Butter or Margarine?

Bruce · Posted: Wed Nov 24, 2004 6:38 pm Post subject: Butter or Margarine?

DO YOU KNOW...the difference between margarine and butter?

Read on to the end...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.
Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for Margarine...

Very high in trans fatty acids.
Triple risk of coronary heart disease.
Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol)
Lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol).
Increases the risk of cancers by up to five fold...
Lowers quality of breast milk...
Decreases immune response...
Decreases insulin response.
And here is the most disturbing fact....

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC...

This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

YOU can try this yourself: purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things: no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something) ... it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value, nothing will grow on it...even those teeny weenie microorganisms will not a find a home to grow.

Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Kate · Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 6:10 pm Post subject:

WOW Bruce, thanks for this info. I have always prefered butter over margarine but I do buy margarine....but not anymore! I've always believed natural foods are better than processed...and this article proves it!
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guido · Site Admin Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 381 Location: Italy

we have some vegetable margarine here in italy but still it has hydrogenate fat inside... so we never use it.
Butter Butter and butter..... and guess what? my cholesterole is OK Wink

Guido
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mikel · DishWasher Joined: Oct 24, 2004 Posts: 1

thanks for the info didn't know any of that

Kate · Posted: Fri Dec 03, 2004 1:55 am Post subject:

Verrrrry scary isn't it Mikel. I had a tub of margarine in my fridge and threw it out. I use it rarely...but not at all now!
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Pfinster · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 1:13 am Post subject: I hate Margarine

Bruce,

Great topic. margarine is a very misleading product on the market. In fact, there are lots of misleading products on the market. I think that alot of what we consume (especially the overweight Americans) is bad for us. Mainly because of additives, preservatives and the so-called better for us poly unsaturated fats. BAH !!!

Guido, Kate and other classical Chefs, ever put whole butter in a sauce to thicken? or smooth it out? Try that with margerine. I just made today in fact, Chicken Picatta. I finish my picatta sauce with a nice tong full of GradeA Butter. And just yesterday I made one of my favorites, arabiatta sauce, and guess what? I finish it with GradeA Butter !!! YUM

Anyway, BUTTER is BETTER !!

Good Eats,
Brian (aka Pfinster)

Kate · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2005 4:18 am Post subject:

Pfinster, I always use butter to thicken a classic sauce and yep it is yummmm! I haven't cooked with margarine for years, just used it on toast a little. Margarine doesn't saute like butter does either and in my opion is just an inferior food...and after Bruce's article I decided I'd pay the extra money and have healthier toast lol.
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paulamathers · Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:12 pm Post subject:

tthats just gross! iv been eating Flora Light all these years ad really iv been eating a tub of plastic every month! gross. i didnt realise butter was better for you, i just presumed that low fat margerine was better. wont be eating it for much longer

Kate · Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:03 pm Post subject:

I'm right behind you Paula! I have always had an aversion to manafactured foods.The real thing has always been better in my opinion, natural. But I did use margarine a bit, price and thought it was healthier. A real eye opener!
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A closed mouth gathers no feet.