# Butter or margarine?



## kenny1999

I am a beginner of cooking. I know there is no clear-cut for this question after research on Google.
I did shopping today at a large local supermarket but shockingly, there are lots of butter/margarine but none of them has the word "butter'' or ''margarine'' on any parts of their box. They use the word ''oil'' instead but I am pretty sure that they are either butter or margarine.

By the way, there are so many choices, what should I pay special attention to on the nutrients labels? Thanks


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## Andy M.

To me there IS a clear-cut choice.  I always use real butter.  All the rest are laboratory fabrications.


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## Mad Cook

kenny1999 said:


> I am a beginner of cooking. I know there is no clear-cut for this question after research on Google.
> I did shopping today at a large local supermarket but shockingly, there are lots of butter/margarine but none of them has the word "butter'' or ''margarine'' on any parts of their box. They use the word ''oil'' instead but I am pretty sure that they are either butter or margarine.
> 
> By the way, there are so many choices, what should I pay special attention to on the nutrients labels? Thanks


Where are you situated, Kenny?

Butter is made from cream and nothing added except, sometimes, a little salt. If it has any other ingredients or references to preservatives it isn't butter. There are two types of butter - sweet cream and lactic. lactic butter (eg Danish butter) has a small amount of "ripened" butter in it but it may not say this on the ingredients (it doesn't in the UK but it depends on the labelling regulations where you are).

There are other butter substitutes which are a mixture of butter fat and oil and other things, which purport to be "better" for you than butter and in some cases are lower in fat (usually this is achieved by adding water and other things) but, as you say these are not butter and (at least in the UK) they have to be called "spreads".

There have been some recent studies published which claim that butter is not as bad for us as has been painted but I don't know where this originated (it may have been paid for by the dairy industry!). As a non-scientific person I am inclined to believe it (because I can if I want to ) and butter tastes better. To the best of my knowledge British dairy cows can't be given hormones to encourage milk production but I believe this may be allowed in some countries. Depending on where you live, you may choose to eschew butter for that reason.

As regards margarine, you rarely see the word in British shops although it is sold in Britain (eg the product which used to be labelled "Stork Margarine" is now just "Stork" and Tesco own brand Margarine is now just labelled "baking fat" which sounds very unappetising).

Personally, I prefer to stick with my butter and moderate my consumption. I prefer the taste and "feel" of it on my bread and in baking too although I'll use margarine for a strongly flavoured cake such as gingerbread if I'm short of butter. However, if frying with butter it is a good idea to add a little  blandly flavoured cooking oil as it tends to make the butter less likely to burn.


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## chiklitmanfan

*We have returned to the real things after years*

After years of using these laboratory concoctions, we have returned to real unsalted butter. Why? It is a REAL food. It tastes better. It melts better. It combines with other ingredients better. It is reasonably priced. Nuff said?

Our beloved former pastor from Alabama, when he wanted to make a point about something being genuine and valid, used to utter the phrase "Them's home-made biscuits and real butter."


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

I believe that the power that created life did it right.  I use real butter.  Margarine, or any of the Butter flavored spreads never enter my house.  I know what to expect of butter, whether I'm cooking, spreading it on toast,  or dressing veggies, or a piece of warm, fresh from the oven bread.  It tastes better, and if eaten in moderation, as with all fats, isn't so very bad for you.  I mean, the human race survived thousands of years before margarine was ever invented.

And just for the record, lard, or pork fat, has less cholesterol than does butter.  So a little bacon grease added to you noodles is healthier than is butter in those same noodles.  Try adding melted sausage, or bacon fat, or melted butter to your next batch of pancake batter, rather than cooking oil.  Of course you will have to let it cool a little to avoid cooking the batter as the hot fat hits the batter.  You will find that the flavor is more complex, and better (IMHO)

Seeeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Andy M.

kenny1999 said:


> ...They use the word ''oil'' instead but I am pretty sure that they are either butter or margarine...




If it's butter, it will say butter on the label. Read the ingredients list.  It should be short.  Two ingredients is about right.  Sweet cream, salt.


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## bakechef

Unless it is unsalted butter in the US then it will often say "sweet cream and natural flavor"

Go with the one that says BUTTER on the label, if it says "buttery" or "spread" or "baking sticks" it's likely margarine.  

Margarine can have huge variations in the amount of fat and water and this can really mess with baked goods.  Butter is usually much more consistent.  Butter is a more natural, better tasting product too.


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## kenny1999

I mean , the local margarine/butter does not have any label about whether they are margarine or butter. They simply use the term "oil". I can't distinguish whether they are butter or margarine. I'd like to know what parameters on the nutrient label that I should pay special attention to.


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## Andy M.

kenny1999 said:


> I mean , the local margarine/butter does not have any label about whether they are margarine or butter. They simply use the term "oil". I can't distinguish whether they are butter or margarine. I'd like to know what parameters on the nutrient label that I should pay special attention to.




The labeling laws in Hong Kong are clearly very different from other parts of the world.  I don't think we can help you with this as the labels don't seem to provide enough information to make a decision.


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## no mayonnaise

I think margarine tastes better for making toast & jelly. I think regular butter tastes pretty bad on toast.

Everything else gets butter because it tastes better.


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## creative

Andy M. said:


> To me there IS a clear-cut choice.  I always use real butter.  All the rest are laboratory fabrications.


Yes I agree too.


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## GotGarlic

Andy M. said:


> The labeling laws in Hong Kong are clearly very different from other parts of the world.  I don't think we can help you with this as the labels don't seem to provide enough information to make a decision.



True. You might want to ask a local person about this.


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## Zhizara

When butter was supposed to be bad for us, I switched completely to margarine.  After splurging on real butter for a lobster dinner, I realized that I really prefer the taste of margarine.


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## Cheryl J

Butter, and butter only.


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## Steve Kroll

Butter.


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## Somebunny

Butter is King!


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## msmofet

BUTTER NO Parkay! LOL


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## GLC

According to a government website, HK labeling is not so different that butter won't be labeled as butter with the primary ingredient being cream. While all sorts of imitation butter and adulterated butter may have a variety of names and sets of ingredients, butter will be BUTTER. Anchor is a New Zealend brand said to be common in HK. The front says, Pure New Zealand Butter. Also President, a French brand. Lurpak Danish Butter is also said to be in HK. Harmonie-organic butter is a UK brand sold in HK. 

It's safe to presume that if an ingredient is "oil," it is not butter, although it might be one of the combinations of butter and oil. But any brand of real butter will prominently and proudly be labeled BUTTER, SALTED BUTTER, UNSALTED BUTTER, SWEET CREAM BUTTER, etc. Beware of words like "Buttery." Butter will never be labeled "Buttery," because it IS butter. 

I use real butter (European style) and never substitutes. I have no fundamental problem with most of the substitutes, but I try to avoid becoming so accustomed to fakes that real food tastes odd. But I also use full-fat versions of things that are also offered in low-fat or no-fat, for the same reason I do not use sugar substitutes. I find it reasonable to believe that humans are evolved to appreciate fats and sugars, having developed through times when both were high-value, and that we are more satisfied with our foods contain the real thing and that it allows us to properly establish a reasonable metabolic set-point and helps to prevent the urge to eat more and more to seek that satisfaction.


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## Mad Cook

kenny1999 said:


> I mean , the local margarine/butter does not have any label about whether they are margarine or butter. They simply use the term "oil". I can't distinguish whether they are butter or margarine. I'd like to know what parameters on the nutrient label that I should pay special attention to.


It doesn't matter if you are in Hong Kong, New York, London or the moon, as several people here have already said if it says "oil" IT IS NOT BUTTER - full stop, end of story. 

If the shop assistant can't answer your question ask to speak to the manager or the person responsible for buying in the goods on sale. Bear in mind that if you don't get a straight answer it may be because the person you ask has something to hide. Dairy produce generally is at a premium in China so you may be able to spot genuine butter by it's price although I suppose there could be retailers who get on the bandwagon and hike up the price on "pretend" butter and try to pass it off as the real McCoy.

China banned the import of British dairy produce in January this year but  dairy produce from the Republic of Ireland is still allowed. One brand you could look for is "Dairygold".  I'm not sure if New Zealand butter is imported to China but that could be a label to look for.


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## Mad Cook

Zhizara said:


> When butter was supposed to be bad for us, I switched completely to margarine.  After splurging on real butter for a lobster dinner, I realized that I really prefer the taste of margarine.


Each to their own. My dad didn't like butter (didn't like marge either but that's another story).


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## JanetMlr

Andy M. said:


> To me there IS a clear-cut choice.  I always use real butter.  All the rest are laboratory fabrications.


Agreed.  If a recipe calls for butter... use butter.  If a recipe calls for margarine or butter, most definitely... use butter.  Let's just get this straight... margarine isn't healthier, and actually never has been. For myself, I DO us a light butter (and it's labeled "lite butter", for my toast or biscuits, but would never use it for baking or serve it to anyone else (unless they asked for it).

As for "laboratory fabrications", also true.  Some of those ingredients labels can be downright scary. But reading labels is key.  As a general rule, no prepared foods, and nothing you can't pronounce.


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## taxlady

I only use butter. I'm not fond of laboratory fabrications.

There is also "butter oil". It's not interchangeable with butter. It's clarified butter and still natural.


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## Andy M.

JanetMlr said:


> ...For myself, I DO us a light butter (and it's labeled "lite butter", for my toast or biscuits, but would never use it for baking or serve it to anyone else (unless they asked for it)...



What is light butter?


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## GLC

Andy M. said:


> What is light butter?



Butter and buttermilk, most of them. Not so bad for "light" applications.


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## Mad Cook

Andy M. said:


> What is light butter?


Low reduced calorie butter flavoured substitute


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## JanetMlr

Andy M. said:


> What is light butter?


Believe me, it's nothing impressive. It's 'lite butter with canola oil" (and other stuff).  I don't like the ingredients label. And now that I think about it, I don't have toast, biscuits or Engl. muffins all that often.  I'm thinking it might even make more sense to just use butter considering how little I'd use. These are choices some of us make when we have to keep the fat content down. I certainly cut back on fats in other ways. Alrighty then... maybe using this lite butter isn't the best choice.


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## GLC

All this got me reflecting on what fats I keep around. But if I had to have only one of them, it would be the EVOO. 

*Duck fat*. 10-pound pail. (When the Mass Coronal Ejection comes, I'm not gonna do without my duck fat.) The king of grease. Best fried potatoes ever. And for poultry confit. 

*Chicken fat*. Schmaltz. By product of chicken stock production. Rather tasteless from modern chickens, but lots of uses when duck fat might be too intrusive. 

*Hog leaf lard*. Superior biscuits. And pie crusts. (Decidedly NOT the stuff in the supermarket lard brick.) 

*EV Olive oil*. (California or Texas sources.) Dressings, etc. 

*Canola oil*. When a neutral oil is needed, like for mayonnaise the way I like and make it. 

*Peanut oil*. For the subtle nut flavor where olive oil's vegetable flavor isn't wanted. And frying, when duck fat isn't appropriate. 

*Butter*. 85% (US-made to European fat level). US standard is 81%, and the difference matters. Salted and unsalted.


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## Roll_Bones

kenny1999 said:


> I mean , the local margarine/butter does not have any label about whether they are margarine or butter. They simply use the term "oil". I can't distinguish whether they are butter or margarine. I'd like to know what parameters on the nutrient label that I should pay special attention to.



Take someone with you that knows the difference or ask the store to help you.  I have no idea where you are, but here in the states it says right on the package if its butter or margarine or a combination of both.



no mayonnaise said:


> I think margarine tastes better for making toast & jelly. I think regular butter tastes pretty bad on toast.
> Everything else gets butter because it tastes better.



Butter for every opportunity for me.
I am wondering what type of margarine you use that tastes good?  I have never found any substitute for butter.


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## Andy M.

Mad Cook said:


> Low reduced calorie *butter* flavoured substitute




A truly generic definition of "light" foods. Insert the name of any high fat food in place of *butter*.


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## cave76

This video mentions butter/margarine, along with other 'good/bad' foods.

Fat Is Good for You - TIME


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## GLC

Well. no one could be blamed much for being reluctant to buy into any announcement of what's good and bad. Too much advice has changed, sometimes back and forth. And then there are the many "diets," plans that focus on a single notion and pretend to huge advantages that just don't materialize. High carb, low carb, paleo. That paleo one really pushes my buttons for its gross ignorance of human prehistory. 

What to do? How to eat? I think rational, critical thinking offers something useful. Most of the infuriatingly variable advice addresses what not to eat. So, is there anything we shouldn't eat? Humans and other animals have an innate drive to try to eat what the body detects is lacking. We're not any more conscious of it than any animal that exhibits preferences according to needs. 

Now, we are omnivores. We can survive, after at least some fashion, by living on such diverse things as grass seeds or insects or blood or lobster. And today, most of us have available just about anything edible. We have our pick of almost everything a human can eat. Can we trust to our animal nature to guide us to a diet that fits our needs?  

I think we can, but first, we have to avoid frustrating that sense. Our brains run on sugar. Some amount of sugar is included as a proper food, just as bears seek out honey. But if we are moved to want some sugar, and we ingest instead something that pretends to be sugar but is not, it makes sense that there in an inevitable internal conflict. Hey. I ate "sugar," but my body says no, no sugar detected. Better eat more sweet. What's going on? 

We need fats. They're essential. Okay. So I'm eating something that looks like it contains fats. It has the mouth feel. It has the right look. I should be taking in desirable fat. But, no. It's a fake, and the body knows it and demands you try harder, because, "By gum, you're surrounded by "fat" foods, so why aren't I detecting fats when you eat them? Eat more now." 

If we artificially restrict key food components, the body is not going believe we're eating enough and will demand more. 

I submit that we have enough trouble without taunting the body's food sense. Evolution takes time, and we're still programmed to take advantage of times of plenty. We will eat as if there's famine around the corner, because that was a reality for much of our past. We'll try to eat of enough of what's available, trying to get out of it the things that would have been abundant in something that's out of season. In the past, the glut would have been offset by a shortfall that was surely coming, sooner or later. We have to deal with that. We don't need the additional problem of adding to the craving by stuffing ourselves with fakes. We have more than enough to do to be thoughtful and restrained in the presence of such plenty. We don't need an additional drive to eat that we can't even recognize. 

We can eat too much in response to our old drives. We shouldn't add to that a drive that arises out of depriving our body by eating a boatload of stuff that's nutritionally lacking. 

You know, people have always, in the plentiful modern times, been able to scale the amount of food eaten to physical need. We could have eaten more in the 1950's. We weren't stuck with what we could get on the smaller dinner plate of that time. We could order more food than the standard plate lunch special. But we mostly didn't. Look at the photos. People who were no more active were lean. A 1950's circus fat man would be out of work today and wouldn't be consider more than a bit stout. Look them up for yourself. 

I don't blame the larger plates and larger servings on the restaurants. I think we accepted them because, at about the time they began to appear, our food supply had begun responding to the advice about fat, sugar, salt, etc. We began fooling our tongues with fakes that didn't fool our bodies. It's quite possible that the deprivations that result from that advice drove the phenomenon of bigger servings. HungryMan dinners. Big Macs. Super-Size. And 20-ounce sodas. 

I made a small test. I took no-fat artificially sweetened yogurt for breakfast and lunch for a while. Then I took full-fat yogurt, sugar sweetened. I found the full-fat with sugar was, predictably more satisfying. Further, it required far less of the full-fat to feel comfortable than with the no-fat. Proteins were about equal. And the effect continued into the evening. It affected how badly I wanted food at supper, how much I considered was enough. I think there's something to this. And the nice thing is that the real stuff tastes better.


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## taxlady

GLC, that's what I have been saying for decades. You put it very well.


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## Oldvine

If the package does not have the letters B-U-T-T-E-R on it, I consider it to be something other than butter and it stays in the store.  I buy oil in a jug.


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## Zagut

With the language difference I'd like to know if it said oil or oleo. 


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

*Oleo* is a term for oils. It is commonly used to refer to a variety of things:

Colloquial term for Margarine, aka oleomargarine
 



Either way I'd bet my money that it isn't butter.


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## LPBeier

We don't use either butter or margarine.  We use Products | Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread | Earth Balance, the soy free version.  It actually tastes really good, and melts well.


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## CWS4322

Butter here--salted and unsalted. I don't use margarine or butter-substitutes. Here's some interesting information about margarine:

The Surprisingly Interesting History of Margarine | Mental Floss


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## GLC

Could be something to that. Oleo does refer to "oil," and it is the actual word for oil in Spanish and Portuguese, as in Oleo de Soja for soy oil. And it is used as a sort of brand name for a brand of cooking oil in a Polish brand. (Olej being Polish for oil, so it's Olej OLEO.) Today, oleo seems to be most everywhere the outdated casual term for "oleo margarine," as it was in the US until sometime in the 1960's, the oleo part being used in "oleo oil" to designate an oil from beef tallow. I remember as a kid people generally using "oleo" for margarine. (Although in aircraft, I doubt any "oleo strut," an oil and air shock absorber for helicopters, contained any beef tallow products.) 

(The Oleo Strut was also a bar in Killeen, near Fort Hood, that was the hotbed for Texas anti-war activity in the 60's. Funny what sticks in your mind. And more remarkable that something stuck from the 60's.)

No matter what it means, there's no "oleo" in butter.


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## LPBeier

LPBeier said:


> We don't use either butter or margarine.  We use Products | Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread | Earth Balance, the soy free version.  It actually tastes really good, and melts well.



I should also add that I do use unsalted butter in all my cakes and other baking that is not for us.


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## kenny1999

Hi, I HAVE CHECKED AROUND SUPERMARKETS. BUT NON OF THE BUTTER/MARGARINE HAVE ANY WORDS OF ''BUTTER'' OR ''MARGARINE''

I know butter should be better. But there is really no such word appearing on the label.

I'd like to know, in terms of nutrients label  what is the main difference between butter and margarine.


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## Andy M.

Butter is a natural product made with cream and salt.  There are so many margarine products on the market with different formulations, it is impossible to answer that question.  Especially since you are in Hong Kong and we have no idea what is available for sale there.  You have told us the labels tell you nothing.

Take a look at the information in the link.  Margarine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## GotGarlic

kenny1999 said:


> Hi, I HAVE CHECKED AROUND SUPERMARKETS. BUT NON OF THE BUTTER/MARGARINE HAVE ANY WORDS OF ''BUTTER'' OR ''MARGARINE''
> 
> I know butter should be better. But there is really no such word appearing on the label.
> 
> I'd like to know, in terms of nutrients label  what is the main difference between butter and margarine.



Do a Google search for the words butter nutrition, and then margarine nutrition. For each search, you will see on the right side of the page the nutrition information for each. The main difference is that margarine has less saturated fat.


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## fairygirl69

Margerine is also cheaper but your body knows what to do with butter bc it's natural. Also, find when I bake I get the best results


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## GotGarlic

Your body really doesn't care whether something is "natural" or synthetic. In fact, your body isn't aware of what what's being ingested so it just digests what it can and eliminates the rest.


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## PrincessFiona60

GotGarlic said:


> Your body really doesn't care whether something is "natural" or synthetic. In fact, your body isn't aware of what what's being ingested so it just digests what it can and *eliminates the res*t.



Most of the time with high powered efficiency


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## GotGarlic

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Most of the time with high powered efficiency


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## bakechef

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Most of the time with high powered efficiency



Oh those days where your toilet really needs a seat belt...

Sent from my XT1080 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


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## Addie

bakechef said:


> Oh those days where your toilet really needs a seat belt...
> 
> Sent from my XT1080 using Discuss Cooking mobile app



 Hmmm.... This thread is going right down the potty!


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## Zagut

bakechef said:


> Oh those days where your toilet really needs a seat belt...


 


  


Had to Google. There are such things.


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## GotGarlic

Zagut said:


> Had to Google. There are such things.



PF, look what you started!


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## PrincessFiona60

Never fails...the toidy squad has arrived.


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## Zagut

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Never fails...the toidy squad has arrived.


 

Well I've finally found a squad I can be a proud member of. 

Peter Pan didn't want to grow up and neither do I. 

Haven't heard from Kenny so I don't think he'd mind his thread being hijacked.


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## powerplantop

GotGarlic said:


> Your body really doesn't care whether something is "natural" or synthetic. In fact, your body isn't aware of what what's being ingested so it just digests what it can and eliminates the rest.



I used to think that but now I do not believe it. I may be wrong but. When I work in South America most of the food I eat is freshly prepared and natural. When working in the USA I get busy and eat a lot of chain restaurant food. Similar ratios of veggies to meat, portion size and calorie counts. In the USA it is hard for me to maintain weight. In South America I lose 2 pounds per month. And in South America I drink more wine and beer.


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## GotGarlic

powerplantop said:


> I used to think that but now I do not believe it. I may be wrong but. When I work in South America most of the food I eat is freshly prepared and natural. When working in the USA I get busy and eat a lot of chain restaurant food. Similar ratios of veggies to meat, portion size and calorie counts. In the USA it is hard for me to maintain weight. In South America I lose 2 pounds per month. And in South America I drink more wine and beer.



So how does that mean that your body "knows" or doesn't "know" what to do with what you eat? Food is broken down by chemical and muscle action and nutrients are absorbed or not. Chain restaurants are well-known for adding a lot of salt, fat and sugar in the food, so I would be really careful about what you order.


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## GA Home Cook

A little history lesson.  Napolean III offered a prize to anyone that could make a substitute for butter for the troops and lower classes.  Enter Oelo in the mid 1800's.  It was changed to this and that and in late 1800 the process was sold to what is now Unilever (the company I work for).  Margarine at that time was a combination of animal fatand cottonseed oil, but it was white and had the appearance of lard.  With WWII restrictions Margarine gained popularity because of the shortage of animal fat it was changed to all oils and it was now yellow thanks to a food dye.  Due to new innovation most of the margarines have went through major changes, Trans fat free, addition of omega 3, low or no salt, and plant sterols claimed to reduce cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and on and on.  One of the main differences is that margarine will contain 10-20% saturated fat (typical) and butter is some where between 52 and 65%.


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## Addie

I remember during the war and for a while after, the farmers here got a law passed in their favor that all oleomargerine had to sold white. You either got it in a plastic bag with a small coloring packet to make it yellow or in a block with a separate packet for the coloring. I remember very well mixing that darn stuff for my mother. I used to watch everyone using it at the meal and hoping they wouldn't use a lot. That meant it would go faster and I would have to mix more.


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## CraigC

Parkay!


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## Mad Cook

GA Home Cook said:


> A little history lesson.  Napolean III offered a prize to anyone that could make a substitute for butter for the troops and lower classes.  Enter Oelo in the mid 1800's.  It was changed to this and that and in late 1800 the process was sold to what is now Unilever (the company I work for).  Margarine at that time was a combination of animal fatand cottonseed oil, but it was white and had the appearance of lard.  With WWII restrictions Margarine gained popularity because of the shortage of animal fat it was changed to all oils and it was now yellow thanks to a food dye.  Due to new innovation most of the margarines have went through major changes, Trans fat free, addition of omega 3, low or no salt, and plant sterols claimed to reduce cholesterol, reduce blood pressure and on and on.  One of the main differences is that margarine will contain 10-20% saturated fat (typical) and butter is some where between 52 and 65%.


Interesting article (but don't go eating too many deep fried battered Mars bars)

Everyone Was Wrong: Saturated Fat Is Good For You | Greatist


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## Mad Cook

CraigC said:


> Parkay!


Just looked it up and having seen a list of ingredients I think I'll pass, thank you.


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## taxlady

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-LapXzYhag


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## Mad Cook

kenny1999 said:


> Hi, I HAVE CHECKED AROUND SUPERMARKETS. BUT NON OF THE BUTTER/MARGARINE HAVE ANY WORDS OF ''BUTTER'' OR ''MARGARINE''
> 
> I know butter should be better. But there is really no such word appearing on the label.
> 
> I'd like to know, in terms of nutrients label  what is the main difference between butter and margarine.


(_Sigh_)Then it isn't butter. If it says "oil" in the ingredients or on the label it isn't butter. If it has any additives or fillers in it it isn't butter. 

Butter can be made from cow's, goats or sheep. It is not made with chemicals. If it has anything added to it, other than a little salt, it is NOT butter.

Margarine may be made with Canola oil, Coconut oil, Colza oil. Corn oil, Olive oil, Palm oil, Soybean oil, Sunflower oil or other oils. It also has a lot of additives, not least preservatives, flavourings and colour.

How many times would you like this repeated?


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## Andy M.

Butter is made from cream, and sometimes, salt.  No oil or other fats.


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## bakechef

Addie said:


> I remember during the war and for a while after, the farmers here got a law passed in their favor that all oleomargerine had to sold white. You either got it in a plastic bag with a small coloring packet to make it yellow or in a block with a separate packet for the coloring. I remember very well mixing that darn stuff for my mother. I used to watch everyone using it at the meal and hoping they wouldn't use a lot. That meant it would go faster and I would have to mix more.



I remember my Nana telling me about that margarine, and having to mix it up.  All her life she called margarine "oleo"  My mom and dad too.


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## Hoot

I prefer butter. Grew up with it. Butter offered me an opportunity that I, likely, could not take advantage of these days.....maybe I could. Around 1972 or '73, I won a case of beer from a friend who bet me I couldn't tell the difference between butter and some brand of margarine. Might have been Imperial but I can't recall. 'Course that was back in the days when I enjoyed beer like Budweiser, et al. I find most mainstream commercially produced beers mighty bland these days.


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## Cooking Goddess

GotGarlic said:


> Your body really doesn't care whether something is "natural" or synthetic. In fact, your body isn't aware of what what's being ingested so it just digests what it can and eliminates the rest.


Don't forget, if you swallow your gum it stays in your tummy for seven years.   

I asked my doctor this same oleo/butter question a while back. He said butter, that something from as few ingredients as possible, with as many being those naturally occurring as possible, is easiest for your system to process.

If a recipe calls for butter, whenever possible I substitute half the amount of butter with olive oil.


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## Kathleen

taxlady said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-LapXzYhag



When I was in high school, we had to do skits in German class.  The Parkay commercial was our skit (only we translated it into German.)  My friend was at the table and I was under it getting tapped with his foot when I needed to say my part.  Instead of Parkay, we used the German word for margarine.  (Like butter, margarine in German was remarkably the same.)


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## Mad Cook

Cooking Goddess said:


> *Don't forget, if you swallow your gum it stays in your tummy for seven years. *
> 
> I asked my doctor this same oleo/butter question a while back. He said butter, that something from as few ingredients as possible, with as many being those naturally occurring as possible, is easiest for your system to process.
> 
> If a recipe calls for butter, whenever possible I substitute half the amount of butter with olive oil.


I was told it would wrap itself round your intestines and strangle them and you'd DIE! Needless to say when I once accidentally swallowed mine I survived. Mind you, I was a bit worried for a day or two.


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## inviteur

Butter never been dangerous, it only depends on how many lbs you use to cook in u're frying pan. 
if u don't want to avoid u're butter burns in u're pan, put a little spoon of oil to prevent it from burning ( becoming dark brown). Use sun flower oil for example for it's neutral taste.


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## Addie

inviteur said:


> Butter never been dangerous, it only depends on how many lbs you use to cook in u're frying pan.
> if u don't want to avoid u're butter burns in u're pan, put a little spoon of oil to prevent it from burning ( becoming dark brown). Use sun flower oil for example for it's neutral taste.



I take it you text a lot. I find it hard to read your post. But then I am old and not used to this new English.


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## Steve Kroll

Addie said:


> I take it you text a lot. I find it hard to read your post. But then I am old and not used to this new English.


I'll give him a pass on his English, since he lives in France. But I agree with you about abbreviating "you" with "u." It's lazy and makes a post hard to read.


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## inviteur

i do apologize for the abbreviation. i thought it was common in the US.


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## Addie

inviteur said:


> i do apologize for the abbreviation. i thought it was common in the US.



Apology accepted. I understand your confusion with our customs. 

In this forum, we do not abbreviate. We do have some that we all use. Such as DH=Darling Husband, DD=Darling Daughter, DS=Darling Son, SIL=Son-in-law. There are a few more and you will learn them in time. If you don't understand one, just ask. We will gladly explain. And BTW (by the way) spelling doesn't count here. We are very forgiving for those not familiar with the English language.


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## GotGarlic

Addie said:


> And BTW (by the way) spelling doesn't count here.



This sounds kind of strange, Addie. I would say we don't correct people's spelling errors, but attempting to use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation in any context makes accurate communication easier.


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## Addie

GotGarlic said:


> This sounds kind of strange, Addie. I would say we don't correct people's spelling errors, but attempting to use correct spelling, grammar and punctuation in any context makes accurate communication easier.



I would rather err on the side of not embarrassing the poster by publicly calling attention to their spelling errors. I am happy with just being able to get the message. Not all our members have a language degree.


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## inviteur

don't care about it it's the same in all language particularly in France where grammar and spelling are very important


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## GotGarlic

Addie said:


> I would rather err on the side of not embarrassing the poster by publicly calling attention to their spelling errors. I am happy with just being able to get the message. Not all our members have a language degree.



I don't think it's an error to not mention it, and I don't think anyone here does mention it, unless they really can't understand what someone typed. That's very different from saying "spelling doesn't count."


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## fairygirl69

Actually I and my husband have Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and we rarely correct anyone's spelling or grammar.


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## fairygirl69

The only time I have was when my DH's female former best friend and I were arguing online. We were like oil and water (don't ask lol.) Anyway, she was really pushing it with me so I started to correct her English to one up her. Not my finest moment. Anyway, she is no longer in our lives (not the first or only argument we had.)


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## Addie

fairygirl69 said:


> Actually I and my husband have Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and *we rarely correct anyone's spelling or grammar. *&#55357;&#56842;



If we did, poor Charlie D would have left us a long time ago. When his spelling is so far off, I will privately send him the correct spelling. He really is trying to learn our language. Not the easiest language to learn. I can't help but love Charlie. I have had some really good laughs at some of his spelling. And he willingly puts up with my corrections. Bless his heart.


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## fairygirl69

What a sweet guy!


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## CharlieD

You are all welcome to correct my spelling But i do not think it has anything to do with English. I am a horrible speller no matter what language I write in. Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish back in school and college, now English. 
I appreciate being corrected. Believe it or not I love to spell words properly, I just cannot.


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## fairygirl69

CharleyD, I think it's impressive that you are able to speak, read, and write all of those languages. I know a smattering of Spanish and English is my mother tongue.


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## Dawgluver

I agree, Fairygirl.  My English is good, my French is not even marginal at best, and my Spanish totally sucks.  I really admire folks who can speak more than their native language.  Charley is doing a great job!


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## Cooking Goddess

inviteur said:


> don't care about it it's the same in all language particularly in France where grammar and spelling are very important


Welcome to Discuss Cooking *inviteur*. Don't get stressed about having perfect spelling or grammar. Like Got Garlic, I too admire someone who can communicate in more than their native tongue. If I were in France, I would consider it a success if I was able to ask for directions to both a restaurant and a restroom. However, I can fluently deliver the phrase "Excuse me, but do you speak English?"  It's been 40+ years since my two years of high school French.

As long as we can all speak "food" we can all have a good time here at DC.


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## bakechef

CharlieD said:


> You are all welcome to correct my spelling But i do not think it has anything to do with English. I am a horrible speller no matter what language I write in. Russian, Ukrainian, Spanish back in school and college, now English.
> I appreciate being corrected. Believe it or not I love to spell words properly, I just cannot.



Nobody's perfect!  Your spelling isn't nearly as bad as some that I've seen on facebook!  Some are people that I graduated high school with, I often wonder how we could have come from the same school!


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## CWS4322

My English is very good, my German is also quite good, my French is passable, my Spanish, Italian, and Hungarian suck, ditto Russian, let's not go to my understanding of Ojibway or Swahili. I've forgotten all the Latin and Greek I studied, the same is true of Portuguese. My ability to understand Swedish and Norwegian is good when it is spoken s-l-o-w-ly, I just can't write very well in any other language than English.


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## CharlieD

CW, I am ambaresed to even mention the fact that I speak more than one language, standing next to you. My gosh, all those languages. In school and college, and even many years after, I did really well with Spanish. When I lived in Italy, for 6 month, I picked up enough Italian to get by. But when I came to America and started learning English, it was like all other languages got wiped up from my head.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


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## FrankZ

I just got done with 3 semesters of Spanish and I am horrible


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## Dawgluver

Yes, we already knew that, Frank.  So where does Spanish enter into it?  (Ducks and runs).

I'm better at reading French and Spanish than I am at hearing them. I can pick out a word here and there and sort of get the general idea.


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## Addie

FrankZ said:


> I just got done with 3 semesters of Spanish and I am horrible



When Poo's first wife was in college she was unable to graduate with her class. She was in college for five years just to get her Bachelor's Degree. What was her problem? Learning Spanish. She just couldn't get it. Kept failing. She tried everything. Tapes, private tutoring, you name it, she tried it. She finally was able to accumulate enough points to graduate. They mailed her the diploma. 

So don't feel bad Frank. I just hope you do better than her.


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## FrankZ

Addie said:


> When Poo's first wife was in college she was unable to graduate with her class. She was in college for five years just to get her Bachelor's Degree. What was her problem? Learning Spanish. She just couldn't get it. Kept failing. She tried everything. Tapes, private tutoring, you name it, she tried it. She finally was able to accumulate enough points to graduate. They mailed her the diploma.
> 
> So don't feel bad Frank. I just hope you do better than her.



Sad part is I did well in the classes...


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## Andy M.

FrankZ said:


> Sad part is I did well in the classes...



My daughter took four years of German in high school and dosen't have a clue.


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## FrankZ

Andy M. said:


> My daughter took four years of German in high school and dosen't have a clue.



Well.. no wonder she can't speak Spanish.


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## CWS4322

CharlieD said:


> CW, I am ambaresed to even mention the fact that I speak more than one language, standing next to you. My gosh, all those languages. In school and college, and even many years after, I did really well with Spanish. When I lived in Italy, for 6 month, I picked up enough Italian to get by. But when I came to America and started learning English, it was like all other languages got wiped up from my head.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Discuss Cooking mobile app


CharileD--I was very good at languages--I was exposed to Spanish and Swedish as a child and had a good ear, ability to mimic, and a good memory. I was able to take German, French, Latin, Spanish, Norwegian and Ojibway classes back to back (gifted student--allowed to go to the local university from 10th grade on) and not mix up the languages when in high school. In university from 10-2 p.m. every day I was in different language classes, and didn't mix up my languages then either. According to my hs Spanish teacher who picked on me in front of the class, "one in a million" people are able to do that. I ran out of class after 15 minutes. The rest of the class followed me. I don't believe that, but I do know I can't switch from French to German as smoothly as I can from English to German or French to English. Of course, I didn't learn French from German. English is definitely my first language. Sadly, other than living in Quebec, Germany, and spending a summer in Sweden, I never really got to use these languages and develop near native fluency. 

It was this language training that started in high school and continued until my late twenties that has made it possible for me to remember details without having to take notes. I can remember up to 12-14 items on a shopping list just by repeating the list aloud three times.


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## CWS4322

FrankZ said:


> I just got done with 3 semesters of Spanish and I am horrible


The natural position of rest for one's tongue is "set" around the age of 13, so learning to make the sounds that are not part of one's native language become more difficult with age. It has nothing to do with one's ability to learn, it has to do with the fact that the tongue muscle is set. Babies are  born being able to make all the sounds found in every language but lose that ability as one's language skills in one's native tongue develop. Reading and understanding is easier for some than speaking depending on how one learned the language and at what age.


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## msmofet

*Butter or margarine? *


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## Cooking Goddess

Andy M. said:


> My daughter took four years of German in high school and dosen't have a clue.


Or as Himself puts it: "I didn't take German, German took me".


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## PrincessFiona60

FrankZ said:


> Sad part is I did well in the classes...



Pobrecito, esta es un chapucero.


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## FrankZ

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Pobrecito, esta es un chapucero.



Yer such a a flirt aren't ya...


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## PrincessFiona60

Yep, I'm a flirt...


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