Before the days of margarine, people ate butter. They didn’t think twice about it. It was, along with milk and bread, a staple of their diet. When nutrition crept into the limelight, butter was cast aside due to its saturated fat content. It became one of the ‘foods to avoid’ in the quest to ward off heart disease, high cholesterol and blood pressure, and weight gain. We switched to margarine as a ‘healthier alternative’ but is marge really all that good for you? Let’s compare the two…
Butter
Made from
churning cream that rises to the top of milk if it is allowed to set for some time. The churning process hardens the cream.
•
Natural
•
Unrefined
•
Free from trans-fats
•
Free from toxic metals
•
Rich in
natural fatty acids
•
Rich in fat-soluble
vitamins: ADEK
•
Contains
no casein or lactose
Margarine
Chemically-extracted
refined vegetable oil. The oil is extracted at a high temperature (and damaged as a result) and hardened by bubbling hydrogen through it at a high heat.
•
Chemically-processed
•
Refined, treated product
•
Contains
trans-fats
•
Contains
toxic metals such as nickel and cadmium
•
Contains
colourings and other toxic
additives and by-products
•
Contains
no vit E (destroyed in heating process)
Note: Trans-fats trigger
inflammation in the body. They increase levels of
bad cholesterol (LDL) and reduce levels of good cholesterol (HDL).
Butter vs Margarine
Our approach is to go for the
natural unrefined option, butter, and to use it in
moderation. If you can, opt for
raw butter! We also suggest enjoying
healthy oils alongside butter – olive oil on bread or with veggies/fish, coconut oil as an excellent substitute for butter in cooking. If you do opt for marge,
read the label very carefully. Some are better than others! Keep an eye out for additives, preservatives (aka the
nasties) and check the
trans-fat and sat fat content.
Sources:
1. Lawrence Wilson MD, Centre for Development, March 2011
2. Harvard Health ‘Health Beat’, June 2006
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