Butter or margarine? A food scientist describes their subtle chemical deviations and how they can affect your baked goods

Butter and margarine are both made up of long fatty acid chains, but some slight chemical differences mean differences in how they melt.

By: Rosemary Trout, Drexel University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 10, 2026

Words: 1,181

Last Updated: 1 day, 12 hours ago

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By Rosemary Trout, Drexel University

My mother loves butter. It is the primary fat I ate growing up. She smeared it on any kind of bread, potatoes, nut rolls or coffeecake. She baked with it exclusively.

When I was studying nutrition in college, I had a teaching assistant who recommended margarine over butter. I was shocked – and wondered about the difference between the two. It was one of the things that sparked my interest …

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