Butter or margarine? Main myth about usefulness of these products dispelled

What is margarine and what is it made of

Margarine is a product that replaces butter and is intended for spreading on bread.

Therefore, it is often called "vegetable oil". The first version of it, containing vegetable oil and beef fat, was created in 1869 for the needs of the army of Emperor Napoleon III. Margarine, which came into production and sale at the beginning of the last century, was made in a completely different way - by a chemical reaction of solidifying vegetable oil with hydrogen, under pressure, at high temperature, and with the addition of a nickel catalyst.

Unfortunately, this method of production leads to the formation of unnatural forms of unsaturated fatty acids in margarine - trans fats. Such solidified fat (partially or completely) is called hydrogenated.

The presence of such processed fat in the recipe should be indicated on the product packaging, but this rule is not always observed. Very often, manufacturers write on the package only the word "vegetable fats" without indicating the origin.

However, modern margarines are produced in a completely different way than before - without a curing process, but only by appropriately combining and mixing natural fats.

However, modern margarines are produced in a completely different way than before - without a solidification process, but only by combining and mixing natural fats accordingly.

The resulting product contains 40-80% fat and, like butter, is a water-in-oil emulsion. However, these two products differ in many ways that are worth keeping in mind.

Margarine is still considered a harmful product, and, repeating an old myth, many point to the dangers of trans fatty acids.

In the case of solid margarine intended for baking, you can also easily find quality products with an optimal composition - you just need to check.

Trans fats are found in many other products, including unprocessed ones (you can check their content in the official electronic database).

Butter also contains them, but these 2-5 percent trans isomers are natural compounds and contribute to metabolism.

Artificial trans fats significantly increase the level of "bad" LDL cholesterol and at the same time reduce the concentration of its HDL fraction, which protects blood vessels.

Therefore, their consumption leads to atherosclerosis and increases the risk of coronary heart disease. They also contribute to inflammation and disorders that lead to the development of type 2 diabetes.

Is margarine harmful

Modern margarine can be considered a healthy product, especially when it comes to its varieties enriched with beneficial compounds. These include, among others, plant sterols that improve blood lipid profile or cold-pressed oils rich in valuable fatty acids (e.g., flaxseed oil, pumpkin seed oil, etc.).

As a functional product, margarine with active ingredients (e.g., omega-3 fatty acids), minerals (potassium, zinc, selenium), and additional vitamins (group B, vitamin E) can support the health of the body, such as the skeleton or circulatory system. All types of margarines for spreading are enriched with vitamins A and D to the level of butter.

Due to the low level of trans fatty acids in margarine, if it is used for baking or even cooking, there is certainly no risk of consuming an excess of these compounds.

According to WHO recommendations, their consumption with food should not exceed 1% of energy intake, i.e. 2.2 g per menu, which provides 2000 kcal per day. While margarines are available in low-fat versions, butter should contain a minimum of 75 percent of this ingredient, and most often it has more than eighty percent.

Margarine contains mostly unsaturated fats, while butter contains saturated fats, an excess of which is considered unfavorable for the circulatory system.

They make up almost half of the weight of the product, and margarine has half as much. However, the saturated fatty acids in butter have shorter chains than the fats in oils, making them easier to digest.

At the same time, they do not oxidize as easily during processing, especially when heated. So choosing between butter and margarine is not so easy.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.