You may have noticed the wide range of margarines and butters available in your supermarket. The question isn’t really margarine or butter,  it’s more which margarine or butter? There are endless choices, which can lead to confusion. The following glossary will help demystify your selection.

Blended margarines are table spreads made by combining margarine and butter. They’re considered to have the taste profile of butter but the nutritional value and texture of margarine. Due to legislation surrounding the definition ‘margarine’ and ‘butter’ these spreads will have names such as ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter’, ‘Buttery’ or will include the word ‘blend’.

Clarified butter is formed when butter is melted and the milk solids (observed as the thicker cream-coloured layer that generally settles at the bottom) are removed. Once milk solids have been removed, the remaining butter has a higher smoke point and can be cooked at a very high heat without burning, making it ideal for sautéing. Clarified butter has a longer shelf life than fresh butter.

Ghee is clarified butter which has had the water content removed by evaporation. It has a longer shelf life than butter and as long as it’s in an air-tight container doesn’t require refrigeration. It’s commonly used in Indian cooking.

Light / Lite / Reduced Fat or Reduced Calorie Margarines contain less fat than standard varieties of margarine so are recommended if you’re watching your weight or total fat intake. These varieties are best used for spreading and topping but not for baking or frying.

Due to the reduced fat content, they don’t have the same qualities that butter or margarines with higher fat levels – although fat adds calories it also contributes to the texture and browning properties of food. You can identify the percentage of fat present in your margarine by looking at the ingredients listing.

Plant Sterol Margarines are margarines that have been fortified with plant sterols. Plant sterols are naturally found in vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables and work by partially inhibiting the absorption of cholesterol in the gut. Research suggests that eating plant sterols can reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad type) when consumed in conjunction with a healthy diet and physical activity.

For plant sterol margarines to be effective in reducing LDL cholesterol a certain quantity must be consumed each day so make sure you read the fine print on the front of pack or speak with your doctor. They’re more expensive than standard margarines so reserve them for those with high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart disease. They might not be appropriate for breastfeeding and pregnant women so check with your doctor before using. ‘Pro Activ’ and ‘Logicol’ are brands of plant sterol margarines available in New Zealand.

Unsalted butter is just that – butter with no added salt. It has a shorter shelf-life than salted butter and differs in flavor, obviously less salty. Some recipes will request unsalted butter and this really just enables you to control the amount of salt in your food (generally for health reasons or when cooking sweet foods like desserts)…ironically the recipe may at a later stage request you to add salt so add at your discretion!

Endorsed by our New World Nutritionist  ||   Proudly Partnering with Parents Centre

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