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Butter is one of the most common spreads, but it’s also garnered a bad reputation over the years.
As Regina George once famously asked in Mean Girls, “is butter a carb?” The answer is yes. But thanks to science, we now know that all fats and carbs are not created equal. Some are much better for you than others. For example, butter can be a better health choice overall when compared to margarine-which may contain traces of trans fats known to raise bad LDL cholesterol, as well as increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, according to Very Well. Yikes!
Though the butter-margarine debate is ongoing, depending on what brands you consume, experts agree there’s one type of margarine that’s especially bad for your metabolism. What is it and how does it compare to its peers?
Sticks or solids
MD and Chief Medical Officer for Medi-Weightloss, Dr. Gretchen San Miguel sets the record straight once and for all. "The worst margarine choices are sticks or solids, because they have the highest amounts of trans fats," she explains. "The best choices are soft or liquid margarines that have no or very little trans-fat, and less than 3 grams of saturated fat per serving."
Butter may be considered to be bad for you due to its high levels of saturated fats. But though margarine contains lower amounts of saturated fats, it has trans fats, "which could be worse for our cardiovascular health than saturated fat because it raises levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowers levels of HDL (good cholesterol)," Dr. Gretchen adds.
OK, so now that we know the pitfalls of bad margarines like sticks and solids, how do we choose the right products? According to Dr. Gretchen, the answer is as simple as reading nutrition labels. "The FDA now requires all products to include the amount of both saturated fats and trans fats in all food products," she says.
"When choosing between margarines and butters, shoot for <3g of saturated fats per serving and NO trans fats." Of course, it's also a good idea to limit the number of servings you ingest. (Gorging on either butter or margarine isn't helpful when it comes to keeping off the pesky pounds.)
To make the best, most health-conscious choices in your margarine purchases, don't be overwhelmed by the assortment of products in the dairy section of your grocery store. Instead, look for plant-based fats, such as olive oil, olive oil-based spreads, avocado oil, sunflower oil or plant sterol enriched margarine spreads.
According to Dr. Gretchen, this includes margarines such as Earth Balance® Organic Whipped Buttery Spread and Benecol®. Both choices "are high in polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats-plus, they have the added benefits of plant sterols to help lower your blood cholesterol levels further," she explains.
And remember, buying healthier margarine products can make a difference, but if you eat an overall nutritious menu every day, then the amount of butter in your diet shouldn't be a cause for concern.
