Butter or Margarine?

[Earthy]

Which do you use? Which is healthier?

I use organic no salt butter sticks for baking and light butter tubs with no trans fats. I can't find any butter tubs with no salt?

[Jackie]

Butter, absolutely! No salt, because DH was on a low salt diet. I don't trust margarine, and I don't like the taste of many of the margarine.

[Earthy]

Jackie - Do you find butter that comes in the tubs, salt free? What brand? Or do you just use the sticks?

[MonkeyMamma]

Butter - in a big ol' tub!

[ABall]

margarine for cooking and toast

butter usually for baking

[Jackie]

I've never seen butter in a tub, but I've never looked for it. OH!!! WAIT!!! Do you mean Land O'Lakes Whipped Butter? My parents use that. Yes, they do have that unsalted. I always use sticks.

[Earthy]

OH Good, I will look for that. I have never seen unsalted butter in the tub. I also don't want any of the trans fats, mono or poly in it either.

[dalynnrmc]

We use Country Crock Light Spread in a tub.... It has no trans fats and no cholesterol, and more of the "good" fats than the "bad" ones. ;)

I've got high blood pressure and also watch my sodium. This one, in addition to the fats and cholesterol info above, had the least amount of sodium that I found (at least within my budget range). DH (who is diabetic) and I both have high cholesterol and so this was a big and positive change for us (from stick margarine).

DH is a baker by trade and prefers to use stick margarine when he bakes. (WHEN being the key word, as he doesn't do it often at home! LOL!)

[kbabe1968]

Butter. mmmmmmmm.....buuuuuuttttteeeerrrrrrrr....sweet nourishing gruel!

Oh...sorry...Yes, we use butter.

I had heard somewhere that it's better to use the real thing rather than imitation. But i think it was b/c of transfats, and now that they have to report trans fats, I guess margarine would be okay. We used to use I can't Believe It's not Butter.

I ALWAYS use butter when baking though. Or shortening. Butter is 30% water or there abouts, Margarine is about 50% water and usually has less fat. Fat is needed in baking. :D

But, butter. :D

[sixcloar]

I've never bought real butter. My mom always used margarine, so I always have, too. The cost difference makes me stick to margarine. Is butter really that much better? I probably won't try it. It's one of those things, if you don't taste the good, more expensive stuff, you don't know what you are missing. :)

[Jackie]

when I was in France, someone accidently put margarine on the bread. They took one bite and literally spit it out! Now, of course, that was about 100 years ago, so the quality has improved. I've seen too many recipes, though, that specifically say DO NOT USE SUBSTITUTES!!! when butter is called for, due in part to the water content mentioned above.

Carl does use Smart Balance.

[bunnytracks]

we use butter. The cost difference is higher but when i heard what they put in stick marg to keep it that way.. umm NO THANK YOU! lol

[kyzg]

My husband eats margarine in huge quantities--I have to buy the 3lb tub. It really bothers me because he NEVER eats ANY vegetables either and is a big beef eater. Also he won't go to the doctor EVER for a checkup. Something that I think is so selfish when you have a wife and kids who love you and need you.:mad:

So, I started buying Smart Balance. He doesn't like the hardness of it, and it's more than double the cost but I told him he's stuck with it until he gets his cholesterol checked and that I'll throw out anything else he buys.

I made homemade butter tonight from whipping cream--something I'd been wanting to try with the kids. It seems to have turned out o.k.!!

[JenPooh]

Which do you use? Which is healthier?

I use organic no salt butter sticks for baking and light butter tubs with no trans fats. I can't find any butter tubs with no salt?I use the Country Crock margarine with added calcium and vitamins. :D

[Emma's#1fan]

Handsome uses Smart Balance and I use Country Crock for regular use. I use butter for baking.
Patty

[Hippychick]

We use butter and we have an Amish store close by to stock on it!!!!

[kbabe1968]

My husband eats margarine in huge quantities--I have to buy the 3lb tub. It really bothers me because he NEVER eats ANY vegetables either and is a big beef eater. Also he won't go to the doctor EVER for a checkup. Something that I think is so selfish when you have a wife and kids who love you and need you.:mad:

So, I started buying Smart Balance. He doesn't like the hardness of it, and it's more than double the cost but I told him he's stuck with it until he gets his cholesterol checked and that I'll throw out anything else he buys.

I made homemade butter tonight from whipping cream--something I'd been wanting to try with the kids. It seems to have turned out o.k.!!

Can you tell me how you did this? Was it just whipping cream? (heavy, I'm assuming) did you shake it in a jar?

THANKS! I've been wanting to do this with my kids too! :D

[timkelmom]

Love butter, but we use Smart Balance now. Trying to be healthier.

[ABall]

Jen we use country crock with calcium too.

[ABall]

I love burned butter on my popcorn though.

[kyzg]

Krista,
I originally saw the idea for kids where you put the marbles in the jar, but no, I was too lazy (and busy) for that right now so I took the quick way out and used an electric mixer. (I just wanted to show the kids that we could make our own butter, I'll let them make it another time for themselves with the jars and marbles). Anyway,
I went online and looked up homemade butter recipes just to get the details. They are all similar but the one I used was: www.saunalahti.fi/~marian1/gourmet/11_25.htm

Based on some of the online info, I did set the cream out for several hours to thicken/sour, then re-chilled it. I don't know if this made a difference or not. For me, it was neat seeing the fine line between having whipped cream or butter. I had to stop beating to tend to one of the kids and I had a really nice, stiff whipped cream. When I went back less than a minute later and started beating again, it immediately changed into the lumpier texture. I guess that's why I read never over-beat the cream if you want whipped cream!!

But beware--it really does splatter!! If you have a covered bowl for mixing, I'd suggest it!!

The "buttermilk" that you end up pouring off is not like the thick, sour buttermilk you buy. But I bet it would be good to use in a recipe. A kid's book I had on colonial kitchens explained that the colonists drank this "nutritional drink". I don't think I could convince my kids to drink it, but using it in a recipe would be a great way to show how people used to waste nothing.

[cowpokemary]

try oklahoma's ag in the classroom web site, they have the recipe

[Earthy]

Land O Lakes has unsalted butter in the tubs.

[Earthy]

Comparing the Butter Switcharoo:

*************************
Land O Lakes Whipped Butter -Unsalted
Serving size 1 Tablespoon
Calories 50
Fat Cal 50
Total Fat 6g
Sat Fat 3.5%
Trans Fat 0
Cholest 15mg
Vit A 4%
Sodium 0
Carb 0
Protein 0

Ingredients: pasteurized cream, natural flavor


***********************
Fleischmann's Light Margarine
Serving size 1 Tablespoon
Calories 40
Fat Calories 40
Total Fat 4.5g
Sat Fat 0
Trans Fat 0
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.5
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 90mg
Carbohydrate 0
Protein 0

Ingredients: water, canola oil, partially hydrogenated corn oil, salt propylene glycole, monosterate and vegetable monoglycerides (emulsifiers) xanthan gum, potassium sorbate adn sodium ben-zoate and calcium disodium edta (to preserve freshness), citric acid (aciduland), artificual flavor, vitamin A palmitate, colored with beta carotene (source of vit A), Vit D3 added.



So...Which is better for you?

And yes...I thought that the tubs I was using all this time was butter, when in fact it is not! I can't tell you how many years I thougth it was....my mom always used it too.

[Earthy]

I assume it's the butter.

[Earthy]

I love burned butter on my popcorn though.

How do you burn butter??:confused:

[Jackie]

Easily! Melt it in the pan until it becomes brown and starts smoking!

[Earthy]

Easily! Melt it in the pan until it becomes brown and starts smoking!

LOL

Doesn't that stink the house up?


LOL I don't know why that cracks me up so.

[Jackie]

Am not sure. I usually don't do it on purpose, but I would guess it would!

[JenniBear]

I use unsalted butter sticks for baking, and for toast, etc., I use Smart Balance in the tub.

When I was a teenager, we had Country Crock and I Can't Believe it's Not Butter!

I will not use margarine sticks, unless we are having a bare-bones month.

[Earthy]

Am not sure. I usually don't do it on purpose, but I would guess it would!

LOL I thought you did it on purpose! LOL