Butter and margarine are foods that provide a lot of fat and saturated fatty acids, something that is usually left over in the Spanish diet. But should that lead us to eliminate them from our diet? It is not necessary to go to this extreme and, for this reason, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has compared both products to find out which is the healthiest of these spreadable fats.
Not all fats are the same, due to their nutritional composition, which is why it is necessary to pay attention to both the quantity we take and its quality. And the first recommendation that the body gives is clear: olive oil, virgin and extra virgin, rich in essential fatty acids, has less saturated fat and is healthier than butter or margarine.
However, although oil is a pillar of the Mediterranean diet, the presence of spreadable fats is very common in homes. The OCU has analyzed 63 butters and 32 margarines to establish the main differences between one and the other.
Butter is the milk fat obtained from churning cream. Traditional butter has a fat content of more than 80%, although there are other types of butter depending on the fat content (three-quarters, light or light, and semi-butter).
On the other hand, margarine was made with a mixture of animal and vegetable fats, although fats of vegetable origin have now prevailed. They also usually incorporate butter aromas and dyes.
It must be borne in mind that there are no good or bad foods, so choosing which one will be better for your health will depend on several factors. The OCU recalls the importance of consulting the nutritional information that appears on product labels, where you can find the energy value (kilocalories) and fats or lipids, among others.
For healthy people, without health problems, both butter and margarine can be a good option, as long as the amount consumed is about ten grams and it is consumed occasionally. In case of being overweight or obese, the light or light version is the most recommended.
Unsalted varieties should be the primary choice for those with high blood pressure. Likewise, in the case of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, it is better to opt for margarines, especially those rich in plant sterols and polyunsaturated fats, in which the saturated fat content does not account for more than a third of the fat.
In all cases, the OCU recommends a serving of around ten grams and if it is going to be spread on bread, the ideal is to opt for a whole wheat one. For baking, the traditional options of butter and margarine are suitable, and for cooking, butter can be used to brown and flavor dishes.
When asked which is more fattening, the organization recalls that the normal versions of both products have the same fat (around 80%), which is the nutrient responsible for caloric intake. However, margarines available in supermarkets have lower levels, being mostly 3/4 (about 60% fat).
