Butter or Margarine?

[Janice]

What do you use? I use Land O Lakes margarine, although when we go out to eat, I'm always happy to eat butter. I like the taste of butter more, yet I use margarine because it's healthier, or so they say.

[DLevine2]

I usually use margarine but butter also good to use also. I use "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" brand of margarine or the butter spray.

[Cactus Jack]

BUTTER!!!

[Zoneboy]

Crystal Bernard Parkay Commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z2_zOjF9ro&feature=related)

[MonarC]

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k155/foodnetaddict/paula_dog.jpg

Butter Ya'll! :D

[MrRetro_08]

I just use butter.

[dawsongirl]

I try to avoid either....so fattening. :(

[catlover79]

Margarine - Olivo brand to be exact.

[Marvo301]

Imperial Margarine(still waiting for a crown to appear on my head. lol)

[catlover79]

Imperial Margarine(still waiting for a crown to appear on my head. lol)
"I may TASTE like butter..." :lol:

[Scoobiedoo30]

Butter.

[beautifuldreamer]

I use "I can't believe it's not butter"... and not even the real "I can't believe it's not butter" but the low-fat "I can't believe it's not butter."
I know it sounds bad... but I grew up on that, It's all I know!:D

[PunkyP0WER]

Country Crock but it wasn't until a few years ago I realized it was margarine. I always thought it was butter. But I like butter as well.

[treky]

we use "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER". Whenever I eat out; I just use whatever's on the table, makes no difference to me!



I read somewhere once that there's no difference between butter and margarine.

[JamesG]

I actually like margarine a lot better on bagels than butter.

One time I went to my local deli to get a bagel and told the guy "Wait, don't put butter. Do you have margarine?" and he turned and said "What, are you crazy?" lol

[bandito]

I use butter, I want the real thing-lol

[MrCleveland]

Butter

I even made up a song called "Butter" which was inspired by a Parkay commercial.

B-B-B-B-Butter, Butter, Butter
B-B-B-B-Butter, Butter, Butter

It's better than any margarine
It's sweeter tastier creamier
I see Paula Dean usin' it
Nothing can be any sweeter

Than Butter, Butter, Butter
Is better, better, better

I can't believe it's not butter
Because the taste isn't as good
I don't care if it gets me fatter
Nothing gets me in a better mood

Than Butter, Butter, Butter
B-B-B-B Butters better, go butter

Y'know I like to put it on pancakes
It just taste good when dipped in lobster
I would have it on my potatoes
We have a guilty pleasure, but for me
It's a butter stick respectively

I would have it on my broccoli
It's just better on my peas and beans
Drench one on my sweet ol' corncob
Whether it's winter or summer, It can't give
Up my own pat of butter as long as I live

So now bake it into some cookies
Spread some on my toasted wheat bread
It's even good stirred in cream of wheat
They can tell me I'm wrong, but I'll still stand strong
To my butter because we both get along.

Butter, butter, butter, butter, butter, butter,...

[browneyes106]

I use both.

[ekkostar]

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

[Jude The Obscure]

Depends on what is on sale and what I have a coupon for :lol:

currently using Smart Balance, both the spread and the liquid (great on corn on the cob!)

[Brad Russ]

Butter

[steevo]

I like the taste of butter much better. Land O Lakes is the best! :D

[DLevine2]

Margarine

http://www.oekotest.de/img/pic/J0702/62971.jpg

Butter


http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/images/butter/$file/butter.jpg

[beautifuldreamer]

I have always used "I can't believe it's not butter." I just love it! It's so much less fattening than real butter... so I'm happy about that.:D

[Lee]

I prefer Butter

[browneyes106]

I use both. I buy big packs of butter and big tubs of margarine.

[Doodyville10019]

Butter, first foremost and always.

[Brad Russ]

I use to use margarine, but then I saw a few shows about the worlds greatest myths, and on them it said butter is actually healthier. The debate still goes on, but I think I'll just stick with butter.

[Brad Russ]

Here's an article I found on housemaid.com (No it's not a site I normally look at :lol:) which talks about the pro's, and con's of both margarine and butter.

Whether you're looking for a spread for cooking or to enjoy on freshly baked rolls, you have a variety of options to choose from. From dairy based margarines to vegan margarines to real butter, the options are expanding rapidly. If health is of concern, you may be confused as to whether to choose butter or margarine to put on your morning toast. Although margarine was once thought to be the healthy alternative to butter, margarine has received its share of scrutiny recently due to some brands containing hydrogenated oils or trans fats. When it comes to butter vs. margarine, what's the best choice from a health standpoint?

Margarine can be a source for trans fats
Probably the biggest drawback to margarine is that some brands contain trans fats which have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease, probably by lowering levels of HDL, the good cholesterol and raising LDL, the bad cholesterol. Trans fats are of such concern that companies are now required to disclose levels of trans fat contained in products such as margarine. As a result, some margarine manufacturers have removed trans fats from their spreads or lowered the concentration considerably. When reading labels, look closely at the ingredient list to see if it mentions partially hydrogenated oils or fractionated oils. Even if a margarine lists zero grams of trans fats, it can still have small amounts of these unhealthy fats. Solid margarines are the most likely to be high in trans fats. The more liquid the margarine, the lower the trans fat levels, in general.

Butter is usually higher in saturated fat
The other fat that can increase your risk of heart disease are saturated fats. Butter tends to be high in saturated fats which is one reason margarine was lauded as being a healthy substitute for butter for so many years. Most brands of margarine are substantially lower in saturated fats than butter. For example, most solid butter products average around seven grams of saturated fat whereas some margarines such as I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light have only a single gram. Some margarines may still contain high levels of saturated fat, so read labels carefully.

Butter has additional nutritional value margarines don't have
Although butter has been maligned for being an unhealthy product that view is changing as the potential health benefits of butter are publicized. Butter contains key nutritional ingredients including antioxidants which can help to offset free radical damage to cells. It also is a source of vitamin D and calcium as well as selenium. Another key component, conjugated linoleic acid, is thought to help maintain lean body mass, prevent weight gain, and may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. The fats found in butter also help to aid in the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals consumed in the diet.

When considering butter vs. margarine, what's the best alternative? One option is to select a light or whipped butter which is generally lower in calories and saturated fat than regular butter. Land O'Lakes makes a light butter with added canola oil which has only half the calories and fat of regular butter. Canola oil is rich in monounsaturated fats which makes it more heart healthy than regular butter. If used in moderation, this may be a viable option if you're concerned about health. Another option is to use tub based margarines that are free of trans fats. These tend to be low in saturated fats and can serve as a reasonable butter substitute for cooking and spreading on toast. Some margarines are now also fortified with plant sterols which appear to lower levels of LDL's by about ten percent, although there's some question as to whether plant sterols may have some negative effects on the heart independent of lowering LDL. You can also consider alternating a trans fat free margarine with a light or whipped butter. Whichever choice you make avoid using these spreads excessively particularly if you're at high risk of heart disease.