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Butter Vs. Margarine Controversy

For years we have been sworn off eating butter, largely due to its high fat and calorie content. But more speculation has arisen as to whether or not margarine is really a healthier alternative. Although they are both sources of fat, butter and margarine contain different kinds of fat, which is important when deciding which one is healthier. Butter is made from saturated fat in cow´s milk, which doesn’t make butter a very healthy option, particularly for people watching their weight. Saturated fat is a bad fat that raises LDL (bad cholesterol).

Margarine is made from vegetable oil which means it contains no cholesterol. Instead, margarine is higher in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, the good fats. However, margarine is formed by a process called hydrogenation which turns liquid oil into a solid. This process turns the once unsaturated oil into a saturated fat and also creates high levels of trans fats. These fats are responsible for raising LDL cholesterol which can lead to disease. Trans fat can increase blood insulin levels, which increases the risk for diabetes. While butter contains less trans fat then margarine, butter has a higher saturated fat content overall, so it’s consistently deemed unhealthier. In actual fact, butter has a higher nutritional content than margarine What so many fail to realize is that margarine is largely a “fake food.” Where as butter is made from all natural products, margarine is not. For a food to truly be deemed healthy, it should be made from natural ingredients. This way the body recognizes it and thus processes it effectively. Shockingly, margarine does NOT contain fewer calories than butter.

Tips for choosing margarines and butter:

Select a margarine with the lowest trans fat content possible, with less than 2 grams of saturated and trans fats. Look for “whipped butter,” light or reduced-calorie butter. There are also spreadable butters with vegetable oils added. These products have less fat and calories than regular butter. In general, if you prefer the fact that butter is a natural product and that it tastes better, just use less of it! Have Little To None.

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Choose Wisely When You Book One The Resorts in Delhi NCR

The capital of India, Delhi is not just a socio-economic and political destination of the country, but it is also a popular tourist spot. Because of its old and revered history, its strong diversity and influences from different rulers and kingdoms, the city has become a hub that must be visited and explored once in a lifetime. Being one of the major centres for a variety of activities in India, Delhi is one of the best places where everyone will have something to allure them. But when it comes to booking one of the resorts in Delhi NCR or National Capital Region, it is recommended that you choose wisely. After all, there isn’t a dearth of hotels in Gurgaon and other Delhi regions. Therefore, make sure that you get something that fulfils your requirements.

Here is a brief guide on how you can intelligently book any of the resorts in Delhi NCR.

Start by asking yourself the motive or your visit. For instance, if you are planning to visit the city for business purposes or financial prospects, then choosing hotels in Gurgaon is your best option. Gurgaon is a popular National Capital Region that is widely known for its blooming IT sector. It is the hub for popular multinationals and Indian start-ups.

Therefore, accommodating yourself in one of the hotels in Gurgaon is your best option. If you are planning on visiting different locations such as manmade structures, markets or places of interest, even then booking one of the best resorts in Delhi NCR could be the best thing. This is because these hotels in NCR are generally more affordable than hotels in South Delhi and other regions, at the same time they provide you more proximity with several other cities and local places of interest. Hence, you get to see two places at once.

Now, before you book any of the hotels in Gurgaon or resorts in Delhi NCR, make sure that you check the list of hotels online. Prefer to choose a hotel that has its own website because that will provide you plenty of idea about the kind of services you can expect from a hotel and the facilities that they will provide you for different prices. At the same time, you can also get yourself a deal.

It is recommended that when you choose any of the hotels in Gurgaon, you must opt for bed and breakfast schemes. These are generally cheaper in the long. Having hotel close to a metro station or local markets is one of the best ways to make your stay more comfortable and cheaper.

Try these wiser schemes and you will surely get a hotel that you want. Enjoy a memorable trip!

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What are ultra short term funds and how they differ from short term funds

When considering investing in funds that are liquid and also fetch you marginally higher returns than short-term funds, you must try ultra-short term funds. Earlier referred to as liquid plus funds, ultra short term funds invest in very short term debt securities. So basically, smaller portions of the funds are invested in longer term debt securities. Here the investor’s risk goes up by a notch, so as to earn corresponding degree of returns. Ultra short term funds are favorable to investors who have some surplus funds to park for nearly nine months.

Having defined what are ultra-short-term funds (also referred to as ultra ST funds) below are a few points that clearly differentiate short term funds and ultra ST funds. Also these can help the investor’s to look at both the funds very objectively and choose what best suits them between the both.

Maturity

While short term funds/ liquid funds offer a maturity up to ninety days, the average being 45-60 days. Ultra short-term funds generally lay emphasis on securities with maturity over 90 days, average being 150 days or less. How liquid you wish your fund to be and for what duration can you park your money will help you decide which fund fits the maturity criterion.

Market Volatility

Largely there is no mark-to-market requirement in case of liquid funds, so the NAV valuation happens on accrual basis. Whereas in case of ultra ST funds the securities with maturity over 90 days require a change in yield to be recorded on daily basis based on the change in the market price. This makes the NAV more volatile. However, the impact is not high and only minimalizes the impact of price change.

Risk

Due to low maturity period short term funds/liquid funds are less risky than ultra-short term funds. The high risk factor of ultra ST funds protects against interest rate risk, but is not immune to market fluctuations.

NAV on Redemption

Transfer of funds beyond a time span gets your NAV of previous day in case of liquid funds, whereas in case of ultra ST funds there’s no such provision.

Tax Implications

Short term funds are subject to a dividend distribution tax of 25% and for ultra short term funds, tax is 12.5 %.

Exit Load

There’s no exit load attached to liquid funds, but ultra ST funds charge an exit load ranging between 0.1-1%, if redeemed before the said time that generally ranges from between one week to six months. The exit load attached ensures stability to manage the fund outflow and is advantageous for investors as it reduces the NAV volatility.

Consider the border line differences between both the funds when choosing between the two. While one gives better liquidity, there are better returns attached with ultra ST funds. Though both the funds give around 8.5-9.5% and are considered relatively less risky because of short maturity, they make good instruments to park funds. Check and ensure what works best for your investment criterion and if unable to choose what’s best, seek advice of a fund manager, a money market expert or an asset management company that is dependable like Reliance Mutual Funds.

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