Butter or Margarine?
The debate continues.
Photo by author
First There Was Butter
Humans have been eating butter in some form or other for, oh, say a few thousand years now, probably shortly after they started milking goats, or sheep, or whatever animals were milked way back then. Margarine has only been around since 1869. But, like most of the food that makes up the diet of the average North American these days, the newly fabricated is more popular than the old real food.
Margarine Was a Science Project
Butter was most likely discovered by accident. Margarine was created in a chemist’s laboratory in response to a contest. In the 1860’s, butter was in such demand in France that Emperor Napoleon III offered prize money for someone to come up with a less expensive substitute. The original concoction was made from beef tallow. With the discovery of hydrogenation around 1900, margarine could be made with vegetable oils.
Butter is Bad
Sometime around 1950, it was discovered that butter was full of artery clogging cholesterol. Margarine was touted as a healthy alternative, plus it could stay solid at room temperature and even stay softer and more spreadable right from the fridge. It was a miracle of modern food processing. Margarine was also cheaper to produce than butter. Cheaper and healthier than butter, margarine soon outsold butter in North America.
But What’s This? Margarine is Bad Too?
In recent years, it has become public knowledge that the hydrogenation process made margarine even worse for our health than butter. The term “trans fat” entered the common lexicon, and it was not good. Unfortunately for margarine manufacturers, this news coincided with a trend toward more a natural diet. Fortunately for the dairy industry, consumers were willing to spend the extra money to buy butter again. A new generation of homemakers discovered that butter tastes better and makes for a more delicate texture in baked goods.
So Now What?
The margarine industry has responded with new formulas of nonhydrogenated spreads, which are apparently good for us again. In my opinion, keeping in mind that my favourite philosopher is Murphy, it is only a matter of time until the food police find out that there is something wrong with the new margarines as well.
In Conclusion:
I am using butter. The rest of my family actually prefers margarine, so we buy both. I am sure it won’t be long before all food is declared lethal, and we will be nourishing ourselves with some artificial, laboratory produced goop like the stuff currently consumed by characters in science fiction novels. And then, the pendulum of what “they” say is right for human consumption will like sway back to organic, natural, real food. Maybe we’ll go all the way back to everybody keeping a cow or two in the back yard so that we can churn our own butter. Or maybe not.
Liked it
Dee Gold | May 19, 2009 | Reply
This debate may continue and people will still buy these product.
Uma Shankari | May 19, 2009 | Reply
This is the same with coconut. South Indians, especially those from Kerala, thrive on coconut. They did not have herat problems. Then came researchers who said coconut was bad – it contained saturated fat, etc. Now the tables have turned. Coconut is a boon from heaven. I’d reserve this for a future post!!
clay hurtubise | May 19, 2009 | Reply
Interesting, fun piece. The debate will certainly continue! We use both, butter for cooking, margerine for spreading.
Thanks,
clay
Christine Ramsay | May 19, 2009 | Reply
I have always preferred buter but with high cholestral I was advised to use a low cholestral spread and in fact it tastes just like butter, so I am quite happy with it. An interesting article.
Christine
Melody Arcamo Lagrimas | May 19, 2009 | Reply
I also prefer low-cholesterol butter. Nice post.
Betty Carew | May 19, 2009 | Reply
It’s a wonderous world Karen when we look at the way foods have changed and isn’t it amazing that there is such a rise in cance and the like. You are soooooo right , they bring out a new product and before long they discover it’s not what it was thought to be. Excellent article Karen
Daisy Peasblossom | May 19, 2009 | Reply
I like the taste of real butter. I decided quite a while back I’d rather die of a cornonary than cancer.
julianhw | May 19, 2009 | Reply
Quite agree – well written
Athlyn Green | May 19, 2009 | Reply
I think of all those who went before who lived on cream and butter and who didn’t appear to develop heart disease at the early age we see it manifesting at now.
PR Mace | May 19, 2009 | Reply
Well written. I like honey butter myself.
Ruby Hawk | May 20, 2009 | Reply
I started using marjarine when the butter scare came out and now I’m so used to it that I continue to use it. Likely butter and marjarine are both bad for you. but olive oil doesn’t butter a biscuit very well.
Teresa M Sims | May 21, 2009 | Reply
i used both depends on what im cooking
OhSugar | May 21, 2009 | Reply
Excellent job. I cannot not remember the last time I bought butter. I heard that butter is better for you though. I am just not sure, so I buy the other.
Holly J. Harrington | May 21, 2009 | Reply
Excellent Karen.
swatilohani | May 22, 2009 | Reply
amazing scientific evidence, thnx for a well crafted article
jedopi | Jun 4, 2009 | Reply
I agree with you, I like the taste of butter but the rest of my family likes margarine. Actually I try to do without any of it myself seeing as even a tiny bit of it could make my thighs explode. I always eat my bread without any butter or margarine at all. It was hard to get used to at first, but I’ve been doing it for 20 years now and I don’t really miss it at all.
You are definitely right about society not being able to make up their minds about what is better for you. That’s why I say, don’t use either, it’s safer.