When it comes to cooking, baking, and meals, butter has a definite role in the kitchen and at the dinner table.
I know that even mentioning the comparison of butter to margarine is going to stir up a lot of opinions, but I am going to express my view anyway.
We use butter in our home on a daily basis for cooking, baking and serving and I cannot even remember the last time margarine made its way into my refrigerator.
In my opinion, nothing is better for flavour, richness, melt-ability, texture, and in moderation, health benefits.
Butter is one of the oldest and most natural products there is, yet it has taken quite a beating by kinds of margarine.
Many people buy margarine due to budgetary restrictions, but I would assume that there are just as many, if not more, that purchase it because of perceived health benefits. Not all margarines are created equal and it is important to read the labels of any product that is manufactured or processed, including butter.
If one is purchasing margarine, one of the main things to look out for in an ingredient list is “hydrogenated” or “modified” oil. Hydrogenation is the process used to transform liquid oil into a solid fat at room temperature. Vegetable shortening, many peanut butters and various margarines are made in this manner and this process creates artificially produced trans fats, which are now considered the worst type of fat for the heart.
Butter is not processed using hydrogenation. As a matter of fact, butter is hardly processed at all. What butter does have is a small amount of naturally occurring trans-fat, also present in the meat of animals such as beef and lamb.
A 1994 Harvard University study, as well as research from other credible sources, have concluded that a diet high in trans fat doubles the chance for heart attack and decreases life expectancy.
While trans fats can occur naturally, they are most commonly associated with chemical preservative techniques like hydrogenation and health experts recommend that you limit your intake of hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated foodstuffs as much as possible.
It is also important to point out that a two-teaspoon serving of butter usually has no more calories or fat than margarine or olive oil.
So are butter, margarine, and vegetable oils bad for you?
First of all, let’s point out that the term “bad” is not definitive. It depends on what you are looking for and it is imperative to keep in mind that there are pros and cons for everything.
Let’s face it, no matter what type of fat you are ingesting on a regular basis, moderation is the key, as with almost everything. For instance, many doctors may tell you that red wine is good for you, but always in moderation. One glass per day may be fine, but skipping the whole week and having seven glasses on Friday night, not so much.
No matter how you look at it, nothing can replace the flavour and mouth-feel of butter, and also the texture created by using it in baked goods.
Chef Dez is a chef, writer and host. Visit him at
chefdez.com.