Why Might Butter Be Healthier

Lower Omega-6 Levels

Many margarines are high in Omega-6. Not only does this replace the healthy Omega-3 fatty-acids in the body, it can also cause inflammation and make cardiovascular disease more likely.

Omega-6 is a polyunsaturated fatty-acid. We hear "unsaturated" and we automatically think "good". But not all polyunsaturated fats are good for us. The 2013 study in the British Medical Journal found an increased rate of death in males with heart disease with low-fat dietary intervention from 11% with butter to 17.2% with margarine.

Lower risk of death

People who ate butter in the 2013 BMJ study were found to have a 35% decreased chance of dying with cardiovascular disease, and a 29% reduced chance of dying with all causes.

Higher Saturated Fat

We may balk when we hear "saturated fat", but saturated fat is not our enemy. A study by the University of Cambridge found that saturated fat in dairy may protect against diabetes. Another study by McMaster University found no link between ill health and saturated fat.

Healthy saturated fat also raises the "good" HDL cholesterol and helps change your LDL cholesterol from small LDL cholesterol (which is bad) to large LDL cholesterol (which is neutral).

Rich in Conjugated Linoleic Acid

CLA has such a powerful affect on your metabolism that it's actually available in some places as a weight-loss supplement. Conjugated Linoleic Acid may also lower your risk of developing cancer. All those magical properties, and all you have to do is spread it on your toast.

Full of healthy vitamins

Butter is one of the best natural sources of Vitamins A, D, E, K, and the mineral Selenium. While some of these vitamins may be added in artificial form to some margarines, it's best to try and get your vitamins naturally, if possible.

Butter is preferred by specialists

Dr. Aseem Malhotra, London cardiologist and advisor to the National Obesity Forum would always advise clients to choose butter. He believes butter is neither harmful nor helpful but is "neutral". However, he has serious doubts about the long-term use of margarine, saying: "I believe it's potentially harmful."

Chemicals in margarine can be harmful

Margarine contains chemicals called emulsifiers, which makes it smooth enough to spread. Recent research suggests that these chemicals may damage your gut and cause inflammatory bowel disease. This inflammation may, according to researchers at Georgia State University, lead to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Isn't it ironic: we all switched to margarine to avoid the very conditions it may be causing.

Who can't eat butter

Most people will be able to enjoy a thin scraping of butter on their toast, or a little pea-sized piece of butter on their potatoes or cabbage.

However, there are some people who can't have a diet high in saturated fat, and who would be better avoiding butter. If you have gallstones, liver disease, or certain types of cancer, you'll need a low-fat diet and should stick to margarine.

READ Twenty-Five Foods That You Probably Didn't Realize Are Too High in Salt

Should I switch to butter?

New research suggests no link between heart disease and the saturated fats in butter. In fact, modern research suggests butter may be better for your gut, your heart, and your general health.

So, if you don't have a reason to avoid fats, now might be the time to reacquaint yourself with an old dairy friend, who goes so well with everything.