Which One is the Real Heavy Weight?

If I looked into your fridge would I find margarine – smooth, tasty, unspoiling and inexpensive? Or would it be butter – creamy, natural and palatable? Maybe you have both or neither.

There are pros and cons to both products. Since butter is an animal product it contains cholesterol and saturated fats. On the other hand it is 100% natural and has Vitamin A which contributes to healthy skin, eyes, bones and teeth. Margarine, made from seed oils, has omega 3 fatty acids (good for health in proper amounts). However, it has been hydrogenated, fortified and infused with additives for taste, color, and smell.

And is there any truth to margarine being one molecule away from plastic? Chemically speaking, the answer is no! So, rest assured that you won’t eat something that will set off a chemical reaction.

The process of making margarine is two fold of which each includes 6 steps, and then a series of steps in each step. It sounds confusing, but that’s how you go from a seed to an enhanced fat product. Making butter also has two steps. After a cow has been milked the cream is separated from the milk. Then the cream is churned until it thickens and voila! You have butter.

Some people swear by butter for baking and flavoring foods, and it has been this way for around 10,000 years. Others choose margarine because it’s more cost effective or spreads well for toast and sandwiches. I have run into people who use butter for its natural qualities on principal alone. Then there are those that use margarine because it is what has always been used growing up – a product of social conditioning.

What is the answer then to the age old question…Which is better – Butter or Marg? I am going with eat ALL foods (including fats) in moderation but, keep fats to a minimum. By the way, I have both in my fridge – there’s nothing better than fresh popped popcorn drizzled with some melted butter!