Alternative NamesButter vs. margarineInformationIs margarine healthier than butter? Neither is ideal, because butter is loaded with saturated fat, and almost all margarines have some saturated fat and trans fatty acids. However, if you must use one or the other, margarine may be better than butter.Here are some guidelines:Use canola or olive oil instead of butter or margarine.Choose soft margarine (tub or liquid) over harder stick forms.Choose margarines with liquid vegetable oil as the first ingredient.Even better, choose "light" margarines that list water as the first ingredient, because these are even lower in saturated fat.If you have high cholesterol, talk to your doctor about using margarines made from plant sterols or stanols. These substances, made from soybean and pine tree oils,