Butter vs Margarine

Few days back, I met with a friend, he asked me, "Is butter better or margarine?". So, I thought I could share with you guys about the pro's and con's of both these food products. When I talk about butter, I meant organic butter from grass fed cows, preferably raw butter. Second best option is organic pasteurized butter. Commercial butter sold in supermarkets are full of toxins and harmful to our body. Below are some of the reasons why we should choose butter then margarine. 

The unfortunate result of the low-fat diet craze has been the shunning of healthful fats such as butter, and public health has declined as a result of this folly. Much of the reason why butter was, and continues to be, vilified is because it contains saturated fat. If you're still in the mindset that saturated fat is harmful for your health, then I would want to tell you right now, It is NOT harmful to your body. Enjoy your butter folks. 

Butter

Vitamins - Butter is a rich source of easily absorbed vitamin A, needed for a wide range of functions, from maintaining good vision to keeping the endocrine system in top shape.

Minerals - Butter is rich in important trace minerals, including manganese, chromium, zinc, copper and selenium. Butter provides more selenium per gram than wheat germ or herring. Butter is also an excellent source of iodine.

Fatty acids - Butter provides appreciable amounts of short and medium-chain fatty acids, which support immune function, boost metabolism and have anti-microbial properties, that is, they fight against pathogenic microorganisms in the intestinal tract.

Cholesterol - Despite all of the misinformation you may have heard, cholesterol is needed to maintain intestinal health and for brain and nervous system development in the young.

Benefits :

Heart Disease - Butter contains many nutrients that protect against heart disease including vitamins A, D, K2, and E, lecithin, iodine and selenium.

Cancer - The short and medium-chain fatty acids in butter have strong anti-tumor effects, especially from organic grass fed cows. 

Osteoporosis - Vitamins A, D and K2 in butter are essential for the proper absorption of calcium and phosphorus and hence necessary for strong bones and teeth.

Thyroid Health - Butter is a good source of iodine, in a highly absorbable form. Butter consumption prevents goiter in areas where seafood is not available. In addition, vitamin A in butter is essential for proper functioning of the thyroid gland.

Growth & Development - Many factors in the butter ensure optimal growth of children, especially iodine and vitamins A, D and K2.

Asthma - Saturated fats in butter are critical to lung function and protect against asthma.

Overweight - Short and medium-chain fatty acids in butter help control weight gain.

Margarine

Trans fats - These unnatural fats in margarine, shortenings and spreads are formed during the process of hydrogenation, which turns liquid vegetable oils into a solid fat. Trans fats contribute to heart disease, cancer, bone problems, hormonal imbalance and skin disease, infertility, difficulties in pregnancy and problems with lactation, and low birth weight, growth problems and learning disabilities in children.

Free radicals - Free radicals and other toxic breakdown products are the result of high temperature industrial processing of vegetable oils. They contribute to numerous health problems, including cancer and heart disease. 

Synthetic vitamins - Synthetic vitamin A and other vitamins are added to margarine and spreads. These often have an opposite effect compared to the natural vitamins in butter. 

Emulsifiers and preservatives - Numerous additives of questionable safety are added to margarines and spreads. Most vegetable shortening is stabilized with preservatives.

Bleach - The natural color of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil is grey so manufacturers bleach it to make it white. Yellow coloring is then added to margarine and spreads. 

Artificial flavors - These help mask the terrible taste and odor of partially hydrogenated oils, and provide a fake butter taste. 

P/S: AVOID margarine at all cost, even if it is free. You can get a good quality organic butter for around RM37.