Butter Vs. margarine (low-fat spreads)

I'm starting a series of short posts about food and nutrition. They will contain all the information you need to know but not drown you in it. This is the first one.

As many of us know, butter is a saturated fat. But unless you are trying to lose weight that is not necessarily a bad thing. In moderate quantities butter can be beneficial for your health. Butter contains about 80 percent fat. The thing that most people ignore is that your body needs fat. It is a rich source of calories for energy. If you are at regular weight range for your age, feel free to choose butter in moderation. But if you are overweight or have a heart condition, think again.

Margarine or other low-fat spreads have one thing in common. They started out liquid. They go through a process of industrial hardening which makes them the block that we see. Because of this process these spreads can sometimes contain trans-fat which is not good for you as they increase bad cholesterol in your body.Having said that low-fat spreads might contain some poly saturated fat which is good for you. They contain about 70 percent fat.

The bottom line is that butter which has a little more fat, is a natural product and does not go through a lot of chemical processing. Margarine on the other hand goes through essential chemical processes that make it what it is. Margarine might also contain trans fat which we all know is bad for us. You choose.