Butter Or Margarine: Healthier Choice?

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If any layman was asked to choose between butter and margarine, they would blindly choose the latter as a healthier option. We all know that margarine is a low fat replacement of butter. It is heart healthy, helps you loose weight and has million other advantages over butter. But butter too can be healthy in ways you have never imagined.

Is margarine really healthy when compared to butter or its a myth built by commercial companies to sell their products. Here are some of the things you need to know about the both, butter and margarine.

• Butter is the most ancient and natural milk products in the world. The human race learned very early how to extract butter from milk.
• Margarine is artificially shortened vegetable fats. It was originally used to fatten turkeys before culling them. But because its fat content was less than butter, it was promoted as an alternative bread spread.
• The difference between butter and margarine is the taste. Even the smell of fresh butter can boost your appetite. Margarine has neither smell nor taste to speak for.
• Although margarine claims to be heart healthy, a lot of brands have found the traces of trans fats that clog up arteries. Although the amount of trans fats and harmful calories have been reduced in margarine products, the question still remains; why should we not choose butter when margarine has trans fats?
• Butter has calories but it is a natural product (no trans fats). You can always make healthy butter at home to ensure that it is absolutely free of toxic preservatives. But there is no such thing as homemade margarine.
• Some margarine brands claim to have omega-3-fatty-acids. But they all are from plant sources. According to scientific research, the good cholesterol or omega-3-fatty-acids present in fish oil are much more heart healthy.
• Our body need fats too. So why not choose butter instead of margarine? If we have to consume fats, then it should be natural fats instead of a plastic-like substance.
• One thing we have to say in favour of low fat butter that is Margarine; it makes a great bread spread. Margarine never really gets frosted so it is easy to spread out.

Although we cannot write of margarine completely, butter is a healthier option. But if you are having butter and not margarine you must curtail your portions to cut down on calories. Which one according to you is healthier; butter or margarine?

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.