Revisiting the butter or margarine debate

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/05/2022 (1550 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I remember the butter versus margarine debate while growing up in the ’70s. Butter won out in my family, and I’ve generally stuck to butter since then. I recently got a high cholesterol reading, so a dietitian I’m seeing, Raschelle Sabourin, has suggested margarine.

To manage high cholesterol and heart health, the types of fats you eat become important. Sabourin explains margarine often contains unsaturated fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), which are plant-based. In contrast, butter has a higher amount of saturated, or animal, fats. According to “Which spread is better for my heart — butter or margarine?” on the Mayo Clinic website (www.mayoclinic.org), the fats found in margarine reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol.

I’ve always thought butter was more natural and thus the better choice but Sabourin says some types of margarine also contain few ingredients, in a comparable way to butter. All brands of margarine are not created equally, she says, so it’s helpful to read the labels. She recommends soft, non-hydrogenated margarine. The hydrogenation process solidifies margarine, so it’s more like butter, but the processing also adds unhealthy trans fat.

Sabourin believes that balance in eating is important. For instance, if someone has a food or recipe where they prefer the taste of butter, they may want to incorporate butter over margarine in moderation. A lot also comes down to preference and how much margarine/butter they are consuming. It’s important to enjoy food, and deciding whether to use butter or margarine is just one part of your diet.

Sabourin says the choice depends on a variety of factors such as health goals and medical conditions. For someone struggling with high cholesterol or cardiovascular concerns, she may recommend margarine over butter. In these situations, she often likes to focus on foods to add to one’s diet versus foods to take away in order to improve their health. Moving away from a restriction mindset can be beneficial for improving our relationship with food and our body.

I now have both margarine and butter in my fridge; old habits die hard and others living at my house prefer butter. Sabourin says it’s all about making gradual changes to one’s diet, so, for me, it’s a mix for now. And of course, improving my cholesterol level isn’t all about butter or margarine — cookies may play a role.