Does butter make you fatter than margarine?

Margarine was invented by Emperor Napoleon III in 1867. invented. At that time he was looking for an inexpensive butter substitute for his armies and commissioned the French chemist Meges-Mourièr, who obtained the first substitute from beef tallow. In 1869 he even patented this process for obtaining spreadable fat.

What is margarine actually made of?

Today, margarine is mainly made from vegetable oils and is therefore cholesterol-free. Margarine also contains water or skimmed milk,  emulsifiers ,  vitamins , flavorings and colorings. The fat content is 80% and the water content is 18%.

And the butter?

In comparison, butter is made from  milk  and cream, so whether it’s sweet cream butter, mildly acidified butter or sour cream butter, butter contains at least 82% fat and no more than 16% water.

Conclusion

The widespread assumption that margarine is lower in fat than butter is therefore incorrect. The insignificant difference in the fat content makes it impossible to distinguish which product makes you fatter or not.

Nutrition experts recommend not to exceed the daily fat intake of 30 to 35 percent. In general, everyone should limit the fat intake as much as possible and use fat spreads sparingly. Ultimately, the decision whether to use butter or margarine should remain a question of taste.