Butter vs Margarine: Which is healthier?

Butter vs Margarine: Which is healthier?
Butter has been around for thousands of years.  Butter is natural product and made typically from one ingredient and that is cow’s milk.  Butter in its ingredients has some of the building blocks of life (Hey Michelle) Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen.  Butter is high in saturated fat.  This is the bad fat as a basic rule foods derived from an animal fat source contain bad cholesterol.   Saturated fat in ones diet was and is associated with cardiovascular disease.  Cardiovascular disease is consistently in the top 3 reasons for death amongst most groups. Butter serves up 100 calories per tablespoon.  Whipped butter contains less fat and calories than stick butter.   One more addition to fact is protein level. Butter has higher protein which can help suppress hunger urges.
 
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Margarine was created to be a healthier option to butter.  Yes I used the word created because it is not a natural product.  Margarine has a list of ingredients.  Margarine contains transfat (unless it states no transfat on the package).  Transfat comes from the transfiguration of the molecules carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.  Margarine is made with vegetable oils, vegetable based products have good fats.  Stick margarine is higher in transfat, while new margarines  are lower in saturated fat, no transfat, and less calories.  Transfats lower good cholesterol, increase bad cholesterol and increase the risk of coronary heart disease.  

Conclusion:

The nutritionist Siddiqu would say the  healthiest choice would be to not use either of them and replace them with a light drizzle of olive oil, and use that even with cooking.  The taste Siddiqu would say butter taste waaay better than margarine.  It is going to boil down to how much self control you have while spreading.  Moderation is the key but do you practice that?  General rule of thumb the more solid the margarine or butter the more fats it contains.  The goal is to limit Saturated fats and avoid transfat.

Siddiqu “The Personal Trainer” is a CPT, motivational speaker, author of  How Are You Fat and Saved?! He is also the Co-creator of the largest bootcamp in Chicago The No Excuse Bootcamp.  To attend our next workout event click picture below for tickets!   

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