Margarine or Butter? Seriously?
I couldn't help myself. I read through October's Issue of “Good Health” magazine today. Our ideas on what constitutes good health couldn't be much further apart.
I thought conventional wisdom was starting to come round to realising that natural, animal fat maybe isn't so bad after all. Clearly not.
So, let's compare the ingredients: –
Butter
- Cream
Margarine (this example is Flora)
- Water
- vegetable oils (including sunflower oil) (so other vegetable oils are also in the mix, with a high omega 6 ratio)
- plant sterol esters (12.5%) (this is an additive that reduces cholesterol, but interferes with absorption of fat soluble vitamins & hormones)
- modified tapioca starch, salt (1.0%) (this is a chemically altered thickener)
- buttermilk
- Emulsifiers: Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids, sunflower lecithin
- Preservative: Potassium sorbate, citric acid, vitamin E, flavouring (often synthetic chemicals), vitamin B6, folic acid
- Colour: Beta carotene, Vitamins A, D and B12
So, this article specifically mentions trans fats. Well, as Julianne Taylor clearly explains, “trans fat free” margarine doesn't sound too great either. And as for the trans fat in butter – natural trans fats are created in the stomachs of ruminants (like cows) – and have a completely different fatty acid profile to trans fats found in artificial foods. A lot of evidence suggests that these natural trans fats may actually be beneficial.
The Real Food Argument: Why Butter Still Wins
After comparing the minimalist ingredients of butter with the lengthy, chemical-laden list in margarine, the choice becomes glaringly obvious. Butter is a real, whole food. Margarine, on the other hand, is a synthetic product engineered to mimic something natural — and not very successfully at that.
What’s often overlooked in mainstream advice is that real food doesn’t need a health claim. Butter doesn’t come with flashy packaging or boast cholesterol-lowering promises — it simply nourishes. And unlike margarine, which is manufactured using industrial seed oils, butter comes from cream that has been churned, traditionally from pastured, grass-fed cows. No solvents, no mystery additives — just a natural fat that has been part of the human diet for thousands of years.
The Trouble With Plant Sterols
One of the most celebrated features of many margarine brands is the inclusion of plant sterol esters. These are promoted as heart-healthy due to their ability to lower LDL cholesterol. But here’s the catch: reducing cholesterol isn’t inherently a good thing. Cholesterol is essential for hormone production, brain function, and cell repair.
By interfering with cholesterol absorption, plant sterols may also impair the absorption of critical fat-soluble vitamins — like A, D, E and K2 — all of which play vital roles in immune function, bone health, and cellular metabolism. So, while margarine may lower a single biomarker, it may compromise broader health in the process.
Omega-6 Overload: The Inflammatory Downside
Most margarine products rely heavily on vegetable oils such as sunflower, soybean, and canola. These oils are high in omega-6 fatty acids — fats that are essential in small amounts but easily overconsumed in the modern diet. When omega-6 intake exceeds omega-3 intake by a wide margin (as is common today), it can tip the body into a chronic inflammatory state.
This imbalance has been associated with conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders. Butter, especially from grass-fed cows, contains a more balanced fatty acid profile, including a small amount of omega-3 and beneficial saturated fats.
Natural Saturated Fat vs. Artificial Ingredients
Saturated fat continues to be demonised in many mainstream publications, yet the science behind this vilification has always been shaky. The human body is well adapted to using saturated fat as an energy source. It’s stable at high temperatures, which makes it ideal for cooking, and it supports structural integrity in cell membranes.
Meanwhile, margarine's complex cocktail of emulsifiers, thickeners, preservatives and colourings offers nothing that the body recognises as food. Rather than being metabolised and utilised, many of these synthetic additives must be processed and detoxified by the liver — a completely unnecessary burden for the body to carry.
What About the Vitamins Added to Margarine?
It’s true that margarine is often fortified with vitamins — but this is only because the original product has little to no nutritional value. These added nutrients are typically synthetic and may not be well absorbed. Butter, on the other hand, is a rich natural source of vitamins A, D, E, and K2 — especially when produced from grass-fed cows grazing on pasture.
These fat-soluble vitamins work synergistically. For example, vitamin D helps regulate calcium levels, while vitamin K2 ensures calcium is deposited in bones, not arteries. This delicate interaction is part of the brilliance of real food — something a laboratory simply cannot replicate.
Butter and CLA: The Unexpected Bonus
Butter from grass-fed cows is also one of the best dietary sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fatty acid that has been linked to anti-inflammatory benefits, improved insulin sensitivity, and even fat loss in some studies. CLA is another naturally occurring fat that you won’t find in margarine.
Moreover, butter contains butyrate — a short-chain fatty acid that supports gut health, reduces inflammation in the digestive tract, and plays a role in energy metabolism. Once again, real food provides additional benefits that go far beyond calories and fat percentages.
Cooking With Confidence
If you've been cooking with margarine out of habit or perceived health benefits, it may be time to revisit your pantry. Butter, tallow, ghee, coconut oil and duck fat are all excellent for high-heat cooking and sautéing. They’re not only more stable and resistant to oxidation, but they also add delicious flavour and richness to dishes.
In contrast, cooking with margarine or vegetable oils can create harmful compounds when heated, including aldehydes and other oxidation products — particularly dangerous when reused or exposed to high temperatures.
Don’t Fear Real Food
The shift from butter to margarine was born out of 20th-century nutritional dogma, not long-term evidence. As more studies revisit the impact of dietary fats, it’s becoming clear that traditional fats like butter deserve a place back on our tables.
A Paleo perspective encourages you to ask better questions — not just “Is this food low in fat?” but “Is this food real?” and “How has it been processed?” When you answer those questions honestly, butter emerges as the clear winner.
Making the Switch
If you’re ready to replace margarine with butter in your everyday cooking, here are a few ideas to get started:
- Spread it on veggies: Melt a knob of butter over steamed broccoli, carrots or zucchini for added richness and nutrients.
- Bake with it: Use butter in your Paleo baking instead of margarine or vegetable oil for better flavour and stability.
- Cook eggs in it: Scrambled or fried eggs taste infinitely better when cooked in butter or ghee.
- Try ghee: If you’re sensitive to dairy proteins, ghee (clarified butter) is a great alternative that retains the benefits without the casein or lactose.
Final Thought: Margarine Has Had Its Day
Margarine was born from an industrial need and kept alive by outdated nutritional advice. Butter, by contrast, is a time-honoured, nutrient-dense fat that has earned its place in the kitchen. So next time you see a health magazine promoting the latest “heart-healthy” spread, take it with a grain of salt — and maybe a pat of grass-fed butter too.
Margarine, seriously?
I’m convinced that most “health” magazines only make their readers patently less healthy. There’s so much more to the reality of butter and margarine than is presented in this article. I wince every time I hear that a cardiologist has recommended margarine to another patient. Great post, but sure wish it was one you didn’t have to write or we didn’t have to discuss.
Shirley
It’s heartbreaking isn’t it, especially considering a lot of people will buy these magazines and follow the advice.
I guess there’s just no money for cardiologists in promoting “real” foods!
I saw this too and couldn’t believe it!
On a side note, lots of American blogs refer to spaghetti squash as an alternative to spaghetti. Have you ever seen spaghetti squash in Australia?
Thanks
Monique
No I’ve never seen it, I’ve tried using the butternut squash we have here – definitely not the same! Surely it must be available somewhere in Australia?!
Yes, I have seen spaghetti squash. Cucurbita pepo seeds are available from Eden Seeds. http://www.edenseeds.com.au/content/seeditem.asp?id=340§ion=1
Jill
Great solution – grow your own! I wonder how well the seeds will do in Australia?
I’m going to have to try this as I have so many recipes that call for spaghetti squash.
This plant is like a pumpkin vine. Plant seeds in spring. It takes quite a lot of space.
How canola oil is made. Hillarious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omjWmLG0EAs&feature=youtu.be
It’s horrible stuff isn’t it!
Really interesting, that’s funny, I’ve always had butter never any spreads simply because I just love the taste. So many people make money on these ‘low fat diet’ type foods.
Most of the ‘untouched’ (nothing added) foods don’t have middle men involved.
I love cooking with coconut oil my roasts have a lovely taste.
The natural foods taste so much better don’t they. Hopefully, eventually, people will realise and start to eat real food again!
The natural foods taste so much better don’t they. Hopefully, eventually, people will realise and start to eat real food again!
I have to wonder about the folk who claim they can’t taste the difference between butter and margerine “anyway”. What are they deficient in!
Love reading your posts. We (husband and me) are devout paleos for 2 yrs. Follow Mark Sisson. Butter rules! Well, with coconut oil… and bacon fat… thanks for information on coconut aminos… and all the. great recipes. Great information. We live in Arizona, but I’m from Hawaii. So, much aloha… Tina.