MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Margarine vs butter

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Margarine vs butter

The fats in margarine have a lower risk for causing heart damage than the fats in butter, because butter contains saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. A diet high in saturated fat may cause a soft, waxy substance, called cholesterol, to build up in the arteries.

Update Date: 8/6/2007

Updated by: Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD, family physician specializing in nutrition, fitness, and preventive health, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, and Assistant Clinical Professor, St. Louis University's School of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine.

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