Butter vs. Margarine article from 'Harvard Health'

[debodun]

If you enjoy butter on your baked potato, toast, or pasta, you've probably felt a pang of guilt when putting that golden pat on your plate. Or worse, you may feel conflicted and confused as to whether you should stick with butter or switch to margarine or another spread.

Although a staple of the American diet, butter came under a great deal of scrutiny when its high levels of saturated fat were associated with increased heart disease risk. Many people accepted the demise of butter in stride, ruing the loss of its savory flavor but agreeing that its effect on the heart might be too high a price to pay. They dutifully switched to margarine, as researchers and nutritionists suggested. Then the hazards of margarine came to light. Older margarine formulas had high levels of trans fats that packed a double whammy for heart disease by raising levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowering levels of HDL (good cholesterol). Many people felt betrayed or duped.

The truth is, there never was any good evidence that using margarine instead of butter cut the chances of having a heart attack or developing heart disease. Making the switch was a well-intentioned guess, given that margarine had less saturated fat than butter, but it overlooked the dangers of trans fats.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

I eat butter guilt free.
Margarine is far worst than butter

 

[robin416]

Same here, I eat butter in utter defiance to what they suggested I should eat.

If I sat and ate a pound at every meal then I might have listened to them.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I like the light spreadable chemical concoctions like I can’t believe it’s not butter for general use but I also use European style cultured butter sparingly on fresh baked goods and toast for a special treat.

 

[debodun]

For everyday use, I get Smart Balance, but keep some butter sticks in the freezer for cooking and baking where a butter substitute wouldn't work as well.

 

[jhummel73]

We have used butter for decades without guilt. I do look for occasional substitutes and alternatives, like avocado, humus, olive oil, because they are healthier and because I like variety.

 

[That Lady in PA]

I eat butter guilt free.
Margarine is far worst than butter

Same here.

BTW...
Margarine was invented in 1869 by French chemist Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès to be a cheap, stable, and accessible butter substitute. It was created in response to a challenge from Emperor Napoleon III, who sought an affordable alternative to butter for the military and lower-income citizens due to food shortages

 

[Pinky]

We stopped using margarine, years ago. My doctor referred to margarine as "plastic fat".

I tend to eat sandwiches without butter.

 

[debodun]

I tend to eat sandwiches without butter.

I never did either. When I was a kid and went to a friend's home and saw their mom prepare a sandwich and put butter or margarine on the bread, I was slightly discomfited. However, now I can't eat a sandwich without toasting the bread.

 

[Veronica]

I like the light spreadable chemical concoctions like I can’t believe it’s not butter for general use but I also use European style cultured butter sparingly on fresh baked goods and toast for a special treat.

I like the light version of I cant believe its not butter for general use. When I bake I use real butter.
I save my fat calories for desserts. Light has 35 calories a tablespoon. Butter has 100 calories.

 

[PeppermintPatty]

We have used butter for decades without guilt. I do look for occasional substitutes and alternatives, like avocado, humus, olive oil, because they are healthier and because I like variety.

Oh yes. I use olive and Avocado oil
I love humus

 

[OldFeller]

I just watched a video about this. There must be a campaign to make people more aware.

I also saw a video saying that eggs aren't the cholesterol enemy they've been made out to be. But instead it said that research has shown they're actually good for you.

Who is behind this recent information? The companies looking to encourage sales or actual research updates?

Anyway. I'm eating eggs with buttered toast rye bread everyday recently because I'm trying to lower my A1C through diet. I haven't had my blood taken for A1C testing since making some significant changes to my diet. But my daily blood testing shows a lower glucose reading than what I was getting before the changes.

 

[Pinky]

I just watched a video about this. There must be a campaign to make people more aware.

I also saw a video saying that eggs aren't the cholesterol enemy they've been made out to be. But instead it said that research has shown they're actually good for you.

Who is behind this recent information? The companies looking to encourage sales or actual research updates?

Anyway. I'm eating eggs with buttered toast rye bread everyday recently because I'm trying to lower my A1C through diet. I haven't had my blood taken for A1C testing since making some significant changes to my diet. But my daily blood testing shows a lower glucose reading than what I was getting before the changes.

I'm borderline diabetic .. 2 eggs, every second day, was advised by the Diabetes Foundation nutritionist. That's what I had for breakfast this morning.

 

[OldFeller]

I'm borderline diabetic .. 2 eggs, every second day, was advised by the Diabetes Foundation nutritionist. That's what I had for breakfast this morning.

That person is still concerned about the cholesterol. The video I watched said to eat four eggs a day. Doesn't that sound like egg producers want to encourage consumption.

I eat 2 eggs and that keeps me feeling full longer which I like.

 

[Oldeagle66]

Melting tons of butter on popcorn....,yep it's always gonna happen. Fortunately I don't it do that often.

 

[MACKTEXAS]

I buy margarine and rarely use it for much of anything except to scramble eggs. Occasionally I have toast with margarine and strawberry jam, but more often peanut butter and jam. I have to remind myself to cook eggs for supper now and then, or they would go out of date, since I don't need them to make cakes or anything else. All my cholesterol readings were fine on my blood work last month.

 

[jlhog]

I eat butter guilt free.
Margarine is far worst than butter

What she said

 

[Oldeagle66]

I eat butter guilt free.
Margarine is far worst than butter

Definitely.....I buy that huge brick of butter

 

[OldFeller]

Doctors need to stay relevant so they come up with blood tests and numbers to justify your coming to visit and take medicines.

If I have a heart attack or stroke it's because I was going to have a heart attack or a stroke anyway. They can't prove that their guidelines do anything but move the indicators on blood tests.

Doctors don't like when I tell them that.

I'm getting older and I'm going to die one day. That's inevitable.

 

[That Lady in PA]

I also saw a video saying that eggs aren't the cholesterol enemy they've been made out to be. But instead it said that research has shown they're actually good for you.

But I am one of those rare birds who IS affected by eggs. I have egg beaters instead.

Cholesterol dropped low enough after eliminating eggs (while on a supervised, controlled diet) that I don't need medication... and that is a good thing!

 

[Muskrat]

Margarine was "poverty food" growing up. Butter was preferred but we were often very broke. Now I only eat butter...

 

[debodun]

I remember my mom getting oleo. It was white and therefore didn't have the appetizing golden yellow color of butter. A capsule of dye was included which, if preferred, was mixed into the oleo to produce a more butter-like appearance.

 

[Sunkist]

I prefer margarine. I guess it depends on what a person is accustomed to.
I wouldn't complain or refuse to eat butter, but am not really fond of it.

All I use it for is to fry/scramble eggs, though.

 

[OldFeller]

 

[Murrmurr]

Margarine was "poverty food" growing up. Butter was preferred but we were often very broke. Now I only eat butter...

When I was a little kid, schools bought margarine for the cafeterias because it was cheaper than butter.

I grew up on a dairy. The only times I ever ate margarine (as a kid) was when I had to buy my lunch at school, and the only time I had to buy lunch at school was when my mom was in the hospital having my little brother, and the time she had the flu or something.

I didn't know it was margarine. I thought it was tainted butter, spoiled from sitting around too long or something, so I didn't finish eating it.

But I bought it when my kids were little and my income was, too; just a substitute until I found a better job.