Butter or Margarine?

[Celia]

We sometimes use margarine, but since noticing that the flies didn't land on it (we had lots of flies at one point this summer!), I can't bring myself to buy it again.

[Legomom]

We do butter as well. I was really surprised to see the results of the poll -- I thought that margarine would be a lot more popular. My grandma used to call margarine "oleo" because was originally called oleomargarine and it was white and came with a packet of yellow coloring to mix into it.

[Mergath]

***Not to start a debate or anything, but...

 

I have to add this little tid-bit: as I search for "the truth about margarine", I find all of the comments from this thread nearly verbatim on other sites and from one link that was doing a sort of "snopes" thing on an e-mail chain letter about it, several of the comments posted here are false. It's one thing to state you like it because it tastes better but when you give reasons why it's unhealthy, you ought to do a little bit of fact-checking before posting it. :001_huh: Aren't we smarter than that?

 

For anyone with a basic knowledge of nutrition, simply reading the ingredients on a stick of margarine is enough. Hydrogenated oils are terrible for you, and most margarines are basically pure hydrogenated oil. Yes, you can buy healthier spreads now, but even those are highly processed.

 

Butter, on the other hand, is just cream and sometimes salt. Much more natural and healthy. I think most people know now that processed foods aren't great for your health.

[Alenee]

For anyone with a basic knowledge of nutrition, simply reading the ingredients on a stick of margarine is enough. Hydrogenated oils are terrible for you, and most margarines are basically pure hydrogenated oil. Yes, you can buy healthier spreads now, but even those are highly processed.

 

Butter, on the other hand, is just cream and sometimes salt. Much more natural and healthy. I think most people know now that processed foods aren't great for your health.

 

Healthier, yes...to a degree. If one were to eat a little bit of margarine on a piece of toast each day, yet another were to eat double or triple that amount in butter throughout the day, which one wins?

[Punchie]

Butter! I try to avoid anything (partially) hydrogenated.

[ThreeBlessings]

***Not to start a debate or anything, but...

 

I have to add this little tid-bit: as I search for "the truth about margarine", I find all of the comments from this thread nearly verbatim on other sites and from one link that was doing a sort of "snopes" thing on an e-mail chain letter about it, several of the comments posted here are false. It's one thing to state you like it because it tastes better but when you give reasons why it's unhealthy, you ought to do a little bit of fact-checking before posting it. :001_huh: Aren't we smarter than that?

 

eta: sorry this is coming off SO snarky. It just blows my mind how stuck-up we can get over this kind of thing and then to boot, add information that is iffy at best. Is butter healthier than margarine? Yes. Are we going to be unhealthy if we choose MORE BUTTER, MORE BUTTER? (this reminds me of those who begin Atkins and think they can eat a whole cow for dinner and not get fat) Yes. Are we all still going to die even if we choose butter over margarine? Yes.

 

I avoid foods with hydrogenated oils. I do believe they are bad for you. We still do eat some foods with it, but it is so easy *not* to use margarine and peanut butter with hydrogenated oils, so that's where I cut it out of our diets. Not sure what you'd find reputable, but here's a link to Mayo clinic about trans fats and hydrogenated oils. It doesn't say margarine is evil. :)

[ereks mom]

We use both. We use margarine more, but some things are just better with butter. :001_smile:

[Mergath]

Healthier, yes...to a degree. If one were to eat a little bit of margarine on a piece of toast each day, yet another were to eat double or triple that amount in butter throughout the day, which one wins?

 

But people tend to use less butter, not more, because it tastes better and is more satisfying. Also, did you miss the post that said margarine is one molecule away from plastic? And that flies won't touch it? I'll stick to my whole foods.

[Sharon H in IL]

I blend butter half and half with cold-pressed organic canola oil and store it in the fridge in a crock. It stays spreadable, and lasts a long time.

[ErinE]

Margarine tastes too fake for me.

[GingerPoppy]

Ahhh, I think this confirms I've found my little corner of the internet. Mmmmm, butter. Made from real food. Tastes like real food.

[silliness7]

Healthier, yes...to a degree. If one were to eat a little bit of margarine on a piece of toast each day, yet another were to eat double or triple that amount in butter throughout the day, which one wins?

 

Yes, I get what you are saying. Butter may be healthi *er* but it's not healthy. There's another thread going on simultaneously in which some reveal a shocking amount of butter consumption. I can't imagine. (I couldn't even afford it.)

 

CO2 is one molecule away from CO so I can see how the

one-molecule-away-from-plastic argument is not that strong.

 

If you like margarine, enjoy!! It's not my favorite but it's certainly more affordable and I'm not ashamed to admit using it. :)

[Lilymax]

I voted "other" because I use all of it: butter, margarine, coconut oil, olive oil, canola oil...just depends on the recipe, the usage and what my budget is like at the time I go shopping.

 

My favorite spread is Land O'Lakes spreadable butter with olive oil. I just can't always afford to buy it.

 

My mother is die-hard anti-margarine and after hearing the "one molecule away from plastic" thing countless times from her, I had to research it myself. It's false...along with her claims that canola oil is toxic, and about a dozen other things she steadfastly believes.

 

I figure it all balances out in the end...

[Barb_]

Yes, I get what you are saying. Butter may be healthi *er* but it's not healthy.

 

 

 

Trans-palmitoleic acid, a component found only in dairy fat, is protective against diabetes. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101220200000.htm Food is full of micronutrients and other components that work together in ways we've only begun to understand. When in doubt, just choose the real thing over the fake thing.

[angela in ohio]

Healthier, yes...to a degree. If one were to eat a little bit of margarine on a piece of toast each day, yet another were to eat double or triple that amount in butter throughout the day, which one wins?

 

I don't understand this comparison. Why would you eat double or triple the butter?

[silliness7]

Trans-palmitoleic acid, a component found only in dairy fat, is protective against diabetes. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/12/101220200000.htm Food is full of micronutrients and other components that work together in ways we've only begun to understand. When in doubt, just choose the real thing over the fake thing.

 

MAY be protective it says. :D I can think of some easier ways to stave off type 2 diabetes than eating butter.

 

Here's a better (although not scientificky...new word) article on the health benefits of butter. Although, those of use who can't afford to eat it by the pound will eat margarine, health be darned. :tongue_smilie:

 

Is butter going to be the new crockpot?

Somehow I missed all the crockpot kerfuffle. :D

[Spy Car]

Margarine takes in a great variety of processed spreads these days, some worse than others. Traditionally Margerine was Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil—transfats—one of the worst things one can consume.

 

Now I know some margarines avoid hydrogenated oils, but they are still mostly make with low quality polyunsaturated oils whose place in the American diet is highly suspect.

 

We use butter in small quantities, using olive oil as the staple fat in our cuisine. But butter and/or ghee has a place. Margarine is banned.

 

Bill

[12Stars]

We use butter, ghee, and coconut oil.

[Barb_]

MAY be protective it says. :D I can think of some easier ways to stave off type 2 diabetes than eating butter.

 

Here's a better (although not scientificky...new word) article on the health benefits of butter. Although, those of use who can't afford to eat it by the pound will eat margarine, health be darned. :tongue_smilie:

 

Is butter going to be the new crockpot?

Somehow I missed all the crockpot kerfuffle. :D

 

They say may because the study is relatively new and has yet to be confirmed by additional studies:

 

At baseline, higher circulating levels of trans-palmitoleic acid were associated with healthier levels of blood cholesterol, inflammatory markers, insulin levels, and insulin sensitivity, after adjustment for other risk factors. During follow-up, individuals with higher circulating levels of trans-palmitoleic acid had a much lower risk of developing diabetes, with about a 60% lower risk among participants in the highest quintile (fifth) of trans-palmitoleic acid levels, compared to individuals in the lowest quintile.

 

"This type of observational finding requires confirmation in additional observational studies and controlled trials, but the magnitude of this association is striking," said Mozaffarian, lead author of the study. "This represents an almost three-fold difference in risk of developing diabetes among individuals with the highest blood levels of this fatty acid."

 

Does that mean scarf butter? No, of course not. But that wasn't my point.

[angela in ohio]

No margarine here, for many reasons:

 

We avoid most vegetable oils.

 

We try to eat foods with as few ingredients as possible.

 

We try to avoid trans fats whenever possible.

 

I dislike the consistency of most margarines.

 

Butter tastes much better to me.

 

I came from a "mixed" family (we had a dish of each, because dad liked butter and mom didn't,) and dh was raised on margarine. We used Country Crock for the first few years of marriage, before we started reforming our diet.

[Alenee]

I don't understand this comparison. Why would you eat double or triple the butter?

 

"MORE BUTTER" from this thread...(I can't quite figure out the multi-quote feature.) Someone says butter is healthier than margarine, so one takes that to mean, "I can eat as much of it as I want." Or they choose butter over margarine for the health benefit yet still consume massive amounts of food, thereby negating any benefit from switching. Or they choose whole foods over processed and yet still over-consume.

 

All that to say, I *like* butter better BUT if margarine was the only choice, I'd still want to put some of it on my toast. :)

[Spy Car]

"MORE BUTTER" from this thread...(I can't quite figure out the multi-quote feature.) Someone says butter is healthier than margarine, so one takes that to mean, "I can eat as much of it as I want." Or they choose butter over margarine for the health benefit yet still consume massive amounts of food, thereby negating any benefit from switching. Or they choose whole foods over processed and yet still over-consume.

 

All that to say, I *like* butter better BUT if margarine was the only choice, I'd still want to put some of it on my toast. :)

 

Not me. I would have my toast dry (which is typically the case anyway) before I would eat margarine. You could not pay me to consume margarine. I do not believe it is healthful.

 

Bill

[Running the race]

other. We use both. I have a kid allergic to butter.

[silliness7]

Not me. I would have my toast dry (which is typically the case anyway) before I would eat margarine. You could not pay me to consume margarine. I do not believe it is healthful.

 

Bill

 

To some, calories are healthful in whatever form they take. Margarine calories are better than no calories.

 

That is an extreme example and does not characterize my life, btw. But it must characterize a whole bunch of somebodies somewhere in the world.

[angela in ohio]

"MORE BUTTER" from this thread...(I can't quite figure out the multi-quote feature.) Someone says butter is healthier than margarine, so one takes that to mean, "I can eat as much of it as I want." Or they choose butter over margarine for the health benefit yet still consume massive amounts of food, thereby negating any benefit from switching. Or they choose whole foods over processed and yet still over-consume.

 

All that to say, I *like* butter better BUT if margarine was the only choice, I'd still want to put some of it on my toast. :)

 

Yet the people I know who eat whole foods and who eat butter rather than margarine eat much less than the average person, I think. I would guess that usually the person who has educated him or herself on the benefits of butter or margarine is also the one who has learned more about a balanced diet or eating in moderation. It would be an interesting study, I think, to find out about the general eating habits of those who choose butter versus margarine. From my (definitely limited) perspective of those around me, I can't imagine that those who eat butter also eat more of it or over-consume food in general more.

 

Also, butter is more expensive, so I would think one would be more likely to eat less of it. When your spread comes in a big old tub and costs little, it seems more conducive to spreading it more liberally.

 

And, as others have said, butter has more flavor, so you need less of it to get the same amount of taste.

[MyLittleWonders]

Anyone voting margarine is a crazy person and we need to band together and get them help. Who's with me?

 

Though I am pretty sure your comment was in jest, it still left me a bit :glare: . We are dairy intolerant (not lactose; casein). We cannot have butter as much as we used to absolutely love butter. So, for us it is organic Earth Balance. I did vote margarine, though probably should have voted other, as I don't see EB on the same level as margarine. We also use copious amounts of coconut oil around here and a fair share of olive oil. But EB is the closest we can get to butter taste without much crud in it, and it satisfies on a piece of toast or pb&j sandwich. As much as I believe butter is a very healthy choice (for others), for some of us, it is an extremely unhealthy choice.

[Kate CA]

Thanks, all! I find it pretty fascinating that the % of butter users is so much higher than margarine. We are a butter family, but visited a margarine home this weekend. It is always interesting to see the difference and how the kids respond to it. (They like it because it isn't the gross-tasting kind, but they *love* butter.) :D

[wapiti]

The way I remember it, back in, say, the 70s, margarine was supposedly healthier than butter, and that's why so many people used it in those days. However, much later that turned out to be false (when do you suppose that was, the 90s? sorry I'm too tired for hunting down links tonight). My mom used lots of margarine when I was growing up.

 

I do not use margarine, and have been known to throw it out if someone should leave some at my house after a holiday. For a time when I was avoiding both dairy and soy, there was only one Earth's Balance that I could eat (that was back before I discovered coconut oil :)). We use a lot of butter, but we have a big family.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Butter

Edited November 21, 2011 by LemonPie

[Rosie_0801]

We don't really use either. Our lives have almost entirely evolved not to require them. We definitely don't buy margarine, and the next time I'll be buying butter is to make my Christmas cake. The time after that might well be next years Christmas cake.

 

Now I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the plant sterols in the margarines that bring down cholesterol levels contribute to the weakening of the arteries and other things that will cause the problems one is trying to avoid by consuming the plant sterols. If I could remember where I read that, I could re-read it and type out something more coherent. Maybe someone else has heard that idea and remembers more about it?

 

Rosie

Edited November 21, 2011 by Rosie_0801

[nd293]

Both - olive oil margarine for every day use on bread and toast, butter for baking and cooking (although usually I use olive oil for cooking) and butter for use on super-fresh white bread, which is usually a weekend treat. I think olive oil margarine is healthier than butter, but can't say I've looked into it extensively. Olive oil over butter for cooking is a health preference.

[creekland]

Another butter family here. The only time I'll touch margarine is if I have to in order to be polite at someone else's house. If I have a choice there I'll opt for pretty much anything over margarine, but if they've already used margarine, so be it.

[Joyofsixreboot]

Butter. Margarine tastes horrible.

[RegGuheert]

We eat butter only here. Salted butter only, to be exact. Unsalted butter that we are familiar with contains "natural flavors" which often has right-handed glutamic acid (MSG), a neurotoxin. I cannot handle MSG.

I grew up on margarine. I thought real butter was something you could only get in restaurants.

Unfortunately, we have been in a couple of restaurants in the last couple of years which could not find any butter in the place to serve us.

We are dairy intolerant (not lactose; casein).

That brings up a good question: What is in butter? I have read that it is all (nearly all?) milkfats. But your comment implies that butter also contains milk proteins. I'm not questioning the truth of comment, but rather I am wondering how I can learn more about the exact makeup of butter. If it contains caseins in any significant quantities then I will probably work to limit our butter intake.

 

ETA: This website gives the following description of the composition of butter:

Commercial butter is 80–82 percent milk fat, 16–17 percent water, and 1–2 percent milk solids other than fat (sometimes referred to as curd). It may contain salt , added directly to the butter in concentrations of 1 to 2 percent. Unsalted butter is often referred to as “sweet†butter. This should not be confused with “sweet cream†butter, which may or may not be salted. Reduced-fat, or “light,†butter usually contains about 40 percent milk fat. Butter also contains protein, calcium and phosphorous (about 1.2%) and fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E.

It doesn't quite indicate how much casein is included. Edited November 21, 2011 by RegGuheert

[bbkaren]

I wish to live my life, not just get through it.

 

My grandparents all lived into their 90's eating butter and frying in lard.

____

 

Besides, now they're learning that margarine might even be worse for you than butter.

[kewb]

Butter. Everything is better with butter. And bacon, but that is another thread.

 

I find butter tastes better. Although, I do recall it was a real treat when my mother would buy Parkay in the squeeze bottle. As a kid, I thought that was the greatest thing ever. It was right behind cheese in a can.

[NanceXToo]

Butter, because margarine tastes icky.

[Melissa in NC]

Dairy intolerant. Thank goodness I have Earth Balance. Throw all the stones you wish, I am sticking with EB.

[LaxMom]

Butter. I try to feed our family natural things and there's nothing natural about margarine.

 

:iagree: If flies won't eat it, I don't want it anywhere near my family! :)

 

I agree.

 

(if I'm cooking for someone who has to avoid dairy for whatever reason, I use Earth Balance, though)

[beaners]

Though I am pretty sure your comment was in jest, it still left me a bit :glare: . We are dairy intolerant (not lactose; casein).

 

...

 

As much as I believe butter is a very healthy choice (for others), for some of us, it is an extremely unhealthy choice.

 

Yeah, the implication in many posts that anyone who doesn't use butter is completely disregarding their health also rubbed me the wrong way. It isn't a decision based on ignorance or unrefined tastes, it's just the best current choice for (one member of) our family.

[FairyMom]

Well, I've got you all beat. I buy the huge tub of Great Value soft spread. So there. :tongue_smilie:

 

:lol::lol::lol:

[TravelingChris]

Butter here and also olive oil, corn oil (much less frequently), and rarely, bacon grease (mostly for flavor).

 

I am not supposed to consume canola oil or soybean oil and I think most margarine is made with one of these but I really haven't checked since I was an only butter person since I started doing the shopping (age 16) and only developed the prohibition against soy and canola in the last 1.5 years.

[FairyMom]

Dairy intolerant. Thank goodness I have Earth Balance. Throw all the stones you wish, I am sticking with EB.

 

:iagree:

 

I loved butter, but can't eat dairy any more.... so sad. I use Earth Balance, but I want to use butter. :D

[ScoutTN]

margarine?? eeeeuwwww!

 

Real butter, olive oil and some canola oil here.

[Night Elf]

Anyone voting margarine is a crazy person and we need to band together and get them help. Who's with me?

 

You going to stage an intervention for me? :D

 

I love butter, but my habit is to use light margarine mostly because of lower calories I guess. The funny thing is that I don't use butter/margarine a lot. I might have a single piece of toast per day and the only time we cook with it is for mashed potatoes. You guys might be the cause for me to switch to real butter again. ;)

[Jenny in Florida]

We use margarine because we are vegans. (And I'm not crazy.)

[MelAR05]

Ever since I heard margarine is actually a greyish color and has to be dyed to be yellow I can't eat it. bleh.

 

:iagree: I cringe when it is offered at a restaurant or someone's house. It truly grosses me out.

[MyLittleWonders]

That brings up a good question: What is in butter? I have read that it is all (nearly all?) milkfats. But your comment implies that butter also contains milk proteins. I'm not questioning the truth of comment, but rather I am wondering how I can learn more about the exact makeup of butter. If it contains caseins in any significant quantities then I will probably work to limit our butter intake.

 

ETA: This website gives the following description of the composition of butter:It doesn't quite indicate how much casein is included.

 

I have read (I'd have to go try and dig up the link) that some dairy intolerant (due to casein) can tolerate cow butter, and some can't but can tolerant goat milk butter (due to the A1 vs. A2 idea). I am not sure about us, but knowing how we feel on dairy versus how we feel off dairy, it is not something I care to challenge. ;) I am very glad there is Earth Balance, or we wouldn't use anything resembling butter. (And we really do miss real butter ... )

[LizzyBee]

I voted other. I use butter for cooking and baking because I think it's healthier. I use country crock on the table because it tastes like real (homemade on the farm) butter. Butter purchased in a grocery store tastes nothing like the real thing, so that's why I only use it in things where the taste will be masked.

Edited November 21, 2011 by LizzyBee

[KarenNC]

A half and half mixture of butter and olive oil, blended together.