
Since we were little it has been common to hear that margarine is less fattening than butter, but this is not true, but the opposite happens. Margarine is more fattening than butter. What is certain is that the first does not contain animal fat so cholesterol does not rise, which does happen with butter. Both coincide in the high level of fat they contain, but they have different origins, so one contributes some things to the body and the other very different things. Contrary to what is usually believed, neither of them is harmful to health, although it is not convenient that we have a habitual consumption of these products. That is not why we should remove them from our diet.
Margarine is more fattening than butter
Both products have around them a web of false myths and legends of great size. It has always been thought that margarine was worse for our health, but that it was less fattening than butter. Both statements are incorrect, nor bad for our health (with controlled consumption), nor fattening less than butter. Both margarine and butter contain a lot of fat, as they are part of the group of fats and oils. Margarine is of vegetable origin, so it is high in monounsaturated fats, without providing cholesterol. But in its formation trans fatty acids are produced, and this type of acid already raises LDL cholesterol, which is what we know as “the bad one”. On the contrary, butter is of animal origin, in this way it is high in fat and has cholesterol. At the same time it contains vitamins A, D and E and has minerals such as calcium or phosphorus.
Knowing all this, we must be aware that the consumption of both foods (high in fat) should be moderate. Not only because it fattens more or less, but because of the level of trans and saturated fats and the possible increase, considerably, of cholesterol. It is best that you do not stop including them in your diet, but do not consume them daily.