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The Daily Insight

Is real butter better for you

Author

Jessica Wood

Published Apr 16, 2026

Butter contains a lot of artery-clogging saturated fat, and margarine contains an unhealthy combination of saturated and trans fats, so the healthiest choice is to skip both of them and use liquid oils, such as olive, canola and safflower oil, instead.

Which butter is healthiest?

Light butter has half the calories, saturated fat and cholesterol of butter. This blend of light butter and oil has heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (MUFAs and PUFAs).

Is butter more fattening than margarine?

Here’s what you need to know: Butter and margarine contain nearly the same exact calories and total grams of fat—about 100 calories per tablespoon and 11-12 grams of fat. … But even with its high saturated fat content, butter still beats out margarine.

Why you should use butter instead of margarine?

Butter’s high fat content is also what gives baked goods their texture. Margarine, which can contain more water and less fat, may make thin cookies that spread out while baking (and may burn). Butter is also the better choice for frying.

Is real butter bad for you?

Butter is high in calories and fat — including saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. Use this ingredient sparingly, especially if you have heart disease or are looking to cut back on calories. The American Heart Association (AHA)’s current recommendation is to limit consumption of saturated fat.

Is Nuttelex better than butter?

Nuttelex also contains 65% or less saturated fat than butter. In addition, Nuttelex is made with vegetable oils. Vegetable oils contain higher content of the good fats (monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat) and are lower in saturated fat.

Is butter healthier than olive oil?

Olive oil is best used when you’re looking to eat healthier. Olive oil has significantly less saturated fat than butter. It is better for frying.

What brand of margarine is the healthiest?

When it comes to healthy margarine, Smart Balance may come to mind. With no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, Smart Balance may be one of the best cholesterol-reducing margarine brands on the market.

Which butter is real butter?

Unsalted Butter or “Sweet Cream Butter” (Real) It’s probably your go-to, and for good reason. Containing around 80% milkfat, this butter is the most versatile in cooking from baking to sautéing.

Is Bertolli better than butter?

Made using our finest olive oil, Bertolli Original spread is full of flavour and contains less saturated fat than butter. It’s delicious melted over vegetables – and perfect for pan-frying too. Bertolli Original has 74% less saturated fat than butter.

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Is peanut butter healthy for you?

Peanut butter is rich in a variety of nutrients — but it’s also rich in calories and fat. While the healthy fats in peanut butter are nutritious, you should consume them in moderation to avoid unwanted weight gain or potential health problems. Commercial peanut butter brands often have added sugars, oils, and fats.

How much butter should you consume in a day?

How much butter can you safely eat? It’s recommended to limit your saturated fat intake to less than 10% of your total daily calories ( 22 ). For example, if you eat 2,000 calories per day, this would equate to about 22 grams of saturated fat — or approximately 3 tablespoons (42 grams) of butter ( 1 ).

Is nutralite better than butter?

“Nutralite is cholesterol free, low in saturated fats and also high in unsaturated fats. Even the American Heart Association recommends the use of similar products as a substitute for butter,” says Mr Deo.

Is real butter good for your brain?

Yes, butter is a saturated fat but our bodies, and most importantly our brain, needs saturated fat for optimum brain function and preservation. Butter, in moderation, has a laundry list of benefits.

What can replace butter?

  • Applesauce. Applesauce significantly reduces the calorie and fat content of baked goods. …
  • Avocados. …
  • Mashed bananas. …
  • Greek yogurt. …
  • Nut butters. …
  • Pumpkin purée.

Does butter clog your arteries?

H eart experts have claimed it is “plain wrong” to believe that saturated fats in butter and cheese clog up arteries. Three medics argued that eating “real food”, taking exercise and reducing stress are better ways to stave off heart disease.

Is it better to cook eggs in butter or oil?

The oil can be heated to a higher temperature and that allows you to get the pan nice and hot to create that little crispy edge to the egg. The butter gives the eggs a creamy finish.

Is frying in butter healthy?

For the healthy option, fry in butter or lard not sunflower oil, experts say Back to video. Scientists found that heating up vegetable oils led to the release of high concentrations of chemicals called aldehydes, which have been linked to illnesses including cancer, heart disease and dementia.

What's worse vegetable oil or butter?

In short, butter beats vegetable oil because butter is a “whole, fresh food” and vegetable oil is not, says Ken Immer, president and chief culinary officer of Culinary Health Solutions. However, he points out that butter contains heart-unhealthy “bad” cholesterol, while vegetable oil does not.

What is the best spread to lower cholesterol?

The Best Options The most heart-healthy options are neither butter nor margarine, but olive oil, avocado oil, and other vegetable-based spreads.

Why is it called Nuttelex?

The name and the original squirrel logo suggest it originally contained nuts, but the “Original” product is now made from sunflower oil with, according to the manufacturer, “a small amount of sustainable palm fruit oil (to make the product spreadable) along with a fraction of GM-free Canola Oil (which adds to the …

What kind of butter is grass fed?

Kerrygold is one of the best-known and best grass-fed butter brands. It’s made from milk produced by cows that graze on Irish fields and primarily eat grass (5). Studies suggest that grass-fed milk is higher in certain nutrients, including anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, than milk from corn- and grain-fed cows.

Is Land O'Lakes real butter or margarine?

The Land O’Lakes Test Kitchen has developed great recipes that use our margarine. Enter “margarine” in the search bar. What is the fat content of Margarine? Margarine contains 80% vegetable oil (fat).

Is Land O'Lakes spread real butter?

There’s a new Land O’Lakes product in the supermarket called Fresh Buttery Taste Spread. On their toast, tasters unanimously preferred the real butter, complaining about an “artificial” taste and a “plasticky” texture in the spread. …

Is Blue Bonnet butter real butter?

Blue Bonnet is a Margarine, not real butter. It is a butter substitute. It is produced by hydrogenation of plant oils and animal fat.

Which is healthier margarine or peanut butter?

VERDICT → Margarine is the least healthy of all three presented butters as it doesn’t come from nature, is highly processed and contains unhealthy trans fats which are correlated with high risk of getting a chronic disease. Butter and peanut butter are both healthy, single ingredient options.

What is the healthiest spread to put on toast?

  • Avocado. Give cheese on toast a miss and instead use sliced or mashed avocado to top toast or crumpets. …
  • Mashed or sliced banana. …
  • Berries and low-fat Greek yoghurt. …
  • Pure nut butters. …
  • Chia and berry ‘jam’

Why is palm oil so bad for you?

Compared to other liquid oils, palm oil is relatively high in saturated fats. Palm oil is about 34% saturated fat, while olive oil is less than half of that. Saturated fats are linked to an increased risk of heart disease and chronic health conditions.

Is butter or flora better for you?

Butter:608 kJFlora Regular Medium Fat Spread:482 kJFlora Light:371 kJ

Are Raisins good for you?

Heart Health Research shows that raisins can lower your risk of heart disease by reducing blood pressure and blood sugar. The fiber in raisins works to lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol, which reduces strain on your heart. Raisins are also a good source of potassium.

Are Peaches good for you?

They’re soft and sweet, smell divine, taste good cooked or fresh, and they’re chock-full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Peaches boast lots of potential health benefits, including improved digestion, a healthy heart, a strong immune system and improved allergy symptoms.