Years ago, butter was shunned by a vast amount of the population when its saturated fat contents were linked to a higher risk of heart disease.
Many people reluctantly gave up its savoury flavour and made the switch to margarine because it had less saturated fat.
Of course, its surge in popularity brought the risks associated with margarine to light, most importantly – the overlooked dangers of trans-fats.
Butter was replaced by margarine without any questions asked – despite any evidence to show that consuming margarine reduced the chances of developing heart-related disease.
Fast-forward to today, and we now know that margarine’s high levels of trans-fat increases blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease in not one, but two ways.
Similar to saturated fat, trans fat increases levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) – which is bad cholesterol.
Additionally, (and unlike saturated fat) trans fat also lowers levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) – which is the good cholesterol our body needs.
Margarine can contain flavouring agents, yellow food pigments, emulsifiers and preservatives – it is a processed food. Butter is completely natural and it has been eaten for thousands of years.
From recent research, we now know that the body creates cholesterol of its own and in much larger amounts than what we eat. Cholesterol in food does not necessarily affect your blood cholesterol levels. In countries where cows are
grass fed, butter consumption is associated with a dramatic reduction in heart disease. The milk, from grass fed cows especially, produces butter higher in K2 and Omega 3 fatty acids, both of which are incredibly important for good
health.
At Gourmet Meals, we use butter in our recipes rather than margarine, because we believe in using natural products that are processed as little as possible. A bit of fat in our diet is necessary within moderation; at Gourmet Meals, all the meals are fat reduced. They are portion controlled as well as salt-reduced, high in protein and fibre, and all the meals are gluten free resulting in a healthy ready meal option.
Check out our menu today to discover the wide range of healthy meals that can be delivered straight to your door.
Tags: Butter, Margarine, Trans Fats, Saturated Fats, Meals Delivered, Healthy Meals
