter, then person 1 will become fat and person 2 will not.

Answer 3

Impossible to answer...

Dairy farmers will tell you butter - I definitely think it tastes best, but it's laden with saturated fats, so should only be consumed in moderation.

Most margarines contain less of these, but have other questionable ingredients that we don't know enough about - eg: tran/hydrogenated fats, which are almost certainly harmful.

My personal favourite for everyday use is pro-activ made by flora (also available in olive oil & light variants), but this is mainly down to the cholestrol reducing properties, which I hope will go some way to countering the effects of the fried spam that I like a little too much!

Answer 4

My dietitian at a VA Medical Center tells me that Brunnel and Brown margarine is the best of all them, health wise and flavor wise. But I grew up on real butter and continue to use it. I am in my sixties, with high cholesterol, not too high, just above what the doctor thinks it should be.

Answer 5

Country Crock has the least amount of fat and calories - I've compared margarine, butter, "I can't believe it's not butter" and that other one that was made with yogurt (because I'm on a diet...)

Country Crock:
Serving Size 2 TBSP
Calories 60 Calories from Fat 60
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1.5g 8%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 85mg 4%
Potassium 0g 0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g

Butter:
Serving Size 2 TBSP
Amount Per Serving
Calories 100 Calories from Fat 100
Total Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 30mg 10%
Sodium 90mg 4%
Potassium 0 0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g

Margarine:
Serving Size 1 TBSP
Amount Per Serving
Calories 80 Calories from Fat 80
Total Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 110mg 5%
Potassium 0g 0%
Total Carbohydrate 0g

Answer 6

If I had to choose BUTTER is better. I am not sure either one is really healthy for you.....Margarine is one molecule away from being plastic. if you put a tub of margarine outside you will see not one bug is attracted to it. Imagine that? And we put this in our bodies. However buttter is made from cream and salt. A little more natural process.....Here is an article that you may find interesting to read.

http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/margbutt.htm

Answer 7

Real butter is saturated fat.
Margarine is trans-fat.

Use butter sparingly.
Don't use margarine at all. Especially stick margarine.

Answer 8

BUTTER!!! It's actually very healthy. Did you know that margerine is made up of plastic? Actually butter contains many nutrients that protect us from heart disease. First among these is vitamin A which is needed for the health of the thyroid and adrenal glands, both of which play a role in maintaining the proper functioning of the heart and cardiovascular system. Abnormalities of the heart and larger blood vessels occur in babies born to vitamin A deficient mothers. Butter is America's best and most easily absorbed source of vitamin A.

Answer 9

BUTTER is for this second....
Margarine is the same chemical formula as plastic so now they are finding out that it's really bad for you and could even change your horome levels if you eat a ton of it, since plastic acts like an artificial hormone.

Answer 10

Neither..you should use something that doesn't have all the solids in it..Prefer soft margarine's with low cholesterol...
Smart Balance, etc...

If making candy or treats DO use margarine or butter, the lower cholesterol margarines burn and don't turn out. But if it's for toast or hot cereals,,then less trans fat is better.