Even professionals can give you information that seems to directly contradict something you read the other day.

A good example that is controversial is the health implications of eating butter and margarine (spread).

This article compares the two products, looking at both sides of the debate.

What are butter and margarine?

Butter is traditional product made from whipped cream.

It is mainly added to side dishes such as mashed potatoes, cereals, pasta, or is a component of sauces, cakes and pastries.

As a concentrated source of milk fat, it consists primarily of saturated fat.

Long-standing studies have linked high level saturated fat consumption increases the risk of heart disease, leading public health authorities to recommend that people limit their butter intake in the 1970s.

Margarine is a processed product that has a similar taste and appearance to butter. It is often recommended as a heart-healthy substitute for butter.

Modern margarines are made from vegetable oils containing , which can lower levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol when used instead of saturated fat.

Since vegetable oils are liquid when room temperature, food scientists change their chemical structure, making them solid like butter.

For the past few decades, a process called hydrogenation has been used to solidify vegetable oils into margarine.

Hydrogenation increases the content in the oil, but it also creates a byproduct called unhealthy trans fats ().

A more modern process called transesterification produces similar results without the formation of trans fats ().

In addition to hydrogenated (hydrogenated) or interesterified vegetable oils, modern margarine may contain several food additives, including emulsifiers and dyes.

Simply put, modern margarine is a highly processed food product, made from vegetable oils, while butter mainly contains milk fat.

Summary:

Butter is milk product, which is made from whipped cream. Conversely, margarine is a product designed to imitate butter. Although butter is primarily made from milk fat, margarine is usually made from vegetable oils.

Useful properties of butter

Butter may contain several nutrients, which are not found in many other foods.

For example, butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows may provide some vitamin K2, which has been linked to improved bone health (,).

In fact, this type of butter appears to be a better source of many nutrients than grain-fed butter.

The health effects of butter largely depend on the diet of the cows from whose milk it is produced.

Cows in natural environment habitats feed on grass, but in many countries their menu is largely based on grain-based feeds.

Butter from the milk of grass-fed cows is much more nutritious. It contains more:

• Vitamin AK2: This little-known vitamin may help prevent many serious diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis, and heart disease ( , , ).
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA): Research suggests that this fatty acid may have anti-cancer properties and help reduce body fat (,,).
• Butyrate: A short-chain fatty acid found in butter, which is also produced by bacteria in the intestines. It can fight inflammation, improve digestion, and may help prevent weight gain (,,).
• Omega-3: Butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows contains less and more . This is important because most people consume too much omega-6 fat ().

However, butter is typically consumed in small quantities and contributes little to overall intake of these nutrients.

Summary:

Butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows contains many more heart-healthy nutrients than butter made from the milk of grain-fed cows.

Risks of eating butter

Some experts are concerned about the high amount of saturated fat and cholesterol in butter and advise people to limit their consumption.

High levels of saturated fat

For decades, butter has been demonized for its high saturated fat content.

It consists of about 50% saturated fat, with the rest mostly water and unsaturated fat.

Observational studies examining the relationship between saturated fat and the development of cardiovascular disease have produced mixed results ( , , , , ).

A recent review of studies concluded that eating less saturated fat is associated with a 17% reduction in the risk of developing cardiovascular disease when it is replaced with polyunsaturated fat ().

As for switching saturated fat intake to carbohydrates or protein, this does not seem to have an effect ().

As a result, some experts doubt that saturated fat intake is truly of concern. Others remain convinced that excessive consumption of saturated fat is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease ().

Proponents of this popular belief often point to studies showing that saturated fat increases levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol.

While it's true that saturated fat increases LDL cholesterol levels, it's actually a little more complicated than that ().

Interestingly, some scientists believe that consuming saturated fat may actually have some benefits, including improving blood lipid profiles.

This type of fat can increase levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and change the size of LDL cholesterol particles from small and dense to larger ones, which are considered more harmless (, ,).

No convincing evidence supports the claim that high consumption of butter or other dietary sources of saturated fat is directly responsible for the development of cardiovascular disease ().

However, better research is needed before scientists can fully understand saturated fat metabolism and its implications for heart health.

Summary:

High intake of saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but the evidence is inconsistent. This question is one of the most controversial in nutrition science.

High cholesterol

Butter also has high cholesterol levels.

High cholesterol intake has been considered a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

This concern was based on research showing that high blood cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease ().

However, it is now clear that getting moderate amounts of cholesterol from your diet does not raise blood cholesterol levels in most people. The body compensates by producing less of its own cholesterol.

This generally keeps blood cholesterol levels in the normal range, although very high intakes may still cause a mild increase in blood cholesterol levels ( , , ).

Public health authorities have been advocating diets with low level cholesterol.

However, dietary strategies appear to have limited effect in this group ().

Scientists continue to debate the role of dietary cholesterol in the development of cardiovascular disease, but concerns have decreased in recent years (,).

Summary:

Butter has high cholesterol levels. However, it has a limited effect on blood cholesterol levels in most people.

Useful properties of margarine

The health benefits of margarine (spread) depend on what vegetable oils it contains and how it is processed.

May contain high polyunsaturated fats

Most types of margarine are rich in polyunsaturated fats. The exact amount depends on what vegetable oils were used to produce it.

For example, a margarine base may contain approximately 20% polyunsaturated fat ().

Polyunsaturated fats are generally considered healthy. They may even provide heart health benefits compared to saturated fats.

For example, replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat is associated with a 17% reduction in the risk of heart disease but has no significant effect on the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (,).

Summary:

Margarine is often rich in polyunsaturated fat. Research shows that eating polyunsaturated fat instead of saturated fat may reduce your risk of heart problems.

May contain plant sterols and stanols

Some margarines are fortified with phytosterols or stanols. Vegetable oils are also naturally rich in these compounds.

Phytosterol-enriched margarines reduce total cholesterol and "bad" LDL cholesterol, at least in the short term, but they may also reduce "good" HDL cholesterol (, ).

However, most studies have not found a significant association between total phytosterol intake and the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (,).

Summary:

Margarine is made from vegetable oils and is often rich in phytosterols. Although phytosterols may lower LDL cholesterol levels, they do not appear to affect the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Risks of consuming margarine

While margarine may contain some heart-healthy nutrients, it often contains trans fat, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and other chronic health problems ().

Vegetable oils are not solid at room temperature like butter.

To make them solid for use as margarine, chemists chemically change their structure using a process called hydrogenation.

This process involves exposure high temperatures, high pressure, hydrogen and metal catalyst for vegetable oils.

Hydrogenation changes some of the unsaturated fat into saturated fat, which remains solid at room temperature and also increases the shelf life of the product.

Unfortunately, trans fat is produced as a by-product of the hydrogenation process. High consumption of such trans fats is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic diseases ().

For this reason, health authorities strongly advise people to limit their consumption.

In addition, the FDA is implementing a ban on trans fat in all processed foods, although food manufacturers can apply for an exemption.

As a result, many food manufacturers began to use a new technique to harden vegetable oils to produce margarine.

This method is called transesterification. It replaces some of the unsaturated fats in butter with saturated fat ().

Interesterified vegetable oils are considered healthier than hydrogenated oils because they contain no trans fat.

If you prefer to use margarine (spread), try to give preference to options without trans fats. If you see the words “hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” anywhere in the ingredient list on a package, avoid that margarine.

Summary:

Many margarines have high levels of trans fats, which are associated with an increased risk of chronic disease. However, due to the spread of information about their dangers and new laws, margarines without trans fats are becoming more common.

There are many types of polyunsaturated fats.

They are often divided into categories based on their chemical structure. The two most common are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fats are considered anti-inflammatory, meaning they have the ability to eliminate inflammation in the body. Conversely, consuming too many omega-6 fatty acids can contribute to chronic inflammation.

The optimal ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 is estimated to be approximately 1:1.

Nowadays, people eat too much omega-6 fats. In fact, in developed countries the ratio is estimated to be 20:1 ().

Observational studies have linked high intakes of omega-6 fats to an increased risk of obesity and the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and inflammatory bowel disease ().

However, an analysis of controlled studies concludes that linoleic acid (the most common omega-6 fat) does not affect levels of inflammatory blood markers (,).

Because of this inconsistency, it is unclear whether increased consumption of omega-6 fats actually causes problems. For this reason, more research is needed.

Vegetable oils that are particularly high in omega-6 include sunflower oil, soybean oil and cottonseed oil.

If you're concerned about eating too many omega-6 fatty acids, avoid margarines made from these vegetable oils.

Summary:

Margarine often contains high levels of polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids. Some scientists believe that excessive consumption of omega-6s may contribute to inflammation, but controlled studies do not support this theory.

Summarize

• Butter and margarine look almost the same and are used for the same purposes in the kitchen.
• However, their nutritional profiles differ. While butter contains saturated fat, margarine is rich in unsaturated fat and often trans fat.
• The effects of saturated fats on human health are very controversial, and their role in the development of cardiovascular diseases has been reduced in recent years.
• On the contrary, scientists agree that trans fats, which are found in some types of margarines, increase the risk of developing chronic diseases. For this reason, margarines without trans fats are becoming more common.
• If you prefer to use margarine, make sure you buy brands that are free of trans fat and made from healthy vegetable oils such as .
• If you prefer butter, consider purchasing products made from milk from grass-fed cows rather than grain-fed cows.
• It is difficult to say which is healthier, butter or margarine, since there are products of varying quality and composition on the market. In any case, the more natural the product, the healthier it will be.
• No matter what you choose, consume these foods in moderation.

As a rule, margarine supporters believe that the difference between butter and margarine is very insignificant, although experts say the opposite. There are several articles on the Internet, the authenticity of which is questionable, that claim that changing just one molecule of margarine can turn it into plastic. The most basic difference between the two products is that butter is made from animal fat while margarine is made from hydrogenated vegetable oils.

Butter has been produced for a long time, compared to margarine. It is made from the full cream of cow's milk, although milk from other animals can be used. The fat molecules in cream are usually in the form of a suspension, but with constant churning, the fat molecules cling to each other and eventually turn from cream into a thick mass of butter. Salt is often added to raw butter, but this is not necessary.

Creamed butter consists almost entirely of saturated fat, as well as high amounts of cholesterol.

Margarine was developed in 1869 specifically to replace butter. Early margarine products included beef tallow, but most margarine formulas were changed in the early 20th century to use vegetable oils. Typically, liquid vegetable oil is solidified by a process involving hydrogen bubbles passing through the mixture. The result is a solid butter substitute with no cholesterol or minimal saturated fat.

Margarine contains polyunsaturated and trans fatty acids, which many health experts consider harmful to people because they can cause clogged arteries.

The shelf life of butter and margarine is also different. To stay fresh for several days, the oil must be stored in the refrigerator. Margarine should also be refrigerated to keep it firm, but it stays fresh much longer than butter. Butter, like many other dairy products, can spoil or become rancid without proper storage and refrigeration conditions. Butter and margarine can be used in a variety of recipes, but professional chefs often choose butter while amateurs use margarine. Butter is more expensive than margarine, and the difference in taste and texture can be very subtle, depending on the quality of the brands used.

Bad news for margarine fans: No, this product is not a healthier butter substitute. In fact, most of the evidence suggests that margarine is very unhealthy. Since then, as margarine products began to flood the stores, their manufacturers have become rich and our health has deteriorated. We believed in the statement that margarine is not so fatty, and therefore can become part of proper nutrition. By the way, do you know the difference between margarine and butter?

1. Ingredients

Butter is made from fermented milk or cream, water and lactoproteins. Some types of butter may have salt added, although the product is usually not particularly salty. Margarine does not contain any dairy products at all and instead consists of emulsifiers, salt and vegetable oils. In other words, butter is a natural product, but margarine is not. Margarine is highly processed, but butter is not. This brings us to the next point.

2. Processing

Making butter is a process of separation and churning, that is, a production process in which cream obtained from milk fats is pasteurized, kept for 24 hours, and actively churned. After this, the final product is formed into briquettes and packaged. Margarine goes through a processing process called hydrogenation. This is a less complex, but completely chemical transformation of liquid vegetable oils into solid or semi-solid fats. It is, in fact, just a few steps away from producing plastic.

3. Fats

Butter typically contains about 80% fat. It is animal-based and contains much more saturated fat than margarine. However, unlike the fats in margarine, the fats in butter are primarily omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Margarines and spreads range from 10 to 90% fat, consisting primarily of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated varieties. Some margarines may also contain trans fats, which are known to be very unhealthy.

4. Flavor and texture

A product made entirely from animal fat will in most cases taste nothing like its fully processed ersatz version. These differences are clearly visible in baked goods, which traditionally use large amounts of butter or margarine. Products made with margarine differ (often for the worse) from those made with butter.

5. Nutrition

While neither butter nor margarine are “healthy,” margarine is still woefully lacking in important nutrients such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are important for the brain and heart. In addition, margarine contains only small (if any) impurities of vitamins A, D and E. Even without talking about nutritional value, highly processed foods - including margarine - are always more harmful to human health than minimally processed and organic products. As one researcher on this issue said: “I trust cows more than chemists.”

Discussions among nutritionists about whether butter or margarine is healthier have been going on for decades. Until recently, oil was considered the worst enemy. It has been blamed for raising cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.

Today public opinion has changed to the opposite. And margarine is already perceived as the source of all troubles and problems. You can often see headlines about the deadly dangers of margarine. What caused this dramatic change of opinion and how scientifically justified is it? Should we really limit oil in our diet to avoid an increased risk of heart and vascular disease? Or is margarine more harmful to our health?

To answer these questions, you need to understand what butter and margarine are, how they differ from each other and consider all the pros and cons of both products.

Butter

Butter is an animal product made from whipped cream from cows. It has a pleasant soft creamy taste. It is used as fat, for sandwiches, making sauces and cream, and in various baked goods. As a concentrated source of milk fat, it is primarily composed of saturated fat and is high in cholesterol. They are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Most people should limit their intake.

One tablespoon of butter contains 33 mg of cholesterol and 7 grams of saturated fat. Whereas nutritionists advise limiting cholesterol intake to no more than 200 milligrams per day, and saturated fat to no more than 10-15 grams.

The health effects of oil largely depend on the diet of cows. Animals that eat grass natural conditions, much more nutritious compared to those found on farms. It contains more:

Vitamin K2. This little-known vitamin may help prevent many serious diseases, including cancer, osteoporosis and heart disease;

Conjugated linoleic acid. Research shows that this fatty acid may have anti-cancer properties and help reduce body fat percentage;

Butyrate. A short-chain fatty acid found in oil that is also produced by bacteria in the intestines. This compound may fight inflammation, improve digestion, and help prevent weight gain;

Omega-3. Butter produced from domestic cows contains more Omega-3 fatty acids and less Omega-6. This is important because most people consume more Omega-6.

It should be noted that butter, as a rule, is not used in large quantities. Therefore, the contribution of these nutrients to total intake is not large.

What's harmful in oil? Doctors and nutritionists are concerned about its high content of saturated fat and cholesterol. It consists of almost 50 percent of such fats. The rest is water and unsaturated fat.

Not so long ago, scientists argued that saturated fats are harmful to health. But many scientific studies have produced conflicting results. As a result, some nutrition experts have begun to question whether consuming such fats is actually harmful to health and has a significant impact on rates of cardiovascular disease.

Proponents of the popular opinion often point to studies showing that saturated fat increases levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. This is a true statement. Saturated fat increases LDL cholesterol levels. But here, too, not everything is clear.

Some scientists believe that consuming them may have some benefits, including improving blood lipids.

It can increase "good" HDL cholesterol levels and change the size of LDL cholesterol particles from small and dense to larger ones, which are considered higher quality.

There is no conclusive scientific evidence that there is a direct link between eating butter and other sources of saturated fat and heart disease.

The oil also has high levels of cholesterol, which has been linked to a major risk factor for heart disease. All of these arguments were based on research showing that high cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease.

It is now clear that moderate dietary cholesterol intake does not have a significant effect on blood levels in most people. Although it is not denied that too much consumption of foods high in cholesterol can cause its increase.

Discussions on this issue continue in the scientific community. But the problem is no longer so acute.

Margarine

Margarine was first produced in France as a substitute for butter for the army and the lowest classes of the population. It is made from vegetable oils, emulsifiers, salt, flavorings, colors and other ingredients that can improve color, texture and taste.

Modern margarine is made from various types oils containing polyunsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol. It is similar to butter and is often used as a substitute.

Since most vegetable oils are liquid at room temperature, in order to make them solid, they are subjected to special treatment - hydrogenation.

Hydrogenation increases the saturated fat content of the oil, producing unhealthy trans fats as a byproduct. The harder the margarine, the more trans fats it contains.

Today, the transesterification method is mainly used, which gives the same result, but without the formation of trans fats.

Simply put, modern margarine is a highly processed food product made from vegetable oils with the addition of other ingredients, including vitamin supplements.

The health benefits of margarine depend on what vegetable oils it contains and how it is processed.

Most types of margarine contain a lot of polyunsaturated fat. The exact amount depends on what vegetable oils were used to produce it.

For example, soybean oil margarine may contain approximately 20%.

Polyunsaturated fats are generally considered healthier than saturated fats. Hence the conclusion is drawn that such fat is more beneficial for preventing the risks of heart disease.

Research has shown that replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat reduces this risk by 17 percent.

Contains plant phytosterols. The vegetable oils themselves from which margarine is made contain these compounds. They are believed to have an effect on cholesterol levels, increasing high-strength lithoproteins and reducing low-strength lithoproteins. But most studies conducted on this topic have not found any significant association with the presence of phytosterols and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The main harm of margarine is associated with the presence of trans fats. In previous technology it actually contained a lot of them. They are formed as a by-product during the hydrogenation of liquid vegetable oils. New way hydrogenation makes it possible to completely eliminate their formation or have a minimum content. In addition, in many countries, including ours, standards clearly limit their availability.

Speaking about the benefits of margarine, it should be noted that:

It contains more polyunsaturated fats, which are considered more beneficial for human health;

Enriched with beneficial vitamin and mineral supplements;

Less caloric compared to oil;

The harm of margarine may include:

Increased Omega-6 content.

Read

Today, stores sell a huge number of varieties of butter and margarine. These products are very similar to each other appearance, but margarine is much cheaper. This begs a logical question: is it worth paying more? How is butter different from margarine? Can these products be considered alternative options? If you have questions, our online encyclopedia of differences sends you in search of answers.

Definition

Oil- a product of animal origin. To be more precise, it is a product that is obtained from milk during the process of whipping it. As children, we all read a fairy tale about two frogs caught in containers of milk. And, of course, we remembered her moral - never give up... and you will have butter. Ideally, in natural butter other than milk and table salt there should be no more ingredients. Certainly, modern manufacturers in an effort to reduce their expenses and, on the contrary, increase profits, they use various kinds tricks. But the result of their production should no longer be called butter.

Margarine- a mixture of animal and vegetable fats. Vegetable oil V in kind– liquid with high viscosity. To give the product its familiar solid appearance, the mixture undergoes a special treatment called hydrogenation. This word, obscure to many, means nothing more than the saturation of fatty acid molecules with hydrogen atoms. Margarine was created more than a century ago as an inexpensive substitute for natural butter.

Which is healthier?

More precisely, what is the benefit. Why is margarine considered a low-quality, waste, second-rate product in many families? Is it really only suitable for lubricating dishes when cooking, and also as an additive to baking dough?

Let's start by dispelling the myths. If production technologies are followed according to the approved recipe, both butter and margarine are products that do not contain artificial additives, such as flavors, thickeners and other fillers. The products in margarine are no less natural than those in butter. Unless they also use cheaper vegetable fats. Yes, margarine is created artificially, but this does not mean that it is completely saturated with harmful, terribly dangerous “chemicals”.

If we talk about the properties of these products, it should be noted that oil has a higher calorie content. In addition, with large consumption of natural butter, the risk of diseases caused by increased cholesterol in the blood increases - atherosclerosis, heart attack, etc.

In margarine, the main share is made up of vegetable fat. This means that there are no saturated fats in it, which increase cholesterol, or there are, but much less than in butter. True, this does not mean that from now on your morning sandwich must be made exclusively with margarine. This product contains trans fats, which cause a blow to our blood vessels no less noticeable than saturated animal fats.

What's better to buy?

So what should you choose in the end – butter or margarine? Everyone decides this for themselves. Of course, due to its pleasant creamy aroma and taste, most people consider oil a more pleasant product to consume in its pure form. But it’s better not to use butter for frying. The harm from heated vegetable fat is much less than from heat-treated oil of animal origin.

The main thing is, when buying butter or margarine, check what you are actually buying. Remember that in natural oil There should be only milk and salt. Oil hardens in the refrigerator. The color of the oil can range from white to yellow, but the oil from one batch should have a uniform hue. The color of margarine is more saturated, it does not harden in the cold, and at room temperature it holds its shape worse than butter.

To attract buyers to their margarine, some manufacturers use marketing gimmicks. In particular, the word oil and its derivatives are used in the name of the product: “light oil”, “healthy oil”, etc. Comrades, be careful! Don't be fooled! Sniff, taste, read the ingredients carefully - check!

Conclusions website

1. Butter is a product obtained from milk. It contains only saturated fatty acids. Margarine contains fats of vegetable and animal origin.
2. Butter began to be used as food earlier than margarine. Margarine was created artificially as a replacement for expensive butter.
3. The color of margarine is more intense. The color of the oil ranges from white to light yellow.
4. Butter is more often used for eating in its pure form, margarine for baking.
5. Some manufacturers try to sell margarine, veiledly calling it butter.