I get this question a lot - which is healthier: butter or margarine. It’s not quite so simple. Let me explain with these facts…  
  • All fats have the same number of calories – about 100-120 calories a tablespoon. (“Light” margarines post fewer calories on their label because it’s diluted with water).
  • It’s recommended that total fat intake be kept to 30-35% of your calories. That’s what the American Heart Association recommends (most people eat more than this). Keep in mind that even a very lightly buttered piece of toast falls in this range.
  • Not all fats are bad. Health authorities agree that unsaturated fats (specifically, monounsaturated fats) are healthier than saturated fats and trans fats.
  • Trans fats might be twice as bad as saturated fats. Most trans fats are formed when liquid oil is changed to a hardened shortening or margarine.
  • Butter is high in saturated fats (and cholesterol), but people started to switch back to butter when they heard that margarines have added trans fats.
  • Most “tub” margarines are now trans-fat-free. Manufacturers have changed the way margarines are processed – and have removed most of the trans fats (government guidelines allow manufactures to list levels below 0.5g as “0″.)
  • Most of us are getting plenty of saturated fats from meat, milk, cheese, and eggs - we can’t “afford” the additional saturated fat content of butter.
 Therefore, I recommend using healthy oils (canola and olive) more than butter or margarine. Select these for salad dressing, baking, sauteing, and stir-frying. Drizzle it on your vegetables for flavor, too. Then, use a soft tub margarine for spreading on toast.