Butter vs. margarine, does it really matter which is better?

“Which is better, butter or margarine?”.

A question as cringeworthy as it is controversial, but do we know the answer to the most hotly debated topic in the realm of food? Does it even matter?

For decades butter has been a taboo food product due to its “saturated” fat content. Saturated fat being the type of fat that is solid at room temperature.

Numerous guidelines around the world have recommended reductions in saturated fat to prevent: increased risk for heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, stroke…etc. The evidence that these guidelines is based on however, is MASSIVELY UNCLEAR.

There is currently as much evidence in FAVOUR of saturated fats as there is AGAINST saturated fats.

Modern (non-hydrogenated) margarine on the other hand is made from vegetable oil and contains high levels of “unsaturated fats”. Diets high in unsaturated fat sources (such as the Mediterranean diet) have been shown to promote heart health^1,4.

SO….

You’re thinking, “well logically if I replace foods with saturated fats (butter, bacon) with foods high in unsaturated fats (margarine, fish) then it should decrease my risk for:…”

• Death?
• Heart attack?
• Stroke?

WELL, WE DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW.

Logically, yes. But there is no concrete scientific evidence to make a claim towards replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats². And to make things more confusing new research shows that the saturated fats contained in dairy products decrease the risk for heart disease and could be more beneficial than the saturated fats found in other foods^3,4,5.

The whole thing gets more confusing the closer you look.

BOTTOM LINE.

If you are simply spreading butter or margarine on your toast (or bagel 😉) in the morning then it simply doesn’t matter which one you choose. In other words, butter and margarine make up such a small portion of our diets that eating one over the other will not affect health².

Focus on the overall quality of the foods you eat instead of one nutrient. If you are able to; choose locally grown produce and whole foods. Cook your food from scratch more nights per week, and involve your friends/family/loved ones in on the creation and enjoyment of your delicious food formations.

Taking the time to prepare, cook and enjoy MORE whole foods can make a much bigger difference to your life than arguing over fatty oils ever will.

J.

References

1. Mente A et al. A systematic review of the evidence supporting a causal link between dietary factors and coronary heart disease. Arch Intern Med 2009 ;169(7):659-69.
2. Mozaffarian D et al. Effects on coronary heart disease of increasing polyunsaturated fat in place of saturated fat: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS Med 2010;7:e1000252.
3. O’Sullivan TA et al. Food sources of saturated fat and the association with mortality: a meta-analysis. Am J Public Health 2013;103:e31-42.
4. Skeaff CM and Miller J. Dietary fat and coronary heart disease: summary of evidence from prospective cohort and randomised controlled trials. Ann Nutr Metab 2009;55(1-3):173-201.
5. de Oliveira Otto MC et al. Dietary intake of saturated fat by food source and incident cardiovascular disease: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;96:397-404.