BUTTER OR MARGARINE HEALTHIER PRO

There is no doubt that if you have pre-existing high cholesterol levels, using a plant sterol margarine can help you, and if this reduces the need for cholesterol-lowering drugs, this has to be a good thing. Studies have shown that these margarines can be extremely effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Plant sterols вЂbindвЂ™ cholesterol in the gut (from both food and cholesterol excreted in bile acids as part of the digestive process) preventing it from being reabsorbed. Plant sterol margarines take this a step further.

In fact, a US study of 46 families published in the Journal of the American Medical AssociationВ found that substituting margarine for butter successfully lowered blood cholesterol levels. MargarinesВ are also high in healthy mono and poly-unsaturated fats, which have the ability to lower вЂbadвЂ™ LDL cholesterol. Manufacturers quickly responded to the information on trans fats and changed production methods to remove them. Margarines are fortified with these nutrients instead.

BUTTER OR MARGARINE HEALTHIER PRO

On the pro side for butter, it's am excellent source of vitamin A and has significant, but very small, amounts of vitamins D and E.

'The real issue is that we need to view foods more holistically, rather than judging them based on one nutrient alone.'Д«utter is a completely different food with different effects on our bodies than a cheeseburger вЂ“ yet they are both foods high in saturated fat. However despite this being used as an argument in defense of saturated fat, the fact is not enough is known about how diet and lifestyle factors influence LDL particle size. The latest research is showing that big fluffy LDL particles are not a risk factor rather it is small dense LDL that seems to be problematic. However it also raises HDL, or so-called вЂgoodвЂ™ cholesterol, and so the question is what is the overall effect? The other issue is that the size of these cholesterol-containing particles matters. It also raises LDL, or so-called вЂbadвЂ™ cholesterol. Saturated fat does indeed raise our cholesterol levels, so this information is not wrong. But should we really go back to eating packs of butter? I have no doubt that in light of all this we will see butter sales on the rise again. Indeed butter was the hero on the cover of Time magazine a couple of months ago. Unless youвЂ™ve been hiding under your pillow, you will no doubt have read some of the recent sensational media reports stating that scientists got it all wrong and saturated fats are not the bad guys. Although IвЂ™ll give you the facts and you can make up your own mind. But can a modern manufactured product, which goes against the nutrition puristвЂ™s idea of eating food as close to nature, really be healthier than the fat made from churning wholesome cowвЂ™s milk?ДЄs a fairly passionate believer in eating вЂrealвЂ™ foods as much as possible, I have to confess to struggling with the idea that we can manufacture something that is better for us than a relatively simple food that has been made and consumed by native communities for thousands of years. Today, margarine sales far outweigh butter in most Western Countries, largely due to the perceived health benefits. What could be a more humble and delicious meal than bread and butter? In contrast margarine was invented as a substitute for butter by a Frenchman in 1870, although only became widely popular during and after the war years. The use of butter can be traced as far back as 2000 BC. Fast forward to today and the debate continues to rage as to which is the healthier choice вЂ“ butter or margarine? Scientists soon discovered that the chemical process used to turn oil into a spread, created a type of fat called trans fat, which is even worse for us than saturated fat. Margarine, originally produced as a cheap spread, was suddenly promoted as the healthy choice and sales quickly overtook those of butter.

Over 65 per cent of the fat in butter is saturated and as a result, butter very quickly topped the вЂbad foodвЂ™ list and we were forced to search for an alternative. The biggest decision you had to make was deciding which brand to choose from the handful of options Then new research discovered that saturated fat raises our cholesterol and it was thought to increase our risk of heart disease. You spread butter on your bread, melted it over vegetables and used it in cooking.

Butter or margarine healthier