Margarine usually tops butter when it comes to heart health.

Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol. Margarine is also higher in "good" fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated — than butter is. These types of fat help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol, when substituted for saturated fat. Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat, so it contains cholesterol and high levels of saturated fat.

But not all margarines are created equal — and some may even be worse than butter. Most margarines are processed using a method called hydrogenation, which results in unhealthy trans fats. In general, the more solid the margarine, the more trans fats it contains — so stick margarines usually have more trans fats than do tub margarines. Like saturated fats, trans fats increase blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. In addition, trans fats can lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol levels.

When selecting a margarine, choose one with the lowest trans fat content possible and less than 2 grams total of saturated plus trans fats. Manufacturers are required to list saturated and trans fats separately on food labels. Also, margarines fortified with plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol levels by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams. The American Heart Association recommends foods fortified with plant sterols for people with levels of LDL cholesterol over 160 milligrams per deciliter (4.1 mmol/L).

However, if you don't like the taste of margarine and don't want to give up butter completely, consider using whipped butter or light or reduced-calorie butter. There are also spreadable butters with vegetable oils added. Per serving, these products have less fat and calories than regular butter. The important thing is to use these products in small amounts — just enough to add flavor to the foods you're eating.

Answered by Mohd Saqib , an ibibo Master, at 12:59 AM on October 01, 2008

Butter;--Fat 81 gms of which saturated 54 gms,monounsaturated 20gms,polyunsaturated 3 gms & trans fats 4-8 gms
Margarine ;--Fts 81 gms, of which saturated 36gms, monounsaturated 33 gms,polyunsaturated 9 gms,trans fats 9-14 gms.
Vitamins; Butter;-- A 887 micro gms, D 0.76 micro gms, E 2 mg
Margar--A 790 micro gms, D 7.94 micro gms, E8 mg
Calorie for both is same,740
What given above are the value for 100 gms of each.
Butter is certainly more natural product than margarine,which is called a cheap butter
Butter is high in saturated fat and cholesterol than Margarine.In addition,Margarine has more Vitamin D & E compared to natural Butter.
Due to these reasons,Margarine is better for heart tan Butter.
However,many nutritionists believe that,as long as it is not eaten to excess,Butter can be preferable to Margarine as it is a relatively a natural product.

Answered by SUKUMARAN , an ibibo Master, at 10:22 PM on September 27, 2008

well

(HealthCastle.com) Butter or Margarine - which one is better for my health? This debate is still as hot today as when it first arose. To determine which one is better for heart health, let's look at the fat content of both butter and margarine.

Answered by Dinesh , an ibibo Master, at 2:28 PM on September 27, 2008

MARGARINE usually tops butter when it comes to heart health.

Margarine is made from vegetable oils, so it contains no cholesterol. Margarine is also higher in "good" fats — polyunsaturated and monounsaturated — than butter is. These types of fat help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or "bad," cholesterol, when substituted for saturated fat. Butter, on the other hand, is made from animal fat, so it contains cholesterol and high levels of saturated fat.

But not all margarines are created equal — and some may even be worse than butter. Most margarines are processed using a method called hydrogenation, which results in unhealthy trans fats. In general, the more solid the margarine, the more trans fats it contains — so stick margarines usually have more trans fats than do tub margarines. Like saturated fats, trans fats increase blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease. In addition, trans fats can lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol levels.

AS EXPLAINED IN :http://www.mayoclinic.com/hea lth/butter-vs-margarine/AN0083 5

Answered by Sanya Tahir , an ibibo Master, at 10:01 AM on September 27, 2008

Butter done in traditional way is the best.Milk converted to curd ,and the curd churned to get the butter.This butter has much more benefits for human body than the butter made out of milk.Because the butter obtained from the milk has some negative implication.Again coming to margarine ,what it was originaly and whats it today it has gone through so many changes ,that one wouldnt know what the original was like.Todays world where brand and TRP ratings makes the consumer decide whats the consumer decides,where is the question of quality,that simple takes the back seat.

Answered by Iyer56 , an ibibo Advisor, at 10:35 PM on September 26, 2008

Cow's butter is good for the heart. All the other butter, extracts from buffalo's milk, etc... can only form a clog and harm ur heart.I prefer cow's butter to margarine. U have to choose margarine and not all can be good.There are some which can be particularly harmful to the body.I specially dislike the taste of margarine. I feel it is safer to have cow's butter which is easily digestible than margarine, and doesn't clog the heart too..

Answered by Vida Writer , an ibibo Master, at 9:59 PM on September 26, 2008

both are not good for heart

Answered by Moksha G , an ibibo Master, at 9:52 PM on September 26, 2008

hi rinku!
In terms of calories and total fat, both butter and margarine are worth around 35 calories and 4g of fat per teaspoon. But is one better or worse than the other? Let’s take a closer look.
Butter
Butter, which is an animal product, is high in both artery-clogging saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, increasing our risk of heart disease and stroke. There is also some concern about butter containing traces of hormones and antibiotics fed to animals. On the plus side, butter is a good source of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
Margarine
Margarine is made from vegetable oil, is low in saturated fat and has no dietary cholesterol. But because the liquid vegetable oil in stick margarine is hardened through a process called hydrogenation, it is high in trans-fatty acids. Trans fatty acids, or trans fats, are thought not only to raise levels of bad cholesterol, but also to lower levels of good cholesterol, the kind that offers a defense against artery-clogging fats. This makes trans fats worse than saturated fat.
Light Spreads
Fortunately, there are a number of light spreads and margarines on the market that are trans-fat-free. Some of these spreads also contain plant sterols and stanols, which actively block the absorption of cholesterol, making these spreads much healthier alternatives to regular margarine and butter. Because these light margarines and spreads have not been hydrogenated, they are soft and usually sold in tubs rather than sticks.
Cooking
The main problem with light spreads and tub margarines is their unsuitablility for cooking and baking. Because they contain only about 25% fat compared with at least 80% in butter and margarine, they would ruin most recipes. For cooking, choose heart-healthy canola or olive oil instead. Better still, if you can use cooking sprays or broth you will save additional fat calories.
Baking
In baking, regular butter and margarine provide textures and flavors that are difficult to reproduce. It is also hard to substitute a liquid fat for a solid fat, since they behave differently with the other ingredients. Oils are generally not suitable for cookie recipes, although they are usually fine in muffins and cakes. Fruit purees, low fat or fat free sour cream and yogurt can often be used instead of butter or margarine in cakes and muffins, but the outcome will be affected in some way, often leading to a denser product.
for more inf check http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/f aqs/f/buttermargarine.htm

Answered by sanjay , an ibibo Guru, at 7:44 PM on September 26, 2008

well,Margarine is also higher in "good" fats - polyunsaturated and monounsaturated - than butter is

Answered by Debashis , an ibibo Master, at 6:10 PM on September 26, 2008

MARGARINE IS BEST

Answered by ARSHI KHAN , an ibibo Citizen, at 4:44 PM on September 26, 2008