Author: Umi Fatimah
You are certainly familiar with butter and margarine. Butter and margarine are popular spreads commonly used in cooking and baking.
These two ingredients are commonly used as a spread on bread and also for cooking and making cakes.
Even though it is an ingredient that can be used on various menus in various ways, the debate over whether butter or margarine is healthier still continues. Both products apparently have advantages and disadvantages for health and their use in cooking.
Difference between Butter and Margarine
Butter and margarine are two food ingredients that are commonly used to add flavor to various dishes. Actually, the basic difference between butter and margarine lies in their composition and processing.
Butter is made from milk through a churning process, resulting in a dense, creamy product. In general, butter is made from cow’s milk, but it can also be made from goat’s or sheep’s milk.
Also known as butter, butter tends to have a rich taste and soft texture. Butter is usually pale yellow, but can also be white to dark yellow.
Meanwhile margarine is produced as a cheaper alternative to butter. This food ingredient is made from vegetable oils, such as soybean oil, corn oil, or canola oil. Margarine also contains added flavors, colorings, preservatives, emulsifiers or vitamins.
The process of making margarine itself involves several stages known as hydrogenation. This process converts liquid vegetable oil into a solid substance at room temperature.
Margarine usually has a yellower and shinier color than butter, because the vegetable fat content in it is oilier.
Read Also: Tips for Choosing Safe and Healthy Cooking Oil & Margarine
Which is Better, Butter or Margarine?
If you compare the two from a nutritional perspective, the amount of fat contained in butter and margarine is actually the same, but what makes the difference is the quality of the fat.
Butter contains more saturated fat because it is made from animal fat. Meanwhile, margarine contains more “good” fats (namely polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats) because it is mostly made from vegetable oils. However, some margarine products contain more trans fat to maintain a stronger consistency.
Apart from that, both of these spread ingredients contain sources of vitamins, such as vitamins A, D, E and K which are good for the body. However, butter contains these vitamins naturally, while margarine is enriched with vitamins to reach the same levels as butter.
In short, although butter contains more “bad” fats, it is made from natural ingredients usually with little or no additives. In contrast, margarine contains more “good” fats, but contains preservatives and artificial coloring.
So when choosing butter or margarine, make sure you always read the nutrition label on the product packaging. Look for products that have the least amount of saturated fat and preferably no trans fat.
Read Also: Butter Cake Recipe
On the other hand, in terms of taste and food preparation, butter provides a richer taste than margarine. The high amount of fat in butter makes baked goods or cakes have a soft texture.
Meanwhile, margarine contains less fat and more water, so it can make cake dough spread when baked and food burn more easily. In other words, using margarine in cakes can make the cakes less soft and the cookies less crunchy.
In addition to baking, butter is also seen as a better choice for frying because it is more resistant to heat breakdown. Meanwhile, margarine is difficult to use for frying because of its high water content and low smoke point.
However, margarine can also be used to sauté vegetables. However, if you use margarine over direct heat, remember to use a low temperature and monitor the cooking to reduce the risk of burning.
So, is it permissible to replace butter with margarine to make food? The answer depends on your nutritional goals and what you enjoy most.
In terms of taste, you really can’t replace butter with margarine because butter has a richer taste and mouthfeel that margarine cannot imitate. However, margarine can be a good substitute for butter in vegan and plant-based cooking and baking.
Thus, it can be concluded that the choice between butter and margarine depends on personal preference, dietary needs, and cooking needs.
Atsarina Luthfiyyah (Senior Editor)
Has educational experience in the fields of Culinary and Journalism. His hobbies are writing, traveling and cooking. Masters in Communication Sciences at Gadjah Mada University
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