A: Butter is made by taking cream from whole milk and churning it until the fat is separated from the liquid, making a semisolid consistency. Margarine is composed mostly of vegetable oils, which are unsaturated fat. The oils are then chemically modified to make a spreadable, creamy consistency. That modification process is called hydrogenation. The structure of that molecule is changed into a trans configuration. This is why most margarines contain trans fat, which is an unhealthy fat, and consuming too much of this will increase the risk for cardiovascular disease. So, which one is better? Although butter contains a higher amount of saturated fat, it has no trans fat, which is proven to cause cardiovascular disease. There are also yogurt based spreads that can be an alternative to either butter or margarine.

E-mail nutrition questions to the Semper Fit dietitian at bowmant@usmc-mccs.org.