Margarine vs. Butter: What’s the Difference?

Butter is a spread made from the fats and proteins of churned cream. It is a water-in-fat emulsion made by churning milk to separate the fat globules from the buttermilk. Butter is a dairy product that is most commonly made from cow’s milk but can also be made from the milk of sheep, goats, and other mammals. It is semi-solid at room temperature and solid when refrigerated or frozen, and it melts to a very thin and liquid consistency. Butter is commonly used in baking and cooking or as a condiment.

While you can use most regular kinds of butter interchangeably, there are a few important distinctions between the many different types you might consider when cooking or baking. Some butters have different flavors, uses in cooking, health benefits, and different butter-making processes.

1. 1. Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter has no added salt. Unsalted butter is a staple ingredient in many baking recipes because it allows bakers to control the salt content.
2. 2. Salted butter: Salted butter contains added salt, usually about ¼ teaspoon per stick. Additionally, salt is a preservative that extends the shelf life of butter.
3. 3. Cultured butter: Like yogurt, cultured butter contains live bacteria that release lactic acid and aromatic compounds, giving it a tangy, slightly funky flavor.
4. 4. European-style butter: European-style butter is richer and softer than its American counterparts due to its higher milk fat content. The average milk fat content of European-style butter is between 82 to 86 percent, while standard butters are 80 percent fat in the United States.
5. 5. Clarified butter: Clarified butter, also called ghee, is made by rendering butter, or separating the milk solids and water content from butterfat in butter. The result is a gold and translucent butter with a high concentration of fat, a higher smoke point than regular butter, and a great substitute for animal fats.

Margarine is a plant-based spread that is a combination of refined oils and water. It is made using a process called hydrogenation, which hardens the oils, producing trans fatty acids. It can be made from almost any type of plant oils, including vegetable oil, olive oil, soybean oil, safflower oil, or canola oil, and may also contain additives such as colorants, emulsifiers, and ingredients to improve texture and flavor, like soy lecithin and mono or diglycerides. It is often considered a butter substitute food product and is made to taste like butter.

Many different types of margarine are made from different kinds of oils, but the main difference in the kinds of margarine is their texture at room temperature.

1. 1. Liquid margarine: Liquid margarine is fluid rather than solid at room temperature. It is often sold in a spray or squeeze-bottle form.
2. 2. Margarine spreads: Margarine is most commonly sold as a soft spread, also known as tub margarine, used as a condiment for toasted bread and other dishes that require spreadable margarine.
3. 3. Hard margarine: Hard margarine, or stick margarine, is solidified margarine typically sold in blocks and most often used in cooking. As the most solid type of margarine, hard margarine is also highest in hydrogenated fats.

Butter and margarine may taste similar, but they’re made completely differently.

• Dairy content: Butter is made from the churned cream of milk, which makes it a dairy product, while margarine is made from plant-based hydrogenated oils.
• Flavor: Butter has a richer, creamier flavor than margarine. Very fresh butter may taste like the milk of the animal that it came from. Margarine may have a milder flavor, or it may taste like the artificial flavorings with which it is made.
• Fat content: Both butter and margarine are relatively high in fat, but they contain different types of fatty acids. The fat in butter is 62% saturated fat, 29% monounsaturated fat, and 4% polyunsaturated fat. Stick margarine’s fat comprises 19% saturated fat, 59% monounsaturated fat, and 18% polyunsaturated fat. (Tub margarine has a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fat.) Some margarine also contains added omega-3 fatty acids.
• Cholesterol: For many years, margarine was sold as a heart-healthy alternative to butter, due to its lower levels of saturated fats. However, recent research regarding trans fatty acids suggests that the trans fats in margarine may raise LDL cholesterol levels (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and decrease HDL cholesterol levels (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) in the blood, which may lead to heart disease. If you’re concerned about your blood cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease, talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes.
• Vitamins and minerals: Like most dairy products, butter is naturally high in calcium and contains small amounts of vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin K. As a processed food product, margarine contains varying levels of vitamins and minerals, depending on the manufacturer. Margarine producers typically add vitamins A, E, and K to their product, giving margarine higher levels of those vitamins than butter.

Margarine and butter are different products that respond differently to heat. Here’s when you can substitute margarine for butter, and when you absolutely should not.

• Spreading: Feel free to use butter and margarine interchangeably when spreading on toast, bagels, muffins, or pancakes. The two creamy spreads act and taste similar when used at room temperature or cold.
• Baking: Substituting margarine for butter in baking recipes can be tricky. Reduced-fat margarines often have a higher water content than butter, which can throw off the moisture balance in baked goods. When it comes to baking without butter, seek out high-fat stick margarine specifically marketed for baking, or use vegetable shortening.
• Frying: Both butter and margarine pose problems when it comes to frying. The milk solids in butter can burn at high temperatures, which is why clarified butter or ghee are better choices for high-heat cooking. Similarly, the stabilizers found in spreadable margarine burn easily, and low-fat margarine spreads may not melt at all. For non-dairy frying, use cooking spray or oil.

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