Scientists have proven that butter is much better than margarine even back in the 60s and 70s, but unfortunately, the chemically laced, processed food industry managed to convince millions of Americans to eat margarine instead.

They kept repeating that saturated fats lead to obesity and sickness, and are the main cause of heart disease.

LewRockwell.com reported that the high doses of fat and cholesterol given to omnivores, like rats and dogs, do not lead to atherosclerotic lesions, so apparently, people who have the highest percentage of saturated fat in their diets have the lowest risk of heart disease.

Sadly, Americans were repeatedly told that margarine, a highly synthetic, plastic-like, nutritionally devoid, additive-laced substance made from cheap, low grade, refined oils was somehow better than butter, a natural product from grass-fed cows.

Despite the fact that butter tastes incomparably better, but it’s also a natural product that people have been eating and cooking with for centuries without -damaging their health.

On the other hand, margarine contains partially hydrogenated fatty acids which damage arteries and blood vessels, lower good cholesterol, and elevate blood levels of triglycerides and lipoproteins, causing cardiovascular damage.

They have also been linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, elevated C-reactive protein levels, an inflammatory and cellular dysfunction marker, and reduced utilization of essential omega 3-fatty acids and prostaglandins.

Our body needs high quality saturated fats in moderate amounts, for the heart, immune system, bones, liver, lungs, and cell membranes to be able to function normally.

Fatty acids and cholesterol are also required for healthy cell membranes, the release of hormones and vitamin D, and the transport and utilization of vitamins and minerals.

Scientists have found that  it’s the trans fat found in margarine, vegetable shortening, and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils that is the main culprit, leading to more significant health problems than saturated fat ever could.

However, despite the scientific evidence, the low-fat dogma remains a favorite among most government health authorities, and the newest food chart issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recommends lowering the saturated fat intake to 7% of caloric intake—down from its previously recommended 10 percent.

Butter is full of beneficial compounds that improve health in numerous ways, including:

• Fat–Soluble Vitamins, such as A, D, and E
• Vitamin K2 – It is a necessary co-factor in the synthesis of vitamin D, and supports the absorption of calcium in the bones to boost their density
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA), which prevents weight gain, stimulates muscle growth and inhibits the growth of cancer cells in the skin, colon, breasts, and lungs
• Butyric Acid- It is a short chain fatty acid that inhibits tumors, and stimulates the immune system to fight infections 
• The Wulzen Factor – It is an anti-stiffness agent, which prevents osteoarthritis, cataracts, and the calcification of the pineal gland

When it comes to the most beneficial type of butter you can choose, opt for raw, organic butter from pastured cows. The next in quality is organic butter made with pasteurized milk from grass-fed cows without rBGH, rBST, or antibiotics, and at the base of the butter quality pyramid is the one made from pasteurized milk from confined, grain fed, factory farmed, antibiotic and likely rBGH or rBST injected cows. Yet, even the third type is much better than margarine.

Margarine is not a real food, but a plastic food-like substance created in labs, and it lacks nutrients and endangers health in many ways.

Alex Fergus, a health coach, and personal trainer claims that margarine does not contain essential nutrients like vitamin A and K, being derived from heavily processed vegetable oils.

As a result, some margarine manufacturers now add synthetic forms of vitamins like vitamins A, and D to their products to fortify them. Yet, synthetic vitamin A can damage health.

Butter and margarine are very similar energy wise and both contain similar amounts of ‘total fat’., but if you review the micronutrient differences , you realize that butter is a more nutrient-rich food source, and has a more stable fatty acid profile.

However, if you still decide to avoid butter, he recommends some other natural alternative) instead of the heavily processed margarine products.

Marketing campaigns brainwash our society, so stop making health decisions based on TV commercials, or at least ask yourself the following question before making a decision:  -- did my great grandma eat this as a child? If the answer is ‘No’, in most cases, you will not benefit from the consumption of that product.

Sources:
realfarmacy.com
articles.mercola.com
www.alexfergus.com