Should you choose margarine over butter?

When it comes to a face-off between butter and margarine, which is the healthier alternative?

Butter vs margarine is one debate that has consumed the nation quite literally! More and more health and wellness experts are continually debating on this topic with regard to the best alternative for good health and daily consumption. Both butter and margarine are mostly known for being the most preferred table spreads of choice as far as a large section of Indians are concerned. Additionally, they are also used as ingredients for several staple and exotic Indian dishes. This is why this debate has garnered healthy attention from the nation. The processing of both margarine and butter is radically different and this contributes to their own unique properties. Which contains lower cholesterol and should be used for better heart health? According to most experts and nutritionists, margarine easily trumps butter in this regard. Margarine does not really contain saturated fat in huge amounts in comparison to butter. There are several unsaturated fats contained in margarine as well and these also contribute towards bringing down overall cholesterol levels and are the healthy fats found in fish and nuts.

Margarine helps you whip up low fat snacks as it does not contain trans fats in most cases. Trans fats are usually not contained in margarine varieties which are soft and not totally solid. You should always look for proper ingredients before zeroing in on your preferred form of margarine. Butter, on the other hand, contains voluminous quantities of cholesterol and saturated fat. A single tablespoon of butter will inject 30 mg of cholesterol and 7 g of saturated fat into your body and these lead to increased risks of heart disease. You should always look for soft and healthy margarine in place of butter.

Always opt for margarine products that are free from hydrogenated oils and harmful trans fats. If you’re seeking cholesterol free spreads, you should stay away from low fat butter products as they work till a certain limit. You should instead check out options like Nutralite which is a marvelously healthy table spread containing cholesterol fighting MUFA and PUFA. Nutralite is a much healthier option as compared to butter and can easily be used as an ingredient for cooking as well. Nutralite does not contain harmful cholesterol and hydrogenated fats. Nutralite has earned renown as a table spread owing to its healthy attributes. This is one unique table margarine product that promises good health and taste alike.

Shivani Shetty is a wellness and health expert and offers advice on choosing the right ingredients and meals for good health.

Jenni Sands is a hospitality expert and advises visitors on Dubai's accommodation options and local culture.