Butter vs. Margarine: Which is Healthier?

Between the different types of butter, margarine, and “plant-based” spreads, and the debate over saturated fats, choosing a healthy topping for your bread can be confusing. Here is a nutrition breakdown of butter vs. margarine and a suggestion on which is the best choice.

What’s the difference between butter and margarine?

Butter is a fatty dairy product made by churning cream. Traditional butter is made by churning cow’s milk or cream, sometimes adding salt, but can also be from the milk of goats, sheep, or buffalo.

Margarine is a fatty, water-in-oil emulsion made of plant and/or animal fats. Margarine is made by emulsifying a blend of liquid oils through processing and contains other ingredients including water, salt, natural or artificial flavors and colorings, preservatives, emulsifiers, and synthetic vitamins (1). Most margarine products are vegan and now referred to as “plant butter”, as they are made from vegetable oils, such as canola oil, however, some contain animal-derived ingredients like milk, lactose, whey, or casein.

Margarine was invented in France by Hippolyte Mèges-Mouries in response to Napoleon III’s request for a cheaper alternative to butter. The original process combined beef fat and skimmed milk, but evolved to use vegetable oils combined with animal fats after the invention of hydrogenation, which turns liquid fats into solid fats. Since the more recent ban on hydrogenated oils, modern margarine and “plant butter” typically contain a semi-solid tropical oil, such as coconut oil or palm oil, which aids in making them solid at room temperature (2).

Ingredients in Butter vs. Margarine

Here are the ingredients in the most popular US butter brands (3, 4, 5, 6):

• Land O Lakes Butter: Sweet Cream, Salt
• Kerry Gold Butter: Pasteurized Cream, Salt
• Vital Farms Butter: Pasteurized Cream (Milk), Salt

Here are the ingredients in the most popular US margarine brands (7, 8, 9, 10, 11):

• Country Crock: Purified Water, Soybean Oil, Palm Kernel And Palm Oil, Salt, Lecithin (Soy), Vinegar, Natural Flavors, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene (Color)
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter: Purified Water, Soybean Oil, Palm & Palm Kernel Oil, Salt, Lecithin (Soy), Natural Flavor, Vinegar, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta Carotene (Color)
• Becel: Canola Oil 74%, Water, Modified Palm and Palm Kernel Oils 6%, Salt, Buttermilk Powder 0.2% (milk), Natural flavors, Lactic acid, Vitamin A Palmitate (vitamin A), Vitamin D3, Beta carotene, Soy Lecithin, Calcium disodium EDTA.
• Earth Balance: Natural Oil Blend (Palm Fruit, Canola, Soy Bean, Flax And Olive Oil,), Filtered Water, Contains Less Than 2% Of Pure Salt, Natural Flavor (Plant Derived From Corn, No MSG, No Alcohol, No Gluten), Pea Protein, Sunflower Lecithin, Lactic Acid (Non-Diary), And Naturally Extracted Annatto For Color.

Butter vs. Margarine: Nutrition

While the exact nutritional values of butter and margarine will vary depending on brand and milk fat content, both butter and margarine are sources of fat, with limited amounts of protein and carbohydrates. Here is a comparison of a 1-tablespoon (14.2 grams) serving of unsalted butter and unsalted stick margarine (12, 13, 14, 15).

Calories

Butter and margarine contain the same number of calories. Both margarine and butter contain 102 calories per 1 tablespoon serving.

Fat

Butter and margarine contain the same amount of dietary fat. Standard stick margarine and butter contain 11.5 grams of fat per 1 tablespoon serving, however, this can vary slightly.

Traditional American butter must be at least 80% fat, while European butter can range between 82% and 90% fat, and the rest is mostly water (16). The fat content of margarine is between 80% and 90%, although percentages will vary by producer.

Butter contains roughly 70% saturated fat, 25% monounsaturated fat, and less than 5% polyunsaturated fats (14). Roughly 11% of the saturated fat in butter are short-chain fatty acids, primarily butyric acid, which has been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory agent in the gut (17, 18).

While the breakdown can vary by brand and type of margarine, margarine contains roughly 50% monounsaturated fat, 30% polyunsaturated fats, and 20% saturated fats (15). Moreover, stick margarine generally contains more saturated fat than tub margarine.

Protein

Neither butter nor margarine are significant sources of protein. Butter contains 0.121 grams of protein per 1-tablespoon serving and margarine contains 0.023 grams of protein per 1-tablespoon serving.

Carbohydrates

Neither butter nor margarine are significant sources of carbohydrates, sugar, or fiber. Butter contains 0.009 grams of carbohydrates per 1-tablespoon serving and margarine contains 0.099 grams of carbohydrates per 1-tablespoon serving.

Vitamins + Minerals

Both butter and margarine are good sources of micronutrients, however, butter is a natural source of vitamins and minerals, while margarine is fortified with vitamins to reach the same levels as butter.

Cholesterol

Butter contains more cholesterol than margarine. Butter contains 30.5 mg of cholesterol per 1 tablespoon serving, while margarine contains none.

However, contrary to popular belief, dietary cholesterol is not the dietary evil it was thought to be. Recent research has now shown that, for most people, dietary cholesterol has very little effect on blood cholesterol levels and is not associated with cardiovascular disease risk (19, 20). The body tightly regulates how much cholesterol is in your blood and will compensate by producing more or less cholesterol based on how much you consume. In fact, in 2015, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) decided to remove its caution about eating cholesterol-rich foods, suggesting that cholesterol is no longer a nutrient of concern for overconsumption (21).

Pros and Cons of Butter

Here are some of the benefits of butter:

• All natural. Butter is considered a natural food as it is made from cream and rarely contains added ingredients besides salt. The production of butter requires little to no processing and can easily be made at home by churning or shaking heavy cream in a mason jar.
• Better source of micronutrients. Butter contains more naturally occurring vitamins and minerals than margarine. While margarine does contain vitamins and minerals, most are not naturally occurring, and, therefore, margarine producers add synthetic versions to meet the naturally occurring levels in butter, namely vitamins A and D. Overall, butter is a better source of vitamin B12 and naturally occurring vitamin A, D, and K.
• Source of vitamin K2. While vitamin K1 comes from plant sources, vitamin K2, also known as menaquinone, is a fat-soluble vitamin found in dairy, animal foods, and fermented foods, since it is synthesized by bacteria. Most people consume plenty of vitamin K1 in their diet, however, not everyone consumes enough vitamin K2 in their diet, which is essential to blood clotting, calcium metabolism, and heart health (22). One tablespoon of butter contains 2.1 mcg of vitamin K2.
• Higher in omega-3 fatty acids. Compared to margarine, butter is a much better source of omega-3 fatty acids, butyrate, and conjugated linoleic acid. Milk from grass-fed cows is higher in omega-3 fats, which are known to have anti-inflammatory effects, and has a lower ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which is important as most people are consuming far too much omega-6 fat (23, 24, 25, 26).
• Source of Butyrate and Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). Butter is one of the best sources of dietary butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that’s also produced by intestinal bacteria, which has been shown to reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and even support weight loss (27). Moreover, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a form of fat found in meat and dairy products with anticarcinogenic, antiobesity, antidiabetic, and antihypertensive properties (28). Grass-fed dairy products, particularly grass-fed butter, have been shown to contain higher levels of CLA.

Here are some of the drawbacks of butter:

• Higher in saturated fats. Butter contains more saturated fat than margarine. Roughly 70% of the fat content of butter is saturated fats, with the remaining 30% coming from unsaturated fats. While saturated fats have historically been demonized and correlated with heart disease and increases in blood cholesterol levels, more recent research has shown mixed results. The overall body of evidence suggests that saturated fat does increase several risk factors for heart disease compared to monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fats, however, compared to omega-6 polyunsaturated only, saturated fats also reduce some risk factors (29). Moreover, a reduced saturated fat intake can negatively impact hormone levels (30, 31).

Pros and Cons of Margarine

The health benefits and drawbacks of margarine depend on the brand, how it was made, and the type of vegetable oils it contains.

Here are some of the benefits of margarine:

• Higher in unsaturated fats. While the exact ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat in margarine depends on the type of vegetable oils used to produce it, margarine is a good source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. For instance, soybean oil contains approximately 20% polyunsaturated fat, while pam oil contains 10% and canola oil contains 30%. Polyunsaturated fat has been shown to help lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol (32).
• May contain plant sterols. Some margarines are enriched with phytosterols; substances that are similar to cholesterol but are made in plants, which are effective in lowering cholesterol, however, these sterols are also abundantly found in nuts and seeds (33, 34).

Here are some of the drawbacks of margarine:

• Highly processed. Margarine is a highly processed food product made from vegetable oils, emulsifiers, additives, preservatives, and natural or artificial colors and flavors. According to the NOVA Food Classification System, margarine is classified as an “ultra-processed food”, which is defined as a formulation of ingredients that are typically created by a series of industrial techniques and processes.
• Higher in omega-6 fatty acids. While margarine contains less saturated fat than butter, it contains more omega-6 fatty acids and fewer omega-3 fatty acids, which have an optimal range of 1:1 to 4:1. Increased ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids have been correlated with increases in chronic inflammation and impaired gut health (35, 36).
• May contain trans fats. Unlike butter, vegetable oils are not solid at room temperature and, therefore, must undergo processing to change their structure known as hydrogenation. Although many countries, including the USA and Canada, have banned the use of partially hydrogenated oils and trans fats, it may still be found in margarine in other areas.

So, which is healthier?

Overall, most health experts recommend consuming butter over margarine. While butter has been historically demonized, in the context of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, more recent research demonstrates that butter can be consumed with little to no concern.

In fact, a systematic review and meta-analysis of nine studies and over 636,000 adults found a relatively small or neutral overall association of butter with mortality, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, and did not support a need for major emphasis on decreasing butter consumption (37).

The Bottom Line

In the debate of butter versus margarine, butter is the winner. Butter is a natural food made of cream and sometimes salt, while margarine is an ultra-processed food made of a mixture of plant oils, water, salt, emulsifiers, preservatives, flavors, and colors. While butter and margarine contain the same amount of calories and fat, butter contains more naturally occurring micronutrients, including vitamin K2, and more omega-3 fatty acids, butyrate, and CLA. Although butter contains saturated fat, it is not considered as dangerous as previously thought, and margarine contains more omega-6 fatty acids, which have been correlated with inflammation when consumed in excess.