Why some say that butter is better?
- It’s a rich source of vitamin A and all the other fat-soluble vitamins such as E, K, and D
- It contains minerals which are great anti-oxidant as well as iodine which is needed by the thyroid gland
- It contains glycospingolipids, a special category of fatty acids that protect against gastrointestinal infections
Then, why some people think that butter is unhealthy?
- It contains saturated fat that increases the “bad” cholesterol (LDL)
- It has 33 milligrams of cholesterol in one tablespoon alone
What about margarine? What makes it good?
- It’s made from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol
- It’s also high in “good” fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Polyunsaturated fat helps reduce LDL. Monounsaturated fat helps reduce cholesterol and resists oxidation
Then why some say it’s bad?
- Some of margarines now are still made of assorted vegetable oils that have been heated to extremely high temperatures
- It makes margarine high in trans fat (read about transfat in our previous post)
Then, what to choose?
Actually, it’s not about choosing, it’s about consuming wisely. You still can consume both as long as:
- when you have some butter, remember that your intake is less than 7 tablespoons a day (even less than that if you have cholestrol or heart-healthy problem)
- when you go for margarine, check out the nutrition label, leave it if it contains trans fat
