Choose Butter!

Butter is a very common, food item that is found in most kitchens throughout the United States. Butter is a major part of western diet.   

In our home, I grew up eating butter on toast, bagels, pancakes, and waffles. We also cooked with it. I love toasting a slice of bread with butter spread on top. Mmm... so good! Butter has so many great uses. I especially love butter on freshly popped, popcorn with salt - a Sunday evening tradition for us!  

Growing up, I remember visiting my Grandmas (one lived much closer to us than the other), and both of them used something other than real butter. They both used margarine. As a girl, I remember liking the taste of margarine at my Grandma's house more than the butter we used at home. I never understood why my mom used butter instead. 

I was born in the early 1980's, so my childhood years were in the 1980's and 1990's. During my teenage years, I remember asking my mom why we used butter instead of margarine. My mom said there was a debate then about which one was better for your health. Doctors were not completely sure.

Because butter falls into the category of being dairy, that is a problem for some people. Margarine is made from oil - not dairy. 

However, margarine is usually made from hydrogenated oils. As I wrote in my last blog post, hydrogenated oils are not good for you. 

My mom said that she didn't know for a while which one was better. I remember my mom using margarine for a brief time when I was growing up. Primarily though, my mom has purchased butter. 

In more recent years, I stumbled across something that ended that whole debate for me about which one was better for our health. I saw a picture like this one. (below) 

I think ants might very well give us the answer! In speaking of ants, the Bible says: 

"Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise." Proverbs 6:6

The context of this verse is not about butter. This verse is talking about lazy men (sluggars) who do not want to work. God's Word encourages men like that to consider how dedicated ants are to their work. According to the Bible, there is wisdom there!  

But I also think we can learn from ants by watching what they eat with butter versus margarine. As the picture shows, they will not eat margarine because it is not a natural food; it is processed. 

Earlier this year, I went through favorite recipes of mine that I’ve saved over the years. If margarine was in any recipe, I replaced it with butter.  

As thanksgiving approaches, my mom usually has extra butter on hand because butter (and sage!) is a major ingredient in our delicious, homemade, stuffing recipe passed down to us from my Grandma! I also discovered from friends a few years ago who season their turkey more than we do, that butter (and sage!) is also the secret to a delicious, savory turkey! Their turkey was the best I've ever tasted!

The Bible speaks of butter in many places! 

Isaiah 7:15 says: 

"Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." 

Obviously, margarine was not around in ancient times. (they used real oil, not processed!) 

Once again, I think the Bible (and ants God created) gives us the answer as to whether butter or margarine is better!

Choose butter! 

As a side note: 

This post is not encouraging you to eat a lot of butter. Butter is dairy, and therefore, it has saturated fat in it. Moderation is key. 

This post is encouraging you to choose butter over processed margarine. 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, and I have no medical training. The things I share on this blog are simple, practical things that I've learned help with good health.