margarine or butter?

Nutrition expert explains

Created: 06/09/2022, 05:25

By: Jason Blaschke

Both butter and margarine have many uses in the kitchen.

The various ingredients determine how healthy a product is.

The war in Ukraine, which has been going on for weeks, is increasingly burdening the economy and consumers in Germany.

Energy and fuel prices have been climbing for weeks and even the simplest everyday groceries sometimes cost significantly more than they did in 2021. Even those who shop in discount stores now have to pay significantly more.

Aldi, for example, had raised the prices for around 400 products just a few weeks ago.

Compared to butter: margarine scores with omega-3 and -6 fatty acids

In addition to cooking oils and dairy products, this also affected meat and various types of pasta.

All the more surprising is the report that Aldi's butter price has been reduced again, from 2.29 euros to 2.19 euros.

"If the situation on the market relaxes again, price advantages will be immediately taken into account in our sales prices," said an Aldi spokeswoman, according to reports from the German Press Agency (DPA).

In view of the expensive prices for products such as cooking oils or butter, many consumers had increasingly bought alternatives.

HEIDELBERG24 is also currently reporting on a 59-cent product from Aldi that can replace expensive butter.

We are talking about margarine, which is not only cheaper than butter but also has a number of other advantages.

Margarine can also be spread chilled and, thanks to the cooking oil additives, it is richer in omega-3 and 6 fatty acids, as reported by HEIDELBERG24.

Nutrition expert recommends margarine rather than butter for certain people

But is margarine automatically healthier than butter?

According to nutrition expert Birthe Wulf from Edeka, there is no clear answer to the question.

She says: "Anyone who is physically healthy can choose the product that tastes best with a clear conscience." It is important to know that both products contain many calories and should therefore only be consumed in moderation.

It's different when a person has problems with their blood lipid levels.

For them, plant-based margarine could be healthier than butter, because: “Margarine has a larger proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids.” These include omega 3 and omega 6, which are found in sun or rapeseed oil and cannot be produced by the body itself.

According to ProAktiv, consuming these fatty acids can help lower LDL cholesterol.

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Trans fats in margarine: It depends on the cooking oils used

Apart from that, unsaturated fatty acids provide energy and support the immune system.

The trans fats in margarine, which are produced when liquid fats such as cooking oils are solidified, are classified as rather unhealthy.

Sunflower oil in particular is known for forming such trans fats in the solidification process, reports "BR24".

If palm oil is used as a basic substance, "glycidol fatty acid esters" can also form.

These in turn are suspected of being carcinogenic.

Palm or coconut fats, which are naturally solid and therefore do not contain any trans fats, separate better.

However, these fats have a bad environmental record and are high in saturated fat, which is considered to be rather unhealthy.

In addition, according to reports from BW24, there is an export ban on palm oil in Indonesia, which is driving prices up.

Butter scores with fat-soluble vitamins, margarine with healthy fatty acids

The saturated fatty acids also play a role in butter.

These have long been suspected of increasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which is why patients with elevated blood lipid levels are generally advised against consumption.

However, it is also true that we now know that unsaturated fatty acids apparently have a lesser effect on the “bad” LDL cholesterol.

In contrast to margarine, butter also contains fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin A, which the body needs for bones, cartilage, teeth and vision.

Instead, butter contains fewer unsaturated fatty acids – this is where margarine scores.

In this respect, it is not possible to judge exactly whether margarine or butter is healthier.

In addition to health, the amount that a person consumes is also decisive.

Quality of margarine and butter: Öko-Test makes a sobering discovery

"Ultimately, everyone has to decide for themselves whether butter or margarine is the right choice for them and which criteria they attach particular importance to when making the decision," says nutrition expert Wulf.

HEIDELBERG24 looks into the question of whether margarine or butter is better for cooking and baking in a separate service article.

Experts agree that consumers should pay attention to the good quality of the products.

And especially with regard to margarine, the results of a study are sobering.

Several well-known margarine brands were rated “poor” by Öko-Test.

The tropical fats that did not come from sustainable cultivation were problematic in the study - palm oil in particular is therefore repeatedly criticized.

The experts from Öko-Test also criticized another point - carcinogenic substances.

(jsn)