Butter Or Cheese- Which Is Better? | Health Vectors Blog (2024)

FAQs

Butter Or Cheese- Which Is Better? | Health Vectors Blog? ›

Lipid Profile: Cheese is healthier from the point of view of the heart. This is because the cholesterol and saturated fat content of cheese is much lesser as compared to butter. So if a heart patient has to choose between butter and cheese, he/she should definitely go for the latter.

What Are The Nutritional Differences? Cheese helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis because it has a higher percentage of calcium whereas butter helps to build healthier muscles. Butter exfoliates dead skin whereas cheese has properties that nourish the skin. Cheese contains less fat compared to butter.

Despite eating more fat than had been in their normal diet, the cheese eaters showed no increase in LDL or total cholesterol. While eating butter, however, the same subjects had LDL levels about seven percent higher on average.

Cream cheese is generally a healthier option due to its lower calorie and fat content and higher protein levels. It can be an ideal spread or dip for those on a calorie-restricted or high-protein diet. If you prefer butter's flavor but want less fat, light butter is a tasty alternative.

Scientists around the world simultaneously showed that saturated fat—the kind in butter and lard—increases both “bad” LDL cholesterol and “good” HDL cholesterol, making it similar to carbohydrates overall but not as beneficial to health as polyunsaturated fats from nuts and vegetables.

High-fat dairy products like butter have been linked to a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart problems. Still, butter is high in calories and saturated fat and should be enjoyed in moderation. It's best to consume it alongside a mix of heart-healthy fats like olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

REALITY. You don't have to cut cheese out of your diet, but if you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, use high-fat cheeses sparingly. A 30g portion of cheese provides seven per cent of your daily calories and there can be more salt in a portion of cheddar than in a packet of crisps.

Even so, recommendations are to limit the intake of saturated fats, follow a Mediterranean style diet, or to reduce or to maintain serum triglyceride levels below 1.7 mmol/L (4). On the contrary, observational studies have shown that cheese intake is associated with lower serum triglycerides (5, 6).

Is it healthier to eat a bagel with butter or cream cheese? ›

Cream cheese is healthier than butter; at 2 Tablespoons, the calorie count is just 98, there are only 10 grams of fat, and you do get a tiny bit of protein (less than 2 grams). The real trick here is not guesstimating – it's easy to smear 2 Tablespoons on each half and then you've made it just as bad for you as butter.

The best cheeses for heart disease are the ones with less saturated fat and sodium. Swiss cheese is probably the best choice, with only 53 mg of sodium per ounce. Mozzarella, goat and ricotta cheeses also fall on the lower side of the sodium scale, with about 130 milligrams per serving.

You can enjoy practically any bagel in moderation, though whole-grain bagels provide more satiating fiber and protein. That said, bagels can be high in sodium, so make sure you're mindful of the other sources of sodium in your diet when you eat them. Be mindful of portion sizes, since bagels can be large.

“One of the most interesting findings of this paper was that butter induces a significantly greater increase in LDL cholesterol than cheese,” says Brassard. “So saturated fat in cheese and saturated fat in butter do not behave the same when they are digested,” he says.

Eating a lot of foods high in saturated fats raises “bad” LDL cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in fatty cuts of red meat and dairy products. No more than 10% of your daily calories should come from saturated fats.

Healthier alternatives to butter or margarine include olive oil and other vegetable oil–based spreads, which contain beneficial mono- and polyunsaturated fats. Next time you tear into a warm loaf of bread or roll, consider dipping it in olive oil rather than coating it in butter.

CHEESE. Cream cheese, mascarpone, ricotta and even cottage cheese can replace the butter in many recipes. Use high-quality whole milk cheeses in a 1:1 ratio for butter and consider straining ricotta or cottage cheeses through cheesecloth to help ensure they aren't adding too much liquid to your recipe.

Butter is high in calories and fat—including saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. Use this ingredient sparingly, especially if you have heart disease or are looking to cut back on calories. The American Heart Association's current recommendation is to limit your consumption of saturated fat.