It makes sense that a girl who would only ate noodles with butter growing up is writing this post. I sadly abandoned butter during my "low-fat" days, but I'm back!
Butter vs. Margarine
Taste? No contest. Nutrition? No contest.
So why does Margarine hang around? Because it's got some marketing geniuses on it's side and a whole lotta $$$. And we all have a fear of calories and fat. Like a big fear. Like the fear most puppies have whenever they hear a thunderstorm approaching. Don't tell me you need the Thundershirt just to read this post...
But here's some cool history for ya! Margarine was actually created because of a butter shortage! As a result, Butter quickly became a "rich-man's" food and since it was such a wonderful energy source for the working class, they had to find a substitute. And soon the profits were too good to pass up and the agricultural oil production industry started to boom....and so the increase in heart disease began (coincidental, right?)
What makes margarine so bad? I wasn't going to answer this question and instead just go with the "What makes butter so good?" positive approach, but I do think this question HAS to be addressed. Because when you hear the "bad things," you may start to come to my side.
MARGARINE IS A MAN-MADE, CHEMICALLY ALERTED FAT. It is not food. It is 100% hydrogenated oil, full of Trans fatty acids (which the body has noooo idea how to handle.)
(Chemistry Nerd Moment: It takes 3-4 MONTHS for the body to decrease the HALF-LIFE for a trans-fatty acid. AKA it takes 3-4 MONTHS to get rid of HALF the level of ingested trans-fats. Woof. Sorry, bod.)
Margarine is bad because...
* CANCER: Trans fats increase risk of breast cancer
* HEART DISEASE: Trans fats increase platelet stickiness = coronary heart disease
* PAIN & INFLAMMATION = Trans fats block body's production of anti-inflammatories
* IMMUNE SYSTEM = Trans fats increase cell membrane permeability = more susceptible to infection
* ESSENTIAL FATTY ACID DEFICIENCIES = Trans fats block the metabolism and use of essential fatty acids = muscle fatigue & skin problems
Why Butter?
Grass-fed, good QUALITY butter is FULL of nutrients! Nutrients like Vitamin A (great eyesight, growth and healing of tissues, healthy skin, anti-oxidation, immune function, lower cancer risk, genetic process regulation) , Vitamin K2 (regulates calcium which decreases risk of heart disease!), Conjugated Linolic Acid (CLA) (fight cancer and support metabolism), and Cholesterol (<< Also good for you! Helps build healthy cell structures and hormones, makes bile and Vitamin D, aids serotonin production, increases brain function - oh, and its an antioxidant! Yep, it's pretty important!) Butter is satiating because of its fatty quality, meaning you will feel full and happy longer :)
A great butter option in most grocery stores is Kerrygold. Or check out eatwild.com to search for local farmers to get your hands on some. If you are lactose intolerant, you could always make your own clarified butter or ghee from the Kerrygold or order a great quality ghee product.
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In fact, Time Magazine and the Wall Street Journal are even starting to come around to this idea of saturated fat. It's all about health, my friends! Eat and feel better!
Thanks for reading!
Resources:
Eat the Yolks, Liz Wolfe, NTP
Signs and Symptoms Analysis from a Functional Perspective by Dicken Weatherby, N.D.