An age-old debate: butter vs. margarine

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/06/2012 (5077 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Dear Reena,

I have two children and I want to feed them healthy food but I am so confused about something as simple as margarine and butter. Which do you think is the better choice?

India

 

Dear India,

Simple is not the word that I would use to describe the never ending controversy between butter and margarine. In my opinion, moderation is definitely the key.

Margarine is plant-derived which sounds good but in order to bring margarine to a consumable and appetizing state, the vegetable nutrients are greatly compromised. The quality of the original plants also make a big difference, as do the chemicals and food colours added to the margarine. On the plus, side margarine has less saturated fat which is good but the hydrogenated oils are not good. So, if you are choosing margarine, pick soft and not hard because it contains less saturated fat.

Butter is by far a more natural product and contains beneficial nutrients such as: butyric acid, myristic acid, vitamins A and E. The cow’s diet and health make a difference in terms of butter quality. Therefore many experts advise consumers to stick with organic butter. Whether you choose butter or margarine, none or both, there are also other options such as: Almond paste, fresh hummus, natural peanut butter, applesauce, honey, olive oil, coconut oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, and grape seed oil (depending on the final use).

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Hi Reena,

I would like to make my own food for hummingbirds but I have run out of red food colouring. Is there something that I can substitute in place of food colouring to attract hummingbirds to my yard?

Thanks, Vince

 

Dear Vince,

It is best not to use red food colouring when making hummingbird food, as the colouring is hazardous to the adorable little birds. All you need to do is combine: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Mix and pour inside your feeder. Most feeders nowadays are red which in itself will attract hummingbirds. You can also tie a big red bow to the feeder to get their attention. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not necessary to boil the water before adding it to your feeder because the microorganisms transported to the feeder do so on the bird’s bill. You can also attract hummingbirds to the feeder by hanging it amidst red flowers and in a shady or partially shady area. It is important to note that hummingbird feeders are only a supplement to their diet and not their main food source. They feed on soft shelled bugs and spiders as well as flower nectar.
Be sure to clean the feeder on a regular basis and do not use dish soap as this can make the bird sick.

Extra Note: Regular hummingbird visitors will sometimes drink out of your hand. Tie a red ribbon onto your wrist and hold out some hummingbird juice in your palm. I have seen hummingbirds drink directly out of hands of very patient people.

Reena Nerbas is author of the national best-selling series, Household Solutions 1 with Substitutions, Household Solutions 2 with Kitchen Secrets and Household Solutions 3 with Green Alternatives

 Email her at : householdsolutions@mts.net or check out her website: www.householdsolutions.org