I received a particular email about butter being better than margarine a few times and I’d heard people telling others it was true and that we should change what we eat to fit this theory. Thus I asked a medical Dr (as opposed to someone who has a PhD) to tell me whether it was true or not.
I have put his response first and the ‘hoax’ email that I received originally last.
So here’s what he said: –
Hmm, this one’s been doing the rounds since about 2003. Cut and paste a few words from the posting into Google and see how many hits you get.
There are margarines and there are margarines. However the writer of this posting seems to think that all margarines are made in the same way. Nowadays, margarines are prepared from animal fats, vegetable fats, or mixtures of animal and vegetable fats. The level of saturation, and hydrogenation, can vary.
Indeed we’ve been subjected to a number of adverts of margarine-type products that actually reduce bad cholesterol – there are even reasonably decent clinical studies that underpin the claims. So, to suggest that margarine is (always) less healthy than butter is nonsense.
And the guff about margarine being one molecule away from being plastic takes the biscuit! Utter drivel!
I suspect the history of margarine as related in this posting has come out of the same trash can as the science. I doubt very much if margarine had been invented to fatten turkeys.
These sorts of postings feed on people’s gullability and, in my view, can be damaging. For a less strident view about this than mine, have a look at:
http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/butter.asp
Pass The Butter.. Please.
Margarine was originally manufactured to fatten turkeys. When it killed the turkeys, the people who had put all the money into the research wanted a payback so they put their heads together to figure out what to do with this product to get their money back. It was a white substance with no food appeal so they added the yellow coloring and sold it to people to use in place of butter. How do you like it? They have come out with some clever new flavorings.
DO YOU KNOW… the  difference between margarine and butter?
Read on to the end…gets very interesting!Both have the same amount of calories.
Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.
Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!
Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods.
Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.And now, for Margarine..
Very high in Trans fatty acids.
Triple risk of coronary heart disease.
Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol) and lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol) .
Increases the risk of cancers up to five fold.
Lowers quality of breast milk.
Decreases immune response.
Decreases insulin response.
And here’s the most disturbing fact….
HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC..
This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).
You can try this yourself: & lt; BR>
Purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of  things:
* no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something)
* it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value; nothing will grow on it.
Even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not a find a home to grow. Why?
Because it is nearly plastic.
Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?
8 Comments
Dr. Bakhai · October 2, 2008 at 12:35 pm
At recommended intakes of about 2 to 2.5 g/day, products enriched with plant stanol/sterol esters lower plasma LDL cholesterol (linked to higher risk of cardiovascular disease) levels by 10% to 14% without any reported side effects. Thus, plant stanols/sterols can be considered to be effective and safe cholesterol-lowering functional food ingredients.
These intakes however require a significant amount of appropriate margarines to be consumed daily and the data with vegetarian diets is not readily available. Moreover exercise will create a significant change in raising HDL cholesterol (linked to lower risk of cardiovascular disease) of around 20% and is a more recommended way of improving one’s health.
Heena Modi · October 2, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Thanks for this.
It’s good to have some straight forward facts to help us make the right choices 🙂
M. Joshi · October 7, 2008 at 10:27 pm
This is an interesting discussion – I too believed what I had read/been told about butter being better for you and margarine being 1 molecule away from butter.
However after reading the Dr’s reply, i’m still not convinced that even though many margarines contain plant esters, the average daily intake would provide enough health benefit vs. the same amount of butter? Personally, i’m not too fussed for myself as I use Pure Sunflower spread which is suitable for Vegans but, i’ve converted the rest of the family to using butter!?
Heena Modi · October 8, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Thanks for this.
Butter hey? Will you re-think or leave it as it is?
Mayank · February 18, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I too believed what I had read/been told about butter being better for you and margarine being 1 molecule away from butter.
However after reading the Dr’s reply, i’m still not convinced that even though many margarines contain plant esters, the average daily intake would provide enough health benefit vs. the same amount of butter?
Personally, i’m not too fussed for myself as I use Pure Sunflower spread which is suitable for Vegans but, i’ve converted the rest of the family to using butter!?
On another note, I came across this useful website in my favourites which lists products from major brands that are suitable for veggie’s/vegans. I’m not sure how up-to-date it is though?
http://isitveggie.com/
Regards,
Mayank
Mayank · February 20, 2009 at 1:01 am
Edit: I too believed what I had read/been told about butter being better for you and margarine being 1 molecule away from *plastic*.
Heena Modi · February 20, 2009 at 8:27 pm
Hmmm!
Amazing the info that we’re inundated with and the fact that we can’t just believe it!
We have top check everything!
Email content, website content, ingredients on products we may have purchased for years but the company decided to change what they use and didn’t tell anyone or make it clear on the packaging!
Too much, don’t you think?
Krisan · September 6, 2010 at 7:33 pm
Id go for peanut butter!!
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