Milk extracted from cow’s milk is characterized by its light and soft taste, and is often used as a main ingredient in various foods and dishes. It is well known for its high content of abundant high-quality protein and various essential nutrients such as vitamin B and calcium, which strengthens the skeleton and has various beneficial effects on the body. In addition, it has the advantage that it can be consumed in various processed forms such as cheese depending on various processing processes and additives. Butter is one of the dairy products made by processing milk. Due to its unique nutty flavor, it is widely used as a main ingredient in various confectionery and bread making, and is widely used as a food ingredient in various dishes. Butter is sometimes confused with margarine. However, margarine is a food that is similar to butter in only the form, but has completely different ingredients, additives, and procedures for processing. So today, let’s take a closer look at how butter and margarine differ.
Difference Between Butter and Margarine
Butter is a dairy product made by separating the fat contained in milk to make cream, then stirring it vigorously to coagulate it and then coagulate it. The main ingredients consist of fat and water, and it is divided into salted butter and unsalted butter depending on whether salt is added, natural butter and processed butter depending on whether or not additives are added, and fermented butter and emotional butter depending on whether or not lactic acid bacteria are added. . In addition, since butter consists mainly of fat from milk, if left unattended for a long time, it will cause rancidity due to oxidation of fat.
Margarine is a fatty food made to replace butter. It refers to food solidified by mixing refined vegetable or animal oil in an appropriate ratio and adding emulsifiers, colorants, flavorings, and salts. Margarine with this manufacturing process is said to have been developed in 1867 by the chemist Apollyte Mejuvurier at the order of Napoleon III, the emperor of France. It is said that they made margarine that is inexpensive and can be stored for a long time in order to supply enough to the people and the military in place of expensive butter.
Margarine, which was first developed, was made using hydrogenated oil of fish oil or whale oil. Since then, with the development of various technologies, butter flavor has been added and fermented milk has been added to control the flavor, and the demand has gradually increased. It has also gained great popularity as it is nutritionally supplemented by fortifying vitamin A and D ingredients.
The health effects of butter and margarine have been debated for a long time. Butter has a high ratio of saturated fat, which is harmful to blood vessel health, but margarine has a high ratio of unsaturated fat, so margarine is a healthier food than butter. It is said that the opinion that there is nothing good for health compared to butter has been debated for a long time.
However, as it became known that the process of hydrogenating liquid vegetable oil during the manufacturing process of margarine produces trans fats, the negative perception of margarine has increased. Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fatty acid, but unlike the unsaturated fatty acids contained in fish and legumes, it has the characteristic of adversely affecting vascular health. Currently, to compensate for these shortcomings, margarine with no or minimal trans fat content is being released.
As such, butter and margarine are competing with each other due to differences in manufacturing process and the generation of trans fats. Butter is about 747Kcal per 100g, and margarine is also high in calories, reaching 721Kcal per 100g. In addition, since both butter and margarine are mainly composed of fat, excessive consumption over a long period of time can lead to weight gain and adverse health effects, so it is recommended to consume in an appropriate amount.
