It’s one of the longest running wars in food history. From the moment it became commercially available in the late 1800s, margarine has gone toe-to-toe with butter in a see-saw battle over which one is healthier.
Dairy farmers around the world didn’t take lightly to the threat posed by margarine to one of their staple and most lucrative products. Almost from its introduction, margarine faced a variety of restrictions and taxes aimed at protecting butter producers.
A largely agricultural economy at the time, Canada was particularly tough on margarine and banned the sale of it from 1876 to 1948. In Quebec, a ban on food dyes in margarine, which were used to make it look more like butter, was in place until 2008.
Margarine enjoyed a surge in popularity following World War II, based on its lower cost and perceived health benefits due to lower fat content. All that changed in recent decades due to concern over trans fats, which were found in relatively high levels in margarine.
More recently, margarine manufacturers have reduced or eliminated trans fats and taken other measures to turn margarine back into a product for the health conscious. Many brands now have approval to feature the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada’s Health Check Seal on their products.
So how goes the battle between butter and margarine? It’s still waging and some of the current battle lines are:
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids – Omega-3s are linked to a range of health benefits, including brain function, lower risk of heart disease and reduced inflammation. Margarine makers tout the addition of omega-3 fatty acids to their products in the effort to make them healthier. But butter proponents are quick to point out that the omega-3 acids in most margarines come from plant sources, which they say are less beneficial than the omega-3 acids from fish sources.
- Omega-6 Fatty Acids – Omega-6 acids have similar benefits to omega-3s, but we get all the omega-6 acids we need, and more, from a variety of foods. Butter fans point out that margarine is a significant source of omega-6s and that too much of them can increase our heart disease risk and may contribute to cancer, asthma and depression, among other issues.
- Saturated Fats – As a dairy product, butter is high in saturated fats, which are linked to lots of health problems, including heart disease. And your body produces all the saturated fats it needs. Those facts have been a favourite target for margarine manufacturers. But recent findings show that the effects of saturated fats aren’t as bad as previously thought.
So who wins the war? Hopefully consumers do as butter and margarine manufacturers continue to produce healthier products. The choice for consumers can come down to personal preferences. Some prefer the natural simplicity of butter, while others enjoy the cost and always-spreadable consistency of margarine.
What’s most important is to make sure you get proper nutrition, stay away from saturated fats (your body produces all it needs) and don’t get too much omega-6. You can get the advice you need to make the right choices for your particular situation by visiting your local nutrition centre and talking to a nutritional specialist.