# Real Butter or Margerine?



## TigerWoman (Mar 28, 2006)

My mom has lived to 88 on real butter, tons of it. Maybe its just genetics, though.  Most of my life I have eaten margerine, the last few years, its been "I Can't Believe its not Butter" in the spray or soft tub.  Or Smart Balance which has canola oil in it, but doesn't taste as good.

Okay, here are the common myths of butter vs margerine:

*Let's bust some 'interesting' myths about butter vs. margarine*
BARBARA QUINN
Knight Ridder News Service

*Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys.*

In truth, margarine was formulated by a French pharmacist in 1869 in response to a contest held by Emperor Napoleon III to find a suitable replacement for butter.

*Butter has been around for centuries while margarine has been around for less than 100 years.*

1998 marked the 125th anniversary of the United States patent for margarine. It was used in Europe before that.

*Margarine and butter have the same amount of calories.*

True, unless you use a lower fat version of either.

*Butter is slightly higher in saturated fat  8 grams versus 5 grams in margarine.*

Butter typically contains 7 or more grams of saturated fat  the one implicated in heart disease risk  per tablespoon. Most soft (tub or liquid) margarines contain less than 2 grams of saturated fat.

*Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53 percent over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.*

What this research really said was women who ate 4 teaspoons a day of stick margarine  the form which typically contains the most saturated and trans fats  had a 50 percent greater risk for heart disease than those who ate margarine only rarely.

*Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has only a few.*

Butter is 100 percent fats. So is margarine. They differ in the type of fat they contain. Butter is mostly saturated fat and contains cholesterol. Margarine is mostly unsaturated fat and contains no cholesterol.

*Margarine is very high in trans fatty acids (the fat that increases bad LDL cholesterol and lowers good HDL cholesterol).*

Read the label. Soft (liquid or tub) margarines are usually very low in trans fats. Some margarine contains no trans fats.

full article: http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/living/health/14179966.htm

What do you eat and why?  TW


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## Kacey (Mar 28, 2006)

I eat butter.  I ate margarine for years, and never liked the taste.  Then I baked something that required real butter, and remembered why I preferred the taste.  I use about a stick (1/4 pound) of butter every 2 months or so, unless I'm baking something that requires it, which only happens once or twice a year.  Given that I use less than a tablespoon of butter a week, I don't think that the medical concerns of eating butter in place of margarine are as relevant as things I eat every day.


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## IcemanSK (Mar 28, 2006)

We often use something like Smart Balance or Brummel & Brown's rather than margarine. We use butter more often than margarine. But still not often.


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## stickarts (Mar 28, 2006)

I use the spray butter whenever possible.
I don't know what is best but my cholesterol is ok so far. So far so good! :0)


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## DavidCC (Mar 28, 2006)

I eat butter, because I like it.  There are margarines now that don't have partially hydrogenated oils, but margarine is still just flavored, coagulated oil.  I won't eat artificial meat made from plant fiber either.  Man got along just fine for millenia eating real food, that's good enough for me.


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## terryl965 (Mar 28, 2006)

Butter is the only way to go!!!!
Terry


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## Cryozombie (Mar 28, 2006)

Mostly I dont use either, but when I do, its usually butter.


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## Sapper6 (Mar 28, 2006)

for me...butter.  margarine is bad for you, even worse than butter.

on a lighter note, check this out:



> Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavourings.
> 
> DO YOU KNOW...the difference between margarine and butter? Read on to the end... it gets very interesting! Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams. Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study. Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
> 
> ...


 
too funny.


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## Tarot (Mar 28, 2006)

I use butter.  I don't like cooking with fake things like margerine or splenda.  Give me the real stuff please!


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## beau_safken (Mar 28, 2006)

Transfatty acids = margarine
Cream and wonder = Butter.

Stick with butter.


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## Cryozombie (Mar 28, 2006)

Sapper6 said:
			
		

> for me...butter. margarine is bad for you, even worse than butter.
> 
> on a lighter note, check this out:
> 
> ...


 
Argh

I was wondering how long till someone posted this.

I talked to a chemist friend of mine about this.  PHD in organic chemistry and he works in a drug lab.

His basic response was: "1 molecule makes a lot of difference."

I say Water is basically one molecule away from oxygen, so if you believe that plastic crap... you better stop breathing since oxygen is almost water... you might freakin drown.  And yes.  Margarine WILL go bad and attract bugs.  Try it, and see.  Leave it on your kitchen floor, see how long before you have ants.


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## Lisa (Mar 28, 2006)

Butter hates me. 

It makes my tummy cramp and feel horrible so, unfortunately, I have to use margarine.


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## RoninPimp (Mar 28, 2006)

Real butter for taste and health!


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## HKphooey (Mar 28, 2006)

How about bacon fat?


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## bignick (Mar 28, 2006)

Butter.

We've been eating animal fats for thousands of years, we know the risks associated with that, eat healthy and eat smart and butter will treat you just fine.


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## bignick (Mar 28, 2006)

HKphooey said:
			
		

> How about bacon fat?



I heat it up and sip it when I'm running low on hot chocolate...it'll keep you warm in the winter...


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## gtmazzeo (Mar 28, 2006)

TigerWoman said:
			
		

> My mom has lived to 88 on real butter, tons of it. Maybe its just genetics, though.  Most of my life I have eaten margerine, the last few years, its been "I Can't Believe its not Butter" in the spray or soft tub.  Or Smart Balance which has canola oil in it, but doesn't taste as good.
> 
> Okay, here are the common myths of butter vs margerine:
> 
> ...


so is margerine better ? looks like it .


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## JamesYazell (Mar 28, 2006)

I prefer to eat natural foods. I just can't get past the idea of eating something from a lab, even if it is better for me. Reminds me of those pills they fed everybody that were made from people. "There people! There people!"


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## Hand Sword (Mar 28, 2006)

Butter?  "Parkay"

Sorry, couldn't resist. Heard that commercial constantly as a kid!


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## Cryozombie (Mar 28, 2006)

JamesYazell said:
			
		

> I prefer to eat natural foods. I just can't get past the idea of eating something from a lab, even if it is better for me. Reminds me of those pills they fed everybody that were made from people. "There people! There people!"



I hear this man... natural foods.  Like COW.  And Pork-Cow.  And Chickens.

But not corn.  Nothing natural about corn.  Anymore, anyhow...


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## shesulsa (Mar 28, 2006)

JamesYazell said:
			
		

> I prefer to eat natural foods. I just can't get past the idea of eating something from a lab, even if it is better for me. Reminds me of those pills they fed everybody that were made from people. "There people! There people!"


That would be the movie Soylent Green. "Soylent Green is processed people ..."

I prefer to cook in extra virgin, cold pressed olive oil over low heat if I have to use it, broiling, braising (cooking in liquid) and steaming.

I use butter for baking (and I rarely bake), but I do make use of Take Control which has ingredients proven to lower cholesterol and triglycerides (tri-g's are really dangerous in women).


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## Marginal (Mar 29, 2006)

I don't especially like butter's taste. Think it stems back from biting into a PB,B and J sandwich when I was little. (Nasty surprise to hit a cold collection of butter pats in an innocent looking peanut butter and jelly sandwich.) I go with the veggie oil (a shockingly unnatural substance. Who's ever eaten veggies?) substitute when I use it but I rarely go for either.


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## OUMoose (Mar 29, 2006)

bignick said:
			
		

> I heat it up and sip it when I'm running low on hot chocolate...it'll keep you warm in the winter...


mmmmmmmm... bacon fat...



Actually, I always remember my grandmother having an old coffee can of bacon drippings to use when she fried just about anything.  And thems were some goooooooood eggs and hotcakes. 

As far as butter vs. margarine, I'll most often choose butter for everything.  I just like the taste better.  *shrug*  As with everything, moderation is the key.


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## SFC JeffJ (Mar 29, 2006)

Butter.  It tastes better, you can cook with it, and all things in moderation, including moderation.  Also cook with EVOO and Canola.  Speaking of which while we are on the subject of fats, has anyone tried some of the newer "healty" oils out now?  I can picture one of them, but atm the name escapes me. 

Jeff


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## Jade Tigress (Mar 29, 2006)

I LOVE butter but avoid it as much as possible for health reasons. My grandpa loved butter too..ate it on everything...died of a massive coronary at age 62. I do believe genetics play a role in how your body processes fats. Plus TOO MANY CALORIES in butter...lol...


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## RoninPimp (Mar 29, 2006)

Good quality butter IS healthy! The problem is that it's hard to come by. Once you filter out the dogma, www.westonaprice.org has some good info. Eat like a farmboy! Or you great grandparents!


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## Ping898 (Mar 29, 2006)

I do Margarine.  It is what I grew up on and what I like.  I find butter to have a too powerful taste.


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## beau_safken (Mar 29, 2006)

Butter is a awesome substance for cooking.  

Can add to slowly add a creamy texture to soups, broths etc

Make clarified butter for frying and caramelizing....Soo good

Love butter.  MArgarine = transfatty acid which will kill you faster than large amount of butter.


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## White Fox (Apr 3, 2006)

Butter for me I also really like Ghee which is clairfied butter. It's one of the most stable cooking oils. Hooray for cows milk!


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