The debate between butter and margarine is always on fire, as people tend to favour one over the other!
So which is it? Which spread is better for your health?
Butter
Butter is usually seen as the unhealthier of the 2 spreads, as over 65% of the fat in butter is saturated fat. Here is the low down on butter:
Very energy dense
High in saturated fat (or unhealthy fats)
Contains trans fats
Excess amounts can increase our LDL (or bad) cholesterol levels
Excess amounts can increase the risk of heart disease
Excess amounts can cause a calorie surplus and lead to weight gain
If you are active, generally well and have no health/heart condition and when eaten in small amounts, butter can be included as part of a healthy diet.
For someone with high cholesterol, butter may not be the best option for you as it can raise those levels even higher. So it is important to know that there are simple swaps you can make to help lower your cholesterol. For example:
Swap to margarine (keep reading!!)
Use olive oil and canola oils/spreads
Enjoy avocado, nuts & seeds
Margarine
Margarine is often seen as the better of 2 evils.
There have been concerns around margarine not being natural and being made from the same molecules as plastic and that margarine causes macular degeneration. However, there is just not enough evidence to say this is true.
Here is what we do know. Margarine is:
Lower amounts of saturated fat and trans fats
Higher amounts of polyunsaturated (such as omega 3) and monounsaturated (or healthy) fats
These healthy fats help to increase HDL (good) cholesterol and lower LDL (or bad) cholesterol
Some contain plant sterols that have also been proven to lower cholesterol by 10%
Excess amounts can still cause a calorie surplus and lead to weight gain
Monounsaturated fats (think olive oil, avocado and nuts) are associated with lower levels of small dense LDL, along with physical activity and moderate alcohol intake
Plant sterols
Plant sterols have a similar structure to cholesterol and they block the bodies ability to absorb cholesterol. In order to gain the benefits of plant sterols research shows that 2-3g of plant sterols should be consumed daily (~1-1.5 tablespoons of plant sterol containing margarine). There is also no benefit in consuming more than the 2-3g.
Trans fats
Trans fats are an unhealthy fat that are linked to higher risk of heart disease. This is because they can:
Lower your HDL (good) cholesterol
Increase your LDL (bad) cholesterol
Due to the hydrogenation process in which margarine is made trans fats (another unhealthy) fats are made. These trans fats are also linked to increased cholesterol. Which is why most people think that margarine is no better than butter.
However, the Australian food system has cracked down on the amount of trans fats that are allowed in food products, like margarine and other spreads. Margarine spreads available in Australia now contain only trace amounts of trans fats (on average 0.2g per 100g). In comparison, butter has 4g of trans fats).
Bottom Line
I don't like to judge food just based on one ingredient alone. It is important to look at foods as a whole and then see where they sit in someones overall diet.
Both can be included as part of a healthy balanced diet.
Generally, spreads do not belong in the 5 food groups because they are not essential for our health. They are in the "Use small amounts" category of the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.
For the majority of the population it is fare to say they they can both be enjoyed in small amounts. If you love butter, then go for it, just don't have too much.
One is no better than the other. However, in certain circumstances one may be more beneficial than another. For example, margarine may be a better choice for someone with high cholesterol as it is lower in saturated fat than butter.
When it comes to heart health, Here are a list of spreads that are often a better choice:
Margarines low in saturated fat and high in healthy fats
Margarines containing plant sterols
Using extra virgin olive oil
Also swap to natures butter - the AVOCADO
or nut butters
All spreads should still be enjoyed in small amounts
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