Butter for Baked Goods

September 19, 2008

In the past I used margarine for all my baking. It was supposed to be better for you and it was cheaper. What could be better?

Of course, there was the healthy peer-pressure (or guilt). Butter? You are using butter? Oh no!

Then down the pipe came the trans fat awareness efforts. Saving a few extra bucks wasn’t worth all this newly recognized deadly fat.

There’s a lot of debate about the butter vs. margarine thing especially since a Harvard School of Public Health study linked hydrogenated-fatty acid (margarine) use to heart attacks in women a few years ago. Most likely due to the trans fats which have been found to raise LDL cholesterol and lower HDL. A very bad senerio.

I found this from a Harvard HEALTHBEAT pub in 05:

The truth is, there never was any good evidence that using margarine instead of
butter cut the chances of having a heart attack or developing heart disease.
Making the switch was a well-intentioned guess, given that margarine had
less saturated fat than butter, but it overlooked the dangers of trans fats.

Wow, I wonder how many other things that are marketed as good for us are guesses. Sugar replacers, HFCS maybe.

In recent years, I’ve gotten back to butter when it comes to baking. One reason is because many original recipes I have from the past call for butter. I think it yields a better product, more like it is supposed to be. It tastes better to me and if you are going to splurge you should truly enjoy your food.

Margarine is really a fake food because of all the processing it has gone through. Sometimes it is tempting to pick it up to save a buck. Yes, I am very budget conscious, but I always change my mind.

Now when it comes to fat, there is no question that olive oil and other veggie oils are superior for health. When it comes to baking though, over the past few years I’ve gone back to butter.
Like anything else with saturated fat, overdoing it is not a good thing. But if you are making your own baked goods and know exactly what goes into them, to me, it is fine in moderation if you are a healthy person and eat animal products.

Photo by ronnieb, www.morguefile.com

You Might Also Like

  • VeggieGirl September 19, 2008 at 5:16 am

    Great information, as always! :0)

  • laura September 19, 2008 at 7:15 am

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  • laura September 19, 2008 at 7:16 am

    My grandma always used to call margarine “oleo” 🙂

  • Erica September 21, 2008 at 7:05 pm

    I think that butter makes a MUCH better end product. I always use it in cookies if I have it on hand!

  • Lori September 22, 2008 at 3:15 am

    I’ve gotten into that habit too. Much better cookies. 🙂

  • JustSmartLiving September 24, 2008 at 12:35 pm

    I’ve always thought, if you’re going to use it…butter is better. In moderation of course 🙂

  • Lori September 25, 2008 at 6:52 am

    Hi justsmartliving! Thanks for your comment. I agree. I hope that this is the kind of thinking that is coming back around. In healthy moderation of course ;).

  • Want to create beautiful food and product photos that you can't wait to share?!
    Discover your style, control the light, and shoot using the tool you know how to use (yes, your phone included). Learn about free resources, Live Q&As with Lori, and online courses you can take from anywhere in the world!
    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.