Butter or Margarine

[Mel!]

I always buy butter.

Mel

 

[*amy*]

I use Smart Balance for spreading on bagels & such. Butter when it comes to cooking and baking. I keep both on hand.

 

[LT72884]

I think Keltin and Jennyema pretty much own this thread. Keep it comin guys. LOL.. I have to have salted sweet cream butter. thats the best on corn and pop corn along with salt. MMMMM salt.

 

[GB]

C'mon! Cream and salt or that long list of stuff they use to make something that tastes like cream and salt.

keltin, of course it has a greasy feeling on your tongue, it's 80% fat!

+1. This sums it up for me.

And I am still laughing about something other than butter tasting more like butter. That is like saying Rich Little did a better Nixon than Nixon himself By definition, it is impossible.

 

[keltin]

+1. This sums it up for me.

And I am still laughing about something other than butter tasting more like butter. That is like saying Rich Little did a better Nixon than Nixon himself By definition, it is impossible.

I’ll rephrase it for you. Since a spread doesn’t taste as greasy as butter, I’m able to concentrate more fully on the buttery taste. But with butter, I concentrate more on the greasy taste and extra fat that is in each bite. Since a spread has considerably less fat than butter, it should be obvious that there is a less greasy taste in a spread, and a less greasy taste means less distractions for your palette.

Obviously there are many people that aren’t bothered by a mouthful of fat, but it doesn’t work for me. It’s like trying to eat a good steak and you get a piece that is mostly fat. You can taste the steak a little bit, but the fat just overwhelms it.

 

[Barbara L]

Obviously there are many people that aren’t bothered by a mouthful of fat, but it doesn’t work for me.

I tend to eat butter in moderation, with the food it is on making up the bulk of what I put in my mouth, so I never end up with a mouthful of fat.

*Ducking and running now!*

Barbara

 

[GB]

I’ll rephrase it for you. Since a spread doesn’t taste as greasy as butter, I’m able to concentrate more fully on the buttery taste. But with butter, I concentrate more on the greasy taste and extra fat that is in each bite. Since a spread has considerably less fat than butter, it should be obvious that there is a less greasy taste in a spread, and a less greasy taste means less distractions for your palette.

Obviously there are many people that aren’t bothered by a mouthful of fat, but it doesn’t work for me. It’s like trying to eat a good steak and you get a piece that is mostly fat. You can taste the steak a little bit, but the fat just overwhelms it.

Have you ever stopped to consider that it is because your pallet is not used to the real stuff that you feel this way? I am willing to bet that less than 1% of the posters here (maybe less) have confused palettes when eating butter

There is a reason professional chefs all bow at the butter alter.

 

[TATTRAT]

Lets just sum it up:


Mo butter, Mo better.

"Spread", margarine, whatever you want to call it, it is NOTHING like butter in flavor, imo. It is whipped/hydrogenated oil.

from Wiki:
"...but (at least in the United States and the European Community) laws forbid food packaging to refer to margarine as "butter". Recipes sometimes refer to margarine as oleo or as shortening."

Butter
Butter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And the winner is?

 

[keltin]

Have you ever stopped to consider that it is because your pallet is not used to the real stuff that you feel this way? I am willing to bet that less than 1% of the posters here (maybe less) have confused palettes when eating butter

There is a reason professional chefs all bow at the butter alter.

What can I say, call me weird. I don't like cauliflower either, but some think it's "the bomb". But tell you what, if you ever come to dinner, I'll make sure to have some real butter available for you!

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Keltin, I gotta agree with you on principle. I prefer butter to margerine, for health and flavor reasons. But I have no right to force my opinions on you. If you like spreads, then by all means, use spreads. The lighter spreads that are available nowadays are made up of a combination of oils, milk solids, salt, water, and flavorings. It is the addition of water that reduces the amount of fat in the product, although whipping also adds considerable air, which again replaces some of the fat. But if you are eating spreads such as those that have been around since the 60's and 70's, you are eating just as much fat as if you were eating real butter, just different fats. And in fact, those hydrogenated fats turn out to be less healthy than are the real fats.

There are better spreads currently available that are made from healthier fats, and that are made with no trans-fats (hydrogenated fats), that are healthier. But you have to read lables. Also, there are two camps concerning products made with canola oil. One camp swears its the healthiest oil on the planet, while the other camp swears that it is evil, destroy your brain and body stuff. So again, the choice is left up to you.

Let's call a spade a spade, shall we? Fats, any and all fats, even EVOO is a callorie rich food with little redeeming values. The better fats play important roles in the body, such as transporting fat-soluble nutrients, and acting as catalysts for bodily functions. These fats are essential for health, but must be used in moderation. Then there are fats that just taste good. Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are necessary for brain and nervous development and are found in flax, and fish oils. Vitamin E is a fat, and is an important anti-oxident. There is much information available on fats. I have seen some truly great explanations on this site, defining various fats and how they affect the body.

Basically, oils (fats) derived from seeds, fruits, and nuts are better to use, than are vegetable oils and animal fats. These include grape-seed oil, olive oil, avacado oil, saflower oil, sunflower oil, etc. The vegetable oils include corn oil, coton-seed oil, coconut oil, etc. And animal fats aren't even all to be painted bad. Fish oil from tuna other than albicore, and from members of the salmon/trout species are very high in omega-3 fatty acids. The downside being that some fish have significant amounts of methyl-mercury stored in their fats. Again, you have to do a bit of research.

Ok. I'm done now.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[keltin]

But if you are eating spreads such as those that have been around since the 60's and 70's, you are eating just as much fat as if you were eating real butter, just different fats. And in fact, those hydrogenated fats turn out to be less healthy than are the real fats.

Here’s the Country Crock spread we use.

40 Calories per Tbsp, and only 4 grams of fat, and only 1g of that is saturated. It has no Trans Fats (hydrogenated fats) and no Cholesterol.

Butter on the other hand has:
100 calories per Tbsp, 11 grams of fat, 7 being saturated, and 30 mg of cholesterol.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Here’s the Country Crock spread we use.

40 Calories per Tbsp, and only 4 grams of fat, and only 1g of that is saturated. It has no Trans Fats (hydrogenated fats) and no Cholesterol.

Butter on the other hand has:
100 calories per Tbsp, 11 grams of fat, 7 being saturate, and 30 mg of cholesterol.

If you look more closely at my post, you will see that I agree with you in that there are good spreads available today. I just stated that if you are eating the margerines as they were back in the 60's and 70's, such as Mazola, or Imperial Margerine, then you are eating 100% fat.

I use the "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" spray, which is mostly water. I don't use it for everything, but it does taste great on some things. My only problem with the spreads and sprays containing water, is that if you put them on something like hot toast, it will make the toast soggy.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[keltin]

If you look more closely at my post, you will see that I agree with you in that there are good spreads available today. I just stated that if you are eating the margerines as they were back in the 60's and 70's, such as Mazola, or Imperial Margerine, then you are eating 100% fat.

I was just showing the product we use since you said "if you are eating.....".

But, I suppose you probably meant "you" generically rather than you as in me.

 

[jpmcgrew]

And to make it more confusing I believe some butters taste better than others and some butters especially from europe do in fact taste more buttery.I has to do with what they graze on.

 

[Alix]

Holy crap.

 

[Katie H]

Wow! I never knew there was so much to talk about when it comes to butter/margarine. I can't wait to go to a dinner party. I won't be at a loss for conversation.

Interesting, though, I'm aways amazed at the variety on the grocery store shelves for the two products. Boggles my mind.

 

[jpmcgrew]

Holy crap.

LOL.I know its like leaving the kids at home alone

 

[keltin]

Wow! I never knew there was so much to talk about when it comes to butter/margarine. I can't wait to go to a dinner party. I won't be at a loss for conversation.

Interesting, though, I'm aways amazed at the variety on the grocery store shelves for the two products. Boggles my mind.

Kind of like that "How to boil an egg" thread. There was a ton of conversation for such a simple idea. Although, I did learn how to make the perfect boiled egg every time based on Julia Child's technique as disclosed in that thread. No more cracks or leaking eggs for me!

 

[Barbara L]

Holy crap.

No thanks--I prefer either butter or margarine! I just don't know about you Canadians!


Barbara

 

[LEFSElover]

well, one thing's for sure, after reading this, I'm brilliant!
My mind hasn't changed tho, butter always, cheapo/facsimile/blechy/yellow grundge, I'll pass and go without all together.
No other family members I know would say the same tho.