Butter ‘vs’ margarine: Yay or Nay?

Butter always wins. Margarine or butter spreads should never be making their way into your shopping basket- however heart healthy they claim to be.

What do we know about butter:

• Butter is made from churned cream.
• Butter from grass-fed cows provides Vitamin K2 which is really good for bone health.
• it is high in cholesterol, however studies show it has limited effect on blood cholesterol.
• It is a saturated fat, this is an area where evidence of saturated fat increasing heart disease is inconsistent.

What do we know about margarine:

• Margarine is made from inflammatory vegetable oils that are processed with chemicals- The vegetable oils are treated with the solvent hexane, bleaches and deodorizers as well as food colourings.
• Margarine is often high in polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids which can promote inflammation.
• The amount of trans fats in margarine products has been reduced but food labeling rules allow products to state that they contain ‘zero trans fats’ if there is less than 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving- so you could still be consuming trans fats.

This is why we choose butter. Kerry Gold is our favourite grass-fed brand, but do look out they have just launched a spreadable version which you want to avoid. The amount of butter you should consume does depend from person to person and depends on your ability to digest fat as well as your genetic history.