# Butter vs Margarine



## mish (Dec 12, 2005)

Most of the time I cook with/use margarine (unless I'm preparing a special recipe), as I thought marg was lower in fat and it is less expensive for everyday cooking.

I noticed the marg wouldn't rinse off the butter knife, ick, and I wondered if butter is better in the long run. Also, the color of the marg does not look appealing and does not taste good as a spread on bread etc. Is it the brand? What is the healthier better-tasting choice?  I'm also wondering about the difference in the melting factor.  Is butter better?


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## GB (Dec 12, 2005)

Well what is better tasting is subjective and you will gets answers on both sides of the coin for that one. For me, I can't stand margarine. I used to be the other way around though. I hated butter and loved margarine. Now I have done a complete 180. Margarine just tastes fake and almost metallic to me.


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## Ishbel (Dec 12, 2005)

I very, very seldom use margarine (except for some of those 'all the ingredients in one bowl together cakes!).  I cannot stand that synthetic taste or feel on the roof of my mouth!


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## Andy M. (Dec 12, 2005)

There are pros and cons.  While I prefer butter for every use, it is high in saturated fat while margerines usually are not.  On the other hand, margerines often contain trans-fats where butter does not.

Butter is naturally about 80%-82% fat.  Margerines often have substantially less fat and that can effect cooking.

As far as taste, all the margerines are trying to taste like butter, so why not stick with the original.


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## Robo410 (Dec 12, 2005)

fat is fat as far as calories are concerned.  Butter from milk has animal fat, but margerine is whipped hardened oil with added hydrogen molecules (hydrogenated fats) which give off free radicals and may in the long run be "worse" for you.  It is not naturally occuring.  (same problems with commercial penut butter and hard vegetable shortening.)

Butter has certain flavoring and browning characteristics that margerine doesn't have.  

If a recipe calls for butter I use it.  I serve it at my table (I also serve olive oil) but seldom use it.  I do not use or serve margerine.  If I'm going to put oil on my food it will be evoo.  

fyi...cream cheese has fewer calories than margerine and is real food.  The low fat versions contain gelatins, but that is better than hydrogenated oil.

Jams and jellies etc.  are sweet alternatives.  Natural peanut butters are awesome and a good source of healthy fat and protein.

save your free radicals for where you have less choice...shortening...or pure rather than refined lard.  (I go for the pig...but that may not work in all baking needs.)

No, I'm not from Wisconsin, but I got enough Swede in me to appreciate the value of real butter.


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## auntdot (Dec 12, 2005)

We were both brought up in families that did not have very much money, so it was margarine all the way.

Then as we got a bit older we would go to restaurants and taste butter.

We had an epiphany.

Now we only use real butter. We don't use a lot of it, but there is nothing better than the McCoy, at least in our opinion.


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## mugsy27 (Dec 12, 2005)

a friend of mine once told me that humans are idiots when it comes to our own health and the foods we eat.  if you want to know if its healthy...see if other animals will eat it.

so one morning i took 1/2 stick of butter and the equivalant of margarine, put them side by side on paper plates, and put them in my backyard.

within 30 mins the butter was gone (birds, squirrels where the main culprits), but the margarine went untouched.

i left the plate of margerine out all morning / afternoon, and none of gods lil critters would touch it. 

that told me all i needed to know in this debate!


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## mugsy27 (Dec 12, 2005)

btw...u can get 6 Lbs. of butter at Cosco for about $3 if price is a factor...


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## Robo410 (Dec 12, 2005)

and butter freezes well for about 6 months


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## Michael in FtW (Dec 13, 2005)

Boy, this really gets into some heavy science! If you want to read some articles that compare butter vs margarine - here is the result of a google search on the topic. Of course - the answers for which is best go both ways, some based on scientific facts and some on opinion.

This is just a 25-cent tour:

Fats (from any source) stimulate the body to produce cholesterol. The bad cholesterol is LDL, the good cholesterol is HDL. Only oils made from animal fats actually contain cholesterol.

Saturated fats raise the levels of LDL, mono-unsaturated fats lower LDL, and poly-unsaturated fats lower both the levels of LDL and HDL. So, and oil high in monounsaturated fats, with a minimal level of poly and saturated fats (like olive oil) is better for you than one low in monounsaturated and high in poly and saturated fats. 

The molecular chain for saturated fats is rather straight; unsaturated fats are curved, bent, or spirals (CIS configuration). When mono-unsaturated fats are _hydrogenated_ - the chain straightens out (TRANS configuration) to _look_ like a saturated fat chain - so the body treats it like one. 

RE Trans-Fats: The big deal is this - for years nutritional information on packages didn't include the info on the conversion of CIS monounsaturated fats to TRANS configuration. So, while we looked at the nutritional into for the lowest saturated fat (to eat healthier) we were not aware of the amount of monounsaturated fat (which should be good for us) that was affecting our body the same as saturated fats. 

Why did they do this? Saturated fats are more shelf-stable than unsaturated fats. By converting the monounsaturated fats into TRANS configuration - they had the longer keeping qualities of saturated fats - without the label scare. Yes, it was a matter of "legal" deception. The TRANS fats were still _chemically_ monounsaturated.

As for the melting points of margarine ... it really depends on the oil and the emulsifier. Since butter-flavored hydrogenated vegetable fats (margarine) have come under scrutiny due to the trans-fats issue - some manufactures have changed how they make margarine. Some use an emulsifier such as lecithin, some use gums, some use gelatins - the oil and emulsifier additions are whipped and butter flavored - the emulsifier holds the oil in a solid state at room temperature. Some margarines were/and may still be based on a mix of animal and vegetable fats (especially _oleomargarine_), not pure vegetable fats.

As auntdot noted - margarine is the "poor man's" butter _substitute_ - but that is another study in history (war time, depression era, economics, etc) ....

I, personally, have not allowed margarine in my door for 25 years unless it was called for in a baking recipe.


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## ironchef (Dec 13, 2005)

What's margarine?  

That's all my mom used to buy growing up. It's funny because now that I'm a chef they love to bring up how I used to never eat this or that and now I do. I just tell them that I would've probably eaten it if you guys had known how to cook it right.


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## cats (Dec 13, 2005)

I loved the reply from Mugsy, so funny. For me, it has to be butter for most all cooking (like sauteeing mushrooms or in cooked veggies), as well as on the table. I will use margarine for baking that call for the choices of butter or margarine, but not much else. My husband most always uses margarine, particularly I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, but, for me, I know it's not butter, no matter what the pkg. says.


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## CharlieD (Dec 13, 2005)

If I could, I would only, Only use butter in cooking and every day use. i never even used to have margerin in my house, it was consider a bad word, as far as I am consern, but due to some major life changes now I use margerin, I even found some very decent tasting one. Still i love butter. Such as life.


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## urmaniac13 (Dec 13, 2005)

cats said:
			
		

> My husband most always uses margarine, particularly I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, but, for me, I know it's not butter, no matter what the pkg. says.


 
I tried "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" before, too... however I* COULD* indeed believe it was not butter pretty easily...


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## Andy M. (Dec 13, 2005)

For those who may be interested, the newest edition of Consumer Reports selected *Smart Balance* as the best tasting of tub margerines with no trans-fats.


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## mish (Dec 13, 2005)

It's unanimous! Cream cheese It Is!!! 

Michael, appreciate your input and research. I'll try to digest it. 

Andy, I will give Smart Balance a try. Thank you.

When I use dishwashing liquid to get the stuff off a butter knife -- and then it sticks to the sponge, I hate to think what either one does to your insides. i.e. a recipe for cellulite and a clogged artery. 

I was certain no one would say "I love margarine. I hate butter."  I would like to find a healthy tasty alternative to slathering and cooking _everything_ in butter. Hope that makes sense.

Makes me wonder what is used in restaurant cooking, as well. Anyone? (Guessing: If it's Mel's Diner - Margarine.)


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## GB (Dec 13, 2005)

mish said:
			
		

> I was certain no one would say "I love margarine. I hate butter."


If you would have asked me this question 20 years ago that is exactly what I would have said


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## luvs (Dec 13, 2005)

i like butter. it's healthier and ttastier.


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## mish (Dec 13, 2005)

GB said:
			
		

> If you would have asked me this question 20 years ago that is exactly what I would have said


 
20 years ago, I might have agreed with you.


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## ironchef (Dec 13, 2005)

mish said:
			
		

> Makes me wonder what is used in restaurant cooking, as well. Anyone? (Guessing: If it's Mel's Diner - Margarine.)


 
Butter. We go through butter like water.


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## mish (Dec 13, 2005)

ironchef said:
			
		

> Butter. We go through butter like water.


 
IC, I feel like Babwa Walters... but I'm gonna come right out and ask - If you're okay sharing with us - what kind of cuisine do you specialize in?  

& what's the deal with those little individually wrapped pats 'o butter on the table?  Is it butter - or is it margarine?

I hope you're laughing out there.


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## ironchef (Dec 13, 2005)

mish said:
			
		

> IC, I feel like Babwa Walters... but I'm gonna come right out and ask - If you're okay sharing with us - what kind of cuisine do you specialize in?
> 
> & what's the deal with those little individually wrapped pats 'o butter on the table? Is it butter - or is it margarine?
> 
> I hope you're laughing out there.


 
Those pats are butter, or should be. I've never seen margarine wrapped like that. A lot of places don't even serve butter anymore with their bread, or they'll just serve butter alongside other things. We give our bread with three spreads: a whipped cayenne-passion fruit butter, black olive aioli, and lemon-rosemary oil. If a guest is insistent about getting just plain butter we have that as well.

My cuisine is basically fusion with leaning heavy on Asian, medium on Mediterranean, and some Southwestern influences.


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## mudbug (Dec 13, 2005)

Butter here for me and HH.  I've started buying the Smart Balance stuff for the kid (hates butter, the idiot), but that stuff is as hard as a rock.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Dec 13, 2005)

A recent article on fats came to my attention.  The article shed some light on the overall fat issue for me.  It stated that vegetable oils such as corn and safflower, though high in poly-unsaturated fats, were prone to oxidation, which releases free radicles and increases LDL (low-density-lipoprotien) cholesterol.  These fats also do nothing to increase the level of HDL (high-density-lipoprotien) cholesterol.  In effect, they do you no good.

Trans-fats are fates that have been hydrogenated.  The process makes them solid and easy to work with, and retards spoilage.  These fats directly contribute to an increase of LDL cholesterol and add no HDL cholesterol to the blood.

Saturated fat, as the most knowledgeble gentleman and friend from Fort Worth stated, is an animal fat and adds LDL cholesterol directly to the bloodstream.  It is to be used in moderation.

Surprizingly, olive oil, while adding no LDL cholesterol, is also neutral with respect to HDL cholesterol.  It doesn't affect the cholesterol levels in the blood.  It is still a calorie-dense food and should be used in moderation.  This is true of all the seed derived oils, and fruits such as avacadoes.

According to the article, sunflower oil both lowers the LDL cholesterol, and increases the HDL cholesterol in the blood, making it the healthiest of consumable fats.  It is an oil that withstands high temps and is absolutely neutral in flavor.  That is the oil I use whenever I need a neutral oil, or one to fry with.  The second oil I use is EVOO, for its flavor.  Finally, I use butter in small amounts, again for flavor.  Though it can contribute LDL cholesterol, it doesn't decrease the HDL cholesterol as do trans-fats such as shortening and margerine.

I don't use Canola oil as there is too much controversy about it for me to trust it.  There are people on both sides of that argument, with each side being extreme in their opinions.  One side says the stuff is hte greatest fat on the planet.  The other says it's the most dangerous fat we can put in our bodies.  I'm not taking the chance.  Besides, sunflower oil production is second only to canola oil, making it cheaper than most other cooking oils.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## buckytom (Dec 14, 2005)

i knew that i preferred butter when i was visiting a friend in maryland once. the neighbor, for some odd reason, put some butter and margarine out on his back steps on a fairly cold morning. shortly thereafter, when he wasn't looking, me and a few stray cats and squirrels had finished it off, with some good rye bread... 

silly humans.

edited: ok, i read this again and thought "what the heck was i drinking that day". but then i read back to mugsy's post, and realized the joke.


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## LeeAnn (Jan 3, 2006)

We prefer butter over margarine.  Though my husband has liked margarine since his childhood.  I don't remember ever liking butter as a child and I think that was because I rarely had it, but now love it.  I need to learn moderation though, I'm not very good at that.  I love toast TOO much for a snack.  Old habits.

I meant to write down as one of my resolutions for this year (cuz I haven't done any all the previous years  ) to learn more about good and bad fats and all that other jazz that goes along with the food we put in our bodies.  

I always bake and cook with butter only and seem to enjoy all that I prepare with it!  haha

I remember my younger brother loving!!! margarine though, he would get a cube out and eat one as a snack.  YUCK!


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## cats (Jan 3, 2006)

Goodweed mentioned trans-fats in his previous note and I was wondering if any of you heard that the government is, effective 2006, requiring that packaged food products also now include the trans-fats in their list of ingredients? I never read these pkg. ingredient lists, but my husband does, and it should be a good thing for people to know who are watching that particular addition to their diets.


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## pckouris (Jan 10, 2006)

Just forget margrine..period!


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## middie (Jan 10, 2006)

i like butter but i never get to use it since my son is allergic to dairy products


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## Michael in FtW (Jan 11, 2006)

cats said:
			
		

> Goodweed mentioned trans-fats in his previous note and I was wondering if any of you heard that the government is, effective 2006, requiring that packaged food products also now include the trans-fats in their list of ingredients? I never read these pkg. ingredient lists, but my husband does, and it should be a good thing for people to know who are watching that particular addition to their diets.


 
The problem with Trans-Fats is that _technically_ (chemically) they are still unsaturated fats ... however after the hydrogenation process their physical structure is altered and they behave the same as saturated fats (both for lower oxidation rates - which increases shelf life - and the way body metabolizes them).

For those who read the labels - the level of "unsaturated" fats was misleading as far as to how it behaved in the body. For example: if something contained 2g of saturated fat and 4g of unsaturated fat (but the unsaturated fat was Trans-fat) it was essentially equal to 6g of saturated fat as far the body was concerned.

Now that they are requiring that Trans-Fat be reported ... there is a big scramble to "reformulate" a lot of recipes.


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