Butter vs. margarine: Is one healthier?

Perhaps the question isn’t whether butter or margarine is healthier, but rather how much of either are we consuming, according to Hannah Koschak, a Marshfield Clinic registered dietitian.

“In small quantities, everything fits,” she said. “I would never tell someone to switch to margarine to avoid eating butter.”

Enjoy that baked potato

If we don’t eat enough fats, we miss out on soluble vitamins our bodies need like vitamins A, D, E and K, Koschak said. Fats also add flavor and satiety to meals.

Though the recommendation is to replace solid fats with healthy oils, it is more reasonable to think about everything in moderation.

“In reality, most people aren’t going to put oil on their baked potato,” she said.

Know what you’re consuming

Margarine and butter both have fat content. The different kinds of fats like unsaturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated (healthy fats), saturated fat (bad fat) and trans fat (really bad fat), – can help you determine the best choice for your health.

Work your way through this infographic or print the showdown to identify heroes and villains of butter vs. margarine.