The Real Reason You Should Eat Butter Instead Of Margarine

The debate between butter and margarine is an old one. There are those who vouch for the natural benefits of butter while others prefer to spread generous amounts of margarine on toast. What's the difference between the two, though? As per Healthline, butter is basically prepared by churning cream while margarine is something that is designed to taste like butter but is made with the help of vegetable oils. It's definitely more processed than butter, of course.

Butter is known to have a lot of saturated fat, something that led health experts to criticize the ingredient back in the 1970s. Many folks started suggesting margarine as an effective and healthier alternative to butter. However, the truth isn't as black and white as it seems. Butter may not be that bad for you, after all, especially if you're enjoying it in moderation. Also, new research indicates that margarine may, in fact, be harmful for your health. Really.

According to Delish, butter isn't that terrible. A 2016 review by the PLOS One journal pointed out that butter doesn't contribute to heart ailments as much as researchers previously believed. Also, margarine may be worse for you on account of the fact that it's often loaded with additives. Yikes! You see, butter is the more natural ingredient among the two.

That said, as pointed out by Harvard Health, saturated fats in general need to be consumed in moderation for the sake of your heart health. And sadly, that includes butter. However, the piece notes that there was never any definitive proof that margarine is healthier than butter. If you want to avoid both options and stay safe, you can consume olive oil instead. Or, use a spread like vegan butter, which is made using different types of oils. And of course, eating butter occasionally is alright as long as you don't go overboard.