We're always being told that it is better to eat more natural. It would seem that milk from cows is natural but what about butter made from milk? In the shops you are able to find various substitutes to butter - such as margarine. Is margarine really such a healthier alternative as it claims? We evaluate the very important question that is constantly being asked: What is better for you Butter or Margarine?

We've heard conflicting reports over the years, so we're going to find out once and for all what's better for us — butter or margarine?

Eleven recent studies that directly evaluated the health effects of margarine versus butter have all confirmed that soft margarine is healthier. These 11 studies, involving more than 70,000 individuals, clearly demonstrate the cholesterol-lowering benefits of margarine products compared to butter.

Although some fat is essential, health professionals recommend that we reduce the total of fat in our diet. It is important to pay attention to both the amount and type of fat eaten. Both butter and margarine are 80% fat and are made with many of the same ingredients, namely fats and oils. The type of fat they contain is the difference between them. Butter is made from milk/dairy fat which is high in saturated fat and also contains trans fat. Blood cholesterol levels are raised by both saturated and trans fat.

Switching to margarine from butter can greatly reduce blood cholesterol levels according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Keeping blood cholesterol under control is a key factor in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Health professionals recommend choosing margarine instead of butter as one of the simplest ways people can improve their diets to become more heart-healthy.

Margarines are made from natural vegetable oils. If they are hardened by hydrogenation then trans fats will be formed. It is therefore best to choose a margarine/spread that is non-hydrogenated, low in saturated fat and contains mono and polyunsaturated fat that help lower blood cholesterol levels. Not one of the Unilever Margarine and spreads contains any trans fats.

Margarine is clearly the heart-healthy choice recommended by health professionals and leading health organizations. Margarine's that have removed the trans fatty acids from their product has received the endorsement from the heart foundation. So, just because butter comes straight from nature doesn't mean it's healthier for you.