We always think that any of these two foods can be the fatty body of our cake, our breakfast or a meal, but which is better? Butter or margarine? So that we can choose correctly today we analyze their differences.
Your nutrients
The main difference between margarine and butter is its origin, since the first is a fatty body created industrially from vegetable oils while the latter is of animal origin.
Even so, both are fatty bodies so their calories are derived primarily from fats. The butter has a higher percentage of fat (99%), among which predominate saturated, while margarine has a 80% fat which are mostly monounsaturated, and hydrogenated fats own industrial process receives to return solids the vegetable oils.
Although there are margarines without any cholesterol, some do possess about 100 mg of this fatty compound in its composition and butter, being of animal origin contains higher proportions of this lipid.
Regarding their micronutrients, both are great sources of sodium, since they concentrate around 800 mg of the mineral per 100 grams. However, butter is a natural source of fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin D, vitamin A and E , it emphasizes the vitamin A content and in carotenes that greatly exceeds in amounts to margarine, as well as minerals like potassium, magnesium And calcium.
However, there are many margarine choices among which we can find those enriched with vitamins, probiotics and sterols that promote the reduction of cholesterol in the body.
In general, traditional margarine and butter are mostly fat sources, the first with less saturated fats but with trans fats and the last with more vitamin A and natural carotenes in their composition, as well as with more cholesterol.
Its effect on health
A few years ago we would certainly have said that margarine was the best option to take care of the health of the organism due to its vegetable origin, however, today it is known that trans fats are the most dangerous for our body and that, on the contrary, Saturated fats would have no major effect on it.
Thus, there are studies that separate the intake of saturated fat from an increased cardiovascular risk , and it is also known that the cholesterol we eat little has to do with our body’s cholesterol and does not affect negatively with heart health.
In addition, a recent study published in the journal PlosOne, concludes that the relationship between consumption of butter and cardiovascular disease is non-existent, so that butter stopped being the bad film to be today maybe better choice than margarine Which, because of its trans fats, could be more negative for health.
Concluding, except for margarines with special characteristics, these are still of vegetable origin are a less recommended option than butter, rich in saturated fats.
Of course, both are concentrated in fats and therefore , we should not abuse their daily consumption .