Butter, Margarine or Fat Spread - What is the healthier option?

[ravip]

I was reading through some articles about Butter, Margarine and Fat Spread.

Going back in time, Butter was the favourite. Then came margarine - offered as a healthier option to the beloved butter!

And now comes the 'fat spread', slowly pushing the margarine out!

So... what could be considered the 'healthier' option for our daily bread?

And why?

 

[onebir]

For the paleos it's back to beef dripping (but no bread).

[Lacessit]

26 minutes ago, ravip said:

I was reading through some articles about Butter, Margarine and Fat Spread.

Going back in time, Butter was the favourite. Then came margarine - offered as a healthier option to the beloved butter!

And now comes the 'fat spread', slowly pushing the margarine out!

So... what could be considered the 'healthier' option for our daily bread?

And why?

 

Any spread with polyunsaturated oils such as olive, sunflower or canola is healthier than butter, which has saturated fats.

Fat spread is a fairly meaningless term which covers both margarine and butter.

[david555]

MeadowLea ...Canola version spread  ....made in Australia

( big C ) 

[impulse]

The current favorite of health nuts (and experts) is clarified butter.   But that seems to change every few years.

 

I'm still waiting for the day they tell us the perfect health food is a greasy double cheeseburger with extra fried onions and mushrooms.

 

[carlyai]

Probably the healthiest is to use advacado fruit for the spread. 

Margarine is now out, got all them there free radicals whizzing around.

Butter is in, got less free radicals and now fat is good for you again.

Gotta get rid of all them unbounded  free electrons making you die younger.

Don't worry, soon beer will be IN again.

[impulse]

6 minutes ago, carlyai said:

Don't worry, soon beer will be IN again.

 

When did it go out?

 

[connda]

Ghee which is clarified butter is the best.

[Andrew Dwyer]

Not sure about the healthiest option but I like this:

 

 

Available at Big C

[scubascuba3]

I stopped using butter/margarine a couple years ago, after a short while you don't notice it 

[carlyai]

8 hours ago, impulse said:

 

When did it go out?

 

Too many carbs, makes you fat, kills your brain cells, stuffs up your liver at the moment, but someone will do a study using 3 people from Outer Mongolia that proves beer (except Chang) is a magic elixa that makes you live forever. 

[tonray]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I stopped using butter/margarine a couple years ago, after a short while you don't notice it 

I give in every few months...but usually just drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on some toasted bread and it's pretty good

[Jeffr2]

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/butter-vs-margarine/faq-20058152

[Lacessit]

There is an extremely heavy tome issued by the WHO entitled " Food, Nutrition and Cancer". It cites all the clinical studies of the various forms of cancer since Adam was a pup. It identifies factors that statistically have contributed to elevated levels of cancer of every type.

In just about every form of cancer there is, high fat and alcohol intake are predisposing attributes.

[eezergood]

The closer to nature the better, therefore in this case use butter 

[NumbNut]

3 hours ago, carlyai said:

Too many carbs, makes you fat, kills your brain cells, stuffs up your liver at the moment, but someone will do a study using 3 people from Outer Mongolia that proves beer (except Chang) is a magic elixa that makes you live forever. 

Couldn't agree more... that Chang will kill ya!

[jak2002003]

13 hours ago, ravip said:

I was reading through some articles about Butter, Margarine and Fat Spread.

Going back in time, Butter was the favourite. Then came margarine - offered as a healthier option to the beloved butter!

And now comes the 'fat spread', slowly pushing the margarine out!

So... what could be considered the 'healthier' option for our daily bread?

And why?

 

Butter. Normal old fashioned butter. It's what everyone used to use in the old days....and lard, suet and dripping.   

 

If you look at the people back then most were slim and healthy compared to people today many of whom eat 'healthy' low calorie, unsaturated plant fats. Strange that.????

 

Actually I don't bother using any buttery spreads on my sandwiches or toast now...I just put the fillings / toppings on and can't notice any difference.

 

Scientifically I would say the healthiest thing to use would be olive oil drizzled on the bread. 

 

[BigStar]

5 hours ago, Lacessit said:

There is an extremely heavy tome issued by the WHO entitled " Food, Nutrition and Cancer". It cites all the clinical studies of the various forms of cancer since Adam was a pup. It identifies factors that statistically have contributed to elevated levels of cancer of every type.

In just about every form of cancer there is, high fat and alcohol intake are predisposing attributes.

 

It's not that simple, however. Death By Food Pyramid  reviewed here.

[Dazinoz]

I used to visit a Naturopath in Australia and she said stay away from margarine. Even though butter has a lot fat it is the closest thing to natural product.

[ravip]

2 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

I used to visit a Naturopath in Australia and she said stay away from margarine. Even though butter has a lot fat it is the closest thing to natural product.

Yes, this is also what I have heard and read about.

But as usual, with time, confusion has started! Hence my post here to find different opinions.

[Dazinoz]

Just now, ravip said:

Yes, this is also what I have heard and read about.

But as usual, with time, confusion has started! Hence my post here to find different opinions.

The problem on here is most is just personal opinion and not medically based.

 

I also read that margarine is one molecule away from plastic but as I am not qualified in that area I won't comment.

[nobodysfriend]

It depends a lot on your age .

If u r older , less animal fat is better , ( clogged arteries etc ) , less red meat is healthier , too ...

[Dazinoz]

21 minutes ago, nobodysfriend said:

It depends a lot on your age .

If u r older , less animal fat is better , ( clogged arteries etc ) , less red meat is healthier , too ...

I believe more the person's make up. My sister was the old school cooking in lots fat then mixing the gravy in the fat and pouring it over the heaps red meat. Used to taste fantastic. She was a huge woman for as long as I can remember. Died at 83.

[1FinickyOne]

For me - Butter is healthier...

 

Things like margarine and butter blends would make me suicidal

[JAFO]

Good old fashion Butter. I do not care how they try and copy the taste, Its never even close.

 

As a few said above your health, age, activity level and consumption have a huge impact on which one might be "Safer" for the individual. Moderation plays a key role in it as well. How often do you use butter or other spreads? I usually enjoy butter once or twice a week. 

[Surasak]

57 minutes ago, Dazinoz said:

The problem on here is most is just personal opinion and not medically based.

 

I also read that margarine is one molecule away from plastic but as I am not qualified in that area I won't comment.

One molecule away from plastic is very close to the mark. Margarine is, like plastic, a left over from oil refining.

[gwynt]

On 10/25/2020 at 9:39 PM, david555 said:

MeadowLea ...Canola version spread  ....made in Australia

( big C ) 

Made To taste like butter, bit like tofu!!

[notmyself]

Lard.

[Farang99]

On 10/25/2020 at 9:56 PM, impulse said:

The current favorite of health nuts (and experts) is clarified butter.   But that seems to change every few years.

 

I'm still waiting for the day they tell us the perfect health food is a greasy double cheeseburger with extra fried onions and mushrooms.

 

But for a perfect healthy balance it should be accompanied by a pint of good beer or a decent bottle of wine.

[Farang99]

7 minutes ago, notmyself said:

Lard.

Considering all the pork that Thais eat I am surprised not to see lard on the supermarket shelves