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When you’re trying to lose weight, monitoring the foods you eat is essential. For most people, this means substituting certain favorites with other foods that are lower in fats and carbs – which also means sacrificing flavor. Usually, this approach is very effective, but there is one spread you might be using as a substitute for butter that actually isn’t as healthy as you might think.
Margarine is a very common substitute for butter, but the truth is that this spread is not healthier than butter. In fact, it might be more unhealthy than butter because it is low in beneficial fats and high in bad fats such as trans fat, omega-6.
There are a ton of margarine brands out there - Flora, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Country Crock, Blue Band - and they all promote the fact that their product contains less fat and calories than butter. While these facts are typically true, they don't necessarily mean that margarine is better for your health than butter.
Margarine is much less natural than butter, as it is made from vegetalbe oils that go through several processes using many chemicals to bring them to their buttery, spreadable state. Oftentimes, margarine includes preservatives that many people try to keep out of their diet.
Though butter does have a high fat content, it isn't as detrimental to your health or diet as you might think. Butter can contain many nutrients, such as vitamin K2 and omega-3. It is true that butter has saturated fat and cholesterol that could cause health concerns, but when eaten in small amounts, butter isn't too bad for you. If you are concerned about health effects from butter, try getting grass-fed butter next time you shop. This type often has higher levels of vitamins.
