Margarine vs. Butter — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

by Christelle Tchakerian | Last updated on May 28, 2023

Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian

Summary

There are still controversies regarding whether butter is healthier than margarine.

Butter is rich in cholesterol, while margarine may contain trans fats. Butter is richer in vitamin B12, vitamin B3, and folate, while margarine is higher in vitamins A, C, E, B6, B1, and K.

Ultimately, the choice depends on the person’s profile and personal needs.

Introduction

Which is healthier: butter or margarine? This has been an ongoing debate for many decades. A comparative analysis will show that both items have health advantages as well as disadvantages.

Butter is a dairy product that is manufactured by churning cream or milk. Swirling helps separate the solid components from the liquid ones. Butter has a multitude of uses, including in cooking, baking, or simply as a spread.

Margarine was created as a substitute for butter. It is a plant-based version of butter. It is made from canola oil, soybean oil, or other plant-based oils. Margarine may also include additives, colorants, and flavor enhancers.

Through this discussion, one can conclude that having moderate amounts of both butter and margarine on-hand might allow a person to reap the benefits of both without initiating health conditions.

Creation of Margarine as A Butter Substitute

During the Franco-Prussian war, Napoleon III called for finding a cheaper alternative to butter to cover the needs of the French workers and his armies in battle. The person in charge of that was Hippolyte Mèges-Mouries.

The first margarine ever was patented in 1896, made by churning beef tallow with milk. Later, an established butter trading company bought the patent, and the trade of margarine was popularized.

In 1902, the process of hardening oils by hydrogenation was patented as beef tallow availability limited margarine production. By 2000, economic benefits had turned margarine into the table spread of choice for many people (1).

Nutrition

The visual infographics below will be used to compare the nutritional content of butter and margarine.

Calories

Both items have the same amount of calories, 717kcal per 100g of the food eaten. Therefore, both items are considered to be high-calorie foods.

According to the USDA, the average amount of calories in 1 tablespoon (14g) of butter, and similarly of margarine, contains around 100kcal.

Carbohydrates

Both foods are very low in carbohydrates and are subsequently permitted for people following a low carbohydrate diet and other types of diets that will be discussed later.

Protein

Both foods are low in protein - 0.85g per 100g for butter vs. 0.16g per 100g for margarine.

The average sedentary man requires 56 grams of protein per day, and the average passive woman needs 46 grams per day.

Fats

Butter is trans fat-free. On the other hand, margarine contains trans fats. Margarine is a highly refined product resulting from the hydrogenation of plant-based oils and other ingredients. The amount of trans fat included varies from one brand to another.

Margarine contains more monounsaturated fatty acids (38g/100g vs. 23g/100g). Similarly, it has eight times more polyunsaturated fatty acids in 100g than butter. Butter holds a higher saturated fat content.

Margarine is cholesterol-free, while butter is not, as it is derived from an animal product.

Some margarine brands contain plant sterols, which play a role in lowering blood cholesterol (2). A study showed that adding 2g of plant sterol to an average daily portion of margarine reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations in the serum. This reduction in LDL cholesterol would result in a 25% decrease in the risk of getting heart disease. Such an outcome is hypothesized to have a better effect than just reducing saturated fat intake (2).

Minerals

The mineral content of butter is a little higher than that of margarine, although it is still low.

Butter is richer in copper, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc. Meanwhile, margarine is richer in iron and magnesium. Margarine has a lower sodium content than butter.

Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Margarine

Butter

Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium	+50%
Contains more IronIron	+200%
Contains less SodiumSodium	-81.8%

Contains more CalciumCalcium	+700%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium	+33.3%
Contains more CopperCopper	+∞%
Contains more ZincZinc	+∞%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus	+380%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium	+∞%

Vitamins

Margarine has a higher vitamin score compared to butter.

Butter is richer in vitamins B12, vitamin B3, and folate. Margarine is richer in vitamins C, A, E, B6, B1, and K. Both foods are equal in vitamin B2 content.

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.

Margarine

Butter

Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C	+∞%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A	+43.1%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E	+287.9%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1	+100%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6	+200%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K	+1228.6%

Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3	+82.6%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12	+70%
Contains more FolateFolate	+200%
Contains more CholineCholine	+51.6%

~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

~equal in Vitamin B2 ~0.034mg

Weight Loss and Diets

Dash diet

Margarine is a better fit for the DASH diet since it contains less saturated fats and less sodium.

Vegan diet

Margarine is non-dairy; thus, it's a better option for a vegan diet.

Keto

Butter is widely used in the keto diet. Margarine is highly processed compared to butter.

Atkins

Both fit because Atkins focuses on low-carb diets.

Both food items can be consumed during low-carb diets.

Both foods are not recommended for low-fat and low-calorie diets since they are high in fats and calories.

The Mediterranean diet focuses on olive oil rather than butter or margarine whenever possible.

Health Impact

Health Benefits

Fat-Soluble Vitamin Absorption

Margarine is richer in vitamin A than butter. Vitamin A is one of the essential micronutrients that we need to take from our food. It has a wide range of functions, such as promoting healthy eyesight and the formation and maintenance of healthy teeth and skin. It’s important to note that high doses of vitamin A are toxic, and special care should be taken in pregnant women (3)(4).

Margarine is richer in vitamin E compared to butter. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant. It is known to aid in protecting cells from free radical damage (5).

Moreover, margarine is richer than butter in vitamin K. Inflammation is recognized as the cornerstone of some chronic aging diseases. Scientific evidence indicates that vitamin K has an anti-inflammatory effect and functions in blood coagulation and bone health (6)(7).

Diabetes

A moderate intake of butter is safe for those with diabetes. Diabetes management will be enhanced by choosing butter over margarine since trans fat consumption will be reduced.

Consumption of margarine has a positive, but weak, association with the development of type 2 diabetes (8)(12).

Downsides and Risks

Allergy

A study was conducted to test the hypothesis that margarine intake is correlated with allergic diseases. The results showed that children with significant margarine intake had a higher risk of eczema and allergic sensitization, while butter consumption was not a feature of hypersensitive illnesses. However, margarine cannot be considered a causal risk factor for allergies (9).

Cardiovascular Health

A study examined the theoretical effects of substituting butter with margarine on the risk of cardiovascular disease. This analysis claims that substituting butter with soft margarine is associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease (10)(11).

It is important to mention that the margarine should be trans-fat-free. The trans-fat-containing margarine, which is highly processed, poses a high risk to cardiovascular health (16).

For quite a long time, butter and other saturated animal fats were viewed as unhealthy. Consequently, people have resorted to substituting butter with margarine as it is made from plant-based oils. However, the manufacturing process results in the formation of a by-product that is regarded as harmful to human health. These trans fats are similar to saturated fats. Trans fats raise bad (LDL) cholesterol while lowering the good (HDL) cholesterol. This combination may result in cholesterol clogging the arteries leading to heart disease or heart attacks.

In moderation and in controlled caloric intake, butter is weakly associated with cardiovascular diseases (15).

Taste and Texture

Butter is known for its deep and rich flavor. Butter taste and texture depend on the balance of the chemical compounds it contains, but also on the animal from which it is produced. Distinguishing animal characteristics includes the diet and dietary supplementation of the animal, the time of the year in which it is made, and the processing phenomenon in general (9).

Margarine comes in two common kinds: stick and tub margarine. They are formulated as close as possible to the spreadable consistency of butter at room temperature to be melted in the mouth (10).

Environmental Impact

A study showed that margarine has less than half the environmental impact of butter in terms of global warming potential, eutrophication potential, and acidification potential.

The land required to produce margarine is around half of that needed to make butter. Therefore, margarine is more environmentally favorable than butter (13).

Cooking and Baking

When it comes to baking, butter is the winner. Butter used in pastries and cookies offers a richer flavor. For cooking, butter is multi-purposeful. It can be used to grease pans. It can also be used for frying and sauteeing. The saturated fats in butter resist the breakdown by heat resulting in a better texture than unsaturated fats.

The downside of butter compared to vegetable oils is that its solid milk parts darken and burn at around 250ºF, which is less than 150º of the smoke point of many vegetable oils.

Besides butter, stick margarine can be used to make icings as it is a little softer than butter in the refrigerator. Tub margarine, on the other hand, is spreadable because it is less saturated, but it is too soft to make icings.

Recommendations

There is no conclusive evidence that eating butter is healthy. It is true that margarine contains healthy fats such as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. However, it is highly possible that it also contains trans fats.

Recently, scientists have been using a process called interesterification to produce the same margarine without the formation of trans fat (14). People should buy margarine with a trans-fat-free label. For those watching their cholesterol, margarine may be recommended. The American Heart Association recommends diets low in saturated and trans fats (7). Moderate consumption in healthy individuals of both food items should be safe.

References

Author name: Christelle Tchakerian

Education: Institute for Integrative Nutrition New York

Last updated: May 28, 2023

Medically reviewed by Jack Yacoubian

Infographic

Infographic link

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison

Margarine

Protein: 0.16 g

Fats: 80.71 g

Carbs: 0.7 g

Water: 16.52 g

Other: 1.91 g

Butter

Protein: 0.85 g

Fats: 81.11 g

Carbs: 0.06 g

Water: 17.94 g

Other: 0.04 g

Contains more CarbsCarbs	+1066.7%
Contains more OtherOther	+4675%

Contains more ProteinProtein

+431.3%

~equal in Fats ~81.11g

~equal in Water ~17.94g

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison

Margarine

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 15.189 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 38.877 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 24.302 g

Butter

Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 50.489 g

Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 23.43 g

Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 3.01 g

Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat	-69.9%
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat	+65.9%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat	+707.4%

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.


Lower in Cholesterol
Lower in Sugar
Lower in Sodium
Lower in Saturated Fat
Lower in price
Rich in minerals
Lower in Glycemic Index	Equal
Rich in vitamins	Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient			Opinion
Calories	717kcal	717kcal
Protein	0.16g	0.85g
Fats	80.71g	81.11g
Vitamin C	0.2mg	0mg
Net carbs	0.7g	0.06g
Carbs	0.7g	0.06g
Cholesterol	0mg	215mg
Magnesium	3mg	2mg
Calcium	3mg	24mg
Potassium	18mg	24mg
Iron	0.06mg	0.02mg
Sugar	0g	0.06g
Copper	0mg	0.016mg
Zinc	0mg	0.09mg
Phosphorus	5mg	24mg
Sodium	2mg	11mg
Vitamin A	3577IU	2499IU
Vitamin A	819µg	684µg
Vitamin E	9mg	2.32mg
Manganese		0.004mg
Selenium	0µg	1µg
Vitamin B1	0.01mg	0.005mg
Vitamin B2	0.037mg	0.034mg
Vitamin B3	0.023mg	0.042mg
Vitamin B5		0.11mg
Vitamin B6	0.009mg	0.003mg
Vitamin B12	0.1µg	0.17µg
Vitamin K	93µg	7µg
Folate	1µg	3µg
Trans Fat	14.89g
Choline	12.4mg	18.8mg
Saturated Fat	15.189g	50.489g
Monounsaturated Fat	38.877g	23.43g
Polyunsaturated fat	24.302g	3.01g
Tryptophan		0.012mg
Threonine		0.038mg
Isoleucine		0.051mg
Leucine		0.083mg
Lysine		0.067mg
Methionine		0.021mg
Phenylalanine		0.041mg
Valine		0.057mg
Histidine		0.023mg
Omega-3 - ALA		0.315g
Omega-3 - DPA	0.006g	0g
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid	21.522g	2.166g

Which food is preferable for your diet?

Low Calories diet

Low Fats diet

Low Carbs diet

Low Glycemic Index diet

is better in case of low diet


Low Calories diet	Equal
Low Fats diet
Low Carbs diet
Low Glycemic Index diet	Equal

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).

Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score

51%

20%

Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?

Margarine is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 215mg)

Which food is lower in Sugar?

Margarine is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.06g)

Which food contains less Sodium?

Margarine contains less Sodium (difference - 9mg)

Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?

Margarine is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 35.3g)

Which food is cheaper?

Margarine is cheaper (difference - $1.1)

Which food is richer in minerals?

Butter is relatively richer in minerals

Which food is lower in glycemic index?

The foods have equal glycemic indexes (0)

Which food is richer in vitamins?

It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.