Margarine or butter, that is the question. Both foods are very similar, both in appearance and taste. They can even be used interchangeably, but the differences that exist between them are fundamental.
The fat in these foods seems to be the main difference, but which is healthier? Can we eat regularly if we choose the healthiest? As an animal product, butter has high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat that are not present in margarine. Margarine, on the other hand, is higher in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, but also often contains trans fats.
What are butter and margarine?
Butter is a traditional dietary staple made with whipped cream. It is mainly used as fat for frying, spreading or as a component of sauces, pastries and ultra-processed products. As a concentrated source of milk fat, it consists mainly of saturated fat. Studies associate a high intake of saturated fat with an increased risk of heart disease, so they recommend limiting your intake.
Margarine is a processed food designed to taste and look similar to butter. It is typically recommended as a heart-healthy replacement. The most modern versions of margarine are made from vegetable oils, which contain polyunsaturated fats that can lower "bad" LDL cholesterol when used in place of saturated fat.
Since vegetable oils are liquid at room temperature, scientists change their chemical structure to make them solid like butter. For the past few decades, a process known as hydrogenation to harden vegetable oils in margarine. Hydrogenation increases the saturated fat content of the oil, but harmful trans fats are formed as a by-product. A more recent process called interesterification achieves similar results without forming trans fats.
That is, modern margarine is a highly processed food product made from vegetable oils, while butter is basically concentrated milk fat. Although most bakers and cooks prefer butter for its unparalleled flavor, margarine has its place. Due to their high water content, baked goods made with margarine tend to have a softer texture.
Butter benefits
Butter can contain several nutrients that are not found in many other foods. For example, butter from grass-fed cows may provide some vitamin K2, which has been associated with better bone health. In fact, this butter appears to be a better source of many nutrients than butter from grain-fed cows.
The health effects of butter largely depend on the diet of the cows from which it comes. Cows eat grass in their natural environment, but in many countries their menu is largely based on grain-based foods. Butter from grass-fed cows is much more nutritious Contains:
- Vitamin K2: This little-known vitamin can help prevent many serious diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis, and heart disease.
- Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): Studies suggest that this fatty acid may have anti-cancer properties and help reduce body fat percentage.
- Butyrate: a short-chain fatty acid found in butter that is also produced by bacteria in the intestine. It can fight inflammation, improve digestive health, and may help prevent weight gain.
- Omega-3s: grass-fed butter has less Omega-6 and more Omega-3, which is important because most people already consume too much Omega-6 fat.
However, butter is generally consumed in small quantities and its contribution to the total dietary intake of these nutrients is low.
Risks of eating butter
Some experts warn of the large amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol in butter and advise people to limit their intake.
Rich in saturated fat
For decades, butter has been demonized for its high saturated fat content. It is made up of around 50% saturated fat, while the rest is mostly water and unsaturated fat. Advocates of limiting your intake show that saturated fats increase levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol. While it's true that saturated fats promote higher LDL cholesterol levels, the story is a bit more complex.
Interestingly, some scientists believe that eating saturated fat may actually have some benefits, including improving your blood lipid profile. It can increase "good" HDL cholesterol and change the size of LDL cholesterol particles from small and dense to large, which is considered more benign.
high cholesterol
Butter is also high in cholesterol. High cholesterol intake was once thought to be a major risk factor for heart disease. This concern was based on studies that showed that high blood cholesterol levels were associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
However, it is now clear that getting moderate amounts of cholesterol from the diet does not raise blood levels in most people. The body compensates by producing less. This normally keeps blood levels in the normal range, although very high intakes can still cause a moderate increase in blood cholesterol levels.
Scientists continue to debate the role of dietary cholesterol in heart disease, but concerns have waned in recent years.
benefits of margarine
The health benefits of margarine depend on the type of vegetable oils it contains and how it is processed.
High content of polyunsaturated fats
Most types of margarine are high in polyunsaturated fat. The exact amount depends on which vegetable oils were used to produce it. For example, soybean oil-based margarine may contain about 20% polyunsaturated fat.
Polyunsaturated fat is generally considered healthy. It may even have heart health benefits compared to saturated fat. For example, replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat has been associated with a 17% reduction in the risk of heart problems.
Contains plant sterols and stanols
Some margarines are enriched with phytosterols or stanols. Vegetable oils are also naturally rich in these compounds. Phytosterol-enriched margarines lower total and "bad" LDL cholesterol, at least in the short term, but may also lower "good" HDL cholesterol.
However, most studies have not found a significant association between total intake of phytosterols and risk of heart disease.
Risks of eating margarine
Although margarine may contain some heart-friendly nutrients, it often contains trans fats, which have been associated with increased risk of heart disease and other chronic health problems.
Rich in trans fats
Vegetable oils are not solid at room temperature like butter. To make them solid for use in margarine, food scientists chemically change their structure through a process known as hydrogenation. This involves exposing the oils to high temperatures, high pressure, hydrogen gas, and a metal catalyst.
Hydrogenation changes some of the unsaturated fat into saturated fat, which is solid at room temperature and also increases the shelf life of the product. Unfortunately, trans fats are formed as a by-product.
For this reason, health experts strongly advise people to limit their intake. If we prefer margarine to butter, we will try to select varieties without trans fats. If it says "hydrogenated" anywhere on the ingredient list, we'll avoid it.
High in Omega-6 fats
There are many types of polyunsaturated fats, although the two most common are Omega-3 and Omega-6 fats. Omega-3 fats are considered anti-inflammatory, meaning they work against inflammation. Conversely, eating too much Omega-6 fat can promote chronic inflammation.
According to ancient diets, it is estimated that the optimal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 is around 1:1. If this relationship has any relevance to health, people are eating too much Omega-6 fat today. In fact, the ratio is estimated to be as high as 20:1 in developed countries.
Studies have linked a high intake of Omega-6 fats with an increased risk of obesity and chronic diseases, such as heart disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Vegetable oils that are especially high in omega-6 fats include sunflower, corn, soybean and cottonseed oils. If we are concerned about eating too much omega-6 fat, we will avoid eating margarine that contains these oils.