Reasons to Eat Butter

Let’s dig into butter nutrition: the benefits of butter, all the different types of butter (from conventional to organic to cultured), and how to include high-quality butter in your grocery budget.

I got lost in Google-land while researching for today’s post.

Getting lost on the internet is fun sometimes. I’ve stumbled across some really great stuff! But it’s not as much fun when you realize you’ve spent half of your writing time on research and have nothing actually written to show for it.

I digress.

I had two goals in mind with my research:

1. Find out why butter is good
2. Find out why butter is bad

And if you want to dig into butter nutrition too, today’s post is for you!

BUTTER NUTRITION: IS BUTTER GOOD FOR YOU?

When I asked, “Is butter good for you?”, Google returned a full page of sources.

Tally up the reasons listed on all those pages as to why butter is good for our health, and you’ll come up with quite a few distinct reasons, with all sorts of independent research and studies.

Asking “Is butter bad for you?”, Google returned a full page of results again, except that nearly half of those were really about how butter wasn’t bad for you.

While this certainly works in my favor (since we’re talking about why butter IS good for you), making my claims based on Google’s bad return of search results doesn’t exactly scream credible. So, I kept clicking those “relevant” links, got lost a bit more, and read what the skeptics had to say.

IS SATURATED FAT IN BUTTER BAD?

As it turns out, they all cling to one statement that isn’t even true: butter is saturated fat, and saturated fats clog the heart’s arteries. But we know the truth – fat in general and saturated fat specifically is not the bad guy!

Believe me – I tried to find other reasons to give a solid counterargument why we shouldn’t eat butter. But all the answers out there are weak.

• Besides the saturated fat statement, some say it’s also high in calories, and eating lots of high-calorie foods makes you fat. They recommend olive oil instead…

… yet olive oil has more calories per serving than butter.

• Others tack on the fact that butter contains dietary cholesterol and suggest margarine instead.

But most margarines contain trans fat, a substance that more closely resembles plastic than food and is toxic to our bodies.

• And to those who hold tightly to the incorrect saturated fat statement – that it clogs arteries?

I wonder if they knew that British researchers published a study in 1994 finding no association between saturated fatty acids and plaque. In fact, they found a direct correlation between arterial plaque and polyunsaturated fats and even suggest “current trends favoring increased intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids should be reconsidered!”

The research under the “con” column for eating butter is slim. I encourage you to get lost in your own search engine and see what others have to say about it. Come back and let us know in the comments. We’ll sift through the information together and try to make sense of it all.

BEYOND THE BUTTER NUTRITION LABEL: 13 BUTTER BENEFITS

Since I found many health benefits of butter (13, in fact!), I’m quitting my research for now so I can share those with you.

And there’s a loaf of freshly baked Rosemary Bread downstairs, waiting for its own generous smear of butter.

Is butter good for health? Read these 13 butter benefits and decide for yourself!

1. A SOURCE OF FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

Certain vitamins are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be absorbed through fat. Since our bodies need these vitamins to function properly, we must eat healthy fats in order to absorb them.

Butter is not only a natural source of Vitamins A, D, K, and E, but it’s the best source! These vitamins are fat-soluble, so consuming them through butter is the easiest way for our bodies to absorb them.

2. HELPS PREVENT TOOTH DECAY

When Dr. Weston Price was conducting research back in the 1940s, he found a compound in butter that played a vital role in preventing tooth decay and maintaining bone structure and strength (which makes sense since our teeth are essentially bones). He called it “activator X” back then, but Russian scientists discovered over 60 years later that this compound was really Vitamin K2.

Our body makes Vitamin K2 from K1 (found in green veggies like kale, spinach, and Swiss chard), but it makes it in a really small proportion, roughly a 10 to 1 conversion. A better way to get K2 would be to just eat butter!

In addition to tooth decay and bone loss, K2 also helps with blood clotting and heart health.

Vitamin K2 is also found in goose liver paste and goose legs, but let’s face it – eating butter just sounds tastier!

3. HELPS BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Lauric acid is a fatty acid not found in any other animal fat and is successfully used to treat a variety of viruses, bacterial infections, and fungal infections. In fact, researchers in the Philippines have begun studying the effect of lauric acid against HIV/AIDS because of its strong antiviral properties.

Breast milk, butter, and coconut oil are the only natural dietary sources of lauric acid. This may explain why research consistently finds fewer infections of all types in breast-fed babies…

4. HELPS MAINTAIN GASTROINTESTINAL HEALTH

Butter contains glycosphingolipids, a type of fat that protects against gastrointestinal infections that typically affect children and the elderly. Nourishing Traditions reports that children who drink skim milk have diarrhea at rates three to five times greater than children who drink whole milk. The milk fat in dairy products is beneficial!

Remember the dietary cholesterol that butter-haters say is bad? Our bodies actually need dietary cholesterol to help maintain the cells in our intestinal wall, as well as making estrogen, testosterone, and other vital compounds, essentially keeping them strong so the digestive system can properly do its job.

5. HELPS MANAGE WEIGHT

Contrary to popular belief, butter does not make you fat. The fatty acids in butter don’t even need to be broken down by our gut. They’re absorbed directly from the small intestine into the liver and converted into quick energy. It’s the long-chain fatty acids that are typically found in polyunsaturated oils and refined carbohydrates that are stored in our bodies as fat.

Butter contains the mineral iodine in a way that is very easy for our body to absorb. Our body requires iodine in order for the thyroid gland to function properly. The thyroid gland is what produces the hormones that regulate our metabolism. Since the body doesn’t make iodine, it must be consumed through our diet.

Our body is satiated when we feed it the nutrients contained in butter. This reduces our cravings for other non-nutrient-dense foods because we’ve actually given our body what it needs! What better way to manage our weight than to eat wholesome, simple, real food like butter?

So, does butter make you fat? All of these characteristics of butter say no!

6. AIDS IN OPTIMAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

The vitamins in butter are essential for children to grow properly, with the most important being Vitamin A, which the body uses to support growth, vision, and cell function. When she was younger, my daughter asked me nearly every morning for “buttered bread” for breakfast. Hearing her ask made me smile, and I was always happy to oblige!

7 MORE REASONS TO EAT BUTTER

Still not ready to eat butter? Here are a few more fun tidbits:

• Lauric acid treats fungal and yeast infections.
• Butter is a source of the vital mineral selenium, which helps the thyroid work properly.
• Contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a potent anti-cancer agent, a muscle builder, and an immunity booster.
• The only source of an anti-stiffness factor, which protects against the calcification of the joints.
• Anti-stiffness factor in butter also prevents hardening of the arteries, cataracts, and calcification of the pineal gland.
• May promote fertility in women.
• Contains Arachidonic Acid (AA), which plays a role in brain function and is a vital component of cell membranes.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUTTER

When trying to decode butter nutrition labels and figure out which is the best choice, it can get overwhelming. What does all of this butter lingo even mean? Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out which type of butter will work best for your family and your grocery budget.

CONVENTIONAL

Conventional butter is what we normally see at the grocery store. This is the plain Jane, nothing special about it, butter. If the label doesn’t have any other specifications (like organic, cultured, etc.), it is more than likely conventional.

This type of butter typically comes from big-farm cows, fed mostly grain.

Pros:

• Most affordable
• May contain small amounts of “Activator X,” Vitamin K2 if the cows are not fed cottonseed meal, high protein soy-based feeds, or hay

Cons:

• No protection against GMOs in the feed (more about GMOs here)
• Unless we know what the cows were fed, there’s no promise of K2
• Use of antibiotics and hormones is unknown, likely prevalent

ORGANIC

Organic butter comes from cows that are fed an organic diet. The grain feed and butter production processes conform to and are certified by the US Department of Agriculture.

Want to know what “organic” actually means? Read more here.

Pros:

• Protection against GMOs, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, and irradiation used in the feed (not allowed per organic certification guidelines)
• Cows used to produce butter were not treated with artificial hormones (important because 60-80% of the hormones injected into cows are filtered through to milk products)
• May contain small amounts of “Activator X,” Vitamin K2 if the cows are not fed cottonseed meal, high protein soy-based feeds, or hay

Cons:

• Unless we know what the cows were fed, there’s no promise of K2
• The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is unbalanced, with a higher level of omega 6
• On average, it costs twice as much as conventional butter

CULTURED

Cultured butter is made from cultured cream, meaning the cream has been fermented for a short time with good bacteria before being churned.

The United States requires products made from unpasteurized milk to age at least 60 days before being sold. This means manufacturers selling cultured cream in the U.S. have to add the bacteria cultures back into the cream after pasteurization, since the pasteurization process kills most culturing bacteria in the first place.

In my humble opinion, it doesn’t make sense to buy cultured butter unless you can guarantee it was produced by grass-fed cows. The difference in cost is simply too great. It would be better to obtain a high-quality crème fraiche from a cheesemaker, culture your own buttermilk with raw cream from a local grass-fed cow, and use that cultured cream to make cultured butter.

Pros:

• Contains good bacteria to help digestion and promote intestinal health
• May contain small amounts of “Activator X,” Vitamin K2 if the cows are not fed cottonseed meal, high protein soy-based feeds, or hay

Cons:

• Unless we know what the cows were fed, there’s no promise of K2
• The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is unbalanced, with a higher level of omega 6 (if produced with cream from grain-fed cows)
• The use of antibiotics and hormones is unknown unless you know the farmer
• On average, costs three times as much as conventional butter

RAW

Raw butter is made from raw cream. It has not been pasteurized in any way, so the beneficial enzymes originally found in the raw cream are in the butter as well. This really only makes a difference, though, if the cows were grass-fed.

Pros:

• The only butter that contains stigmasterol (a.k.a. The Wulzen Factor or the “antistiffness” factor), which, according to Nourishing Traditions, protects humans and animals from degenerative arthritis (calcification of the joints), the hardening of the arteries, cataracts, and calcification of the pineal gland
• Retains beneficial bacteria and enzymes from raw milk if cows were grass-fed

Cons:

• Prohibited to sell by federal regulations
• Must have access to larger amounts of raw cream to make at home
• The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is unbalanced, with a higher level of omega 6 (if produced with cream from grain-fed cows)
• The use of antibiotics and hormones is unknown unless you know the farmer

GRASS-FED

Grass fed butter comes from cows that are allowed to feed mostly or completely on pasture grass. This butter has been pasteurized (as the U.S. government does not allow the consumer sale of raw butter).

Pros:

• The only source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
• Contain high levels of “Activator X,” Vitamin K2, since the cows are not fed anything but grass
• Higher Vitamin A and carotene content (giving it the deep, rich yellow color)
• The ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is equal, 1 to 1
• A lesser chance of hormones and antibiotics

Cons:

• Made by a limited number of dairy farms
• Comparable in price to organic butter, approximately twice as much as conventional butter

GHEE

Ghee is clarified butter, a process in which the butter has been cooked longer so that more of the water evaporates, and the milk solids start to caramelize and separate from the liquid. You skim off those milk solids, and the oil you’re left with is ghee.

Pros:

• Shelf stable
• Has a more concentrated, nutty flavor
• Higher burn point than butter
• Can be tolerated by some people with dairy sensitivities

Cons:

• Not as many options as butter, meaning grass-fed or organic might be harder to find unless you make it yourself from cream
• 2 to 3 times more expensive than conventional butter

GOING BEYOND CALORIES IN BUTTER: WHICH BUTTER IS BEST?

So, which butter should you buy?

Essentially, we have to make the best decision we can when it comes to butter, weighing all of the options available, and going beyond just checking the calories in butter. We have to look beyond the butter nutrition facts and consider the true source of the food.

When you’re looking to buy the best quality butter you can, remember that butter is always better than vegetable oil, and some butter is better than no butter.

In my opinion, grass-fed butter is the best.

Any leftover money in my grocery budget gets invested in grass-fed butter. If you’re not ready to double (or triple) your investment in butter, here are some baby steps to help you out.

1. Switch one pound to grass-fed butter. If grass-fed butter is not in the budget, aim to buy one pound each month and use that butter strictly during raw consumption (i.e., toast or dinner rolls). Continue to use conventional butter for all your other butter needs.
2. Switch all of your raw butter to grass-fed. If you find extra wiggle room after you’ve upgraded one pound of butter each month to grass-fed, buy enough grass-fed butter to cover your family’s needs for raw consumption for the entire month. Continue to use conventional butter for baking and cooking.
3. Start to switch from conventional butter to organic butter. Once your family is eating grass-fed butter for all raw consumption needs on a regular basis, switch your conventional butter (what you’ve been using for everything else) to organic butter. Start with one pound the first month, slowly integrating the change into your budget over time. How long this takes will depend on how many pounds of butter you use in a month.
4. Exclusively buy grass-fed butter. Depending on how much grass-fed butter costs in your area and how much your family consumes, this may take several months to accomplish. Consider this a long-term goal, stocking up on what you can, when you can.
5. Extra challenge: Make raw butter from cream from local pastured cows. For those who enjoy a good challenge, try to locate a local farmer who sells cream from pastured cows. Make your own raw butter from this cream and use this for raw consumption.

WHERE TO BUY HIGH-QUALITY BUTTER

In order to get the maximum amount of nutrients from your butter, you need to source good butter. Good butter comes from grass-fed, pastured cows. If it’s also organic and cultured, you’re doing even better. If it’s also fresh from a local farm, you’ve scored the best butter around!

Quality butter brands that I’ve seen in my local stores, like Costco and Kroger, include Kerrygold and Organic Valley. (Aldi also sometimes stocks Kerrygold for an incredible price!)

Tropical Traditions carries a few varieties of quality butter. It’s worth ordering from them when they have free shipping and discounts on coconut oil, too. US Wellness Meats carries grass-fed butter that compares to Kerrygold.

If you like to order in bulk, Azure Standard has a variety of organic butters. Another brand that’s been recommended to me is Kalona. I haven’t found it locally, and my favorite online stores like Thrive Market don’t carry cold goods.

To really get the best butter possible, you can make your own butter from raw cream. This process is a little more involved and can still be expensive. You can decide for yourself if it’s worth the time to make your own butter.

IS BUTTER GOOD FOR HEALTH AND OTHER FAQS

HOW TO STORE BUTTER

Most of us in the US were trained to store our butter and eggs in the refrigerator. And yes, that is the best place for eggs (unless you get farm-fresh eggs that have not been washed). Butter, however, can be stored on the counter for a decent amount of time without any problems.

I’m sure you can agree with me that soft butter is so much better for toast and baking! Butter on the counter can be stored in a nifty butter crock. Some use water to help seal out any potential issues. But if you go through butter quickly, a simple covered butter dish works too.

This means you get the softness of whipped butter or spreadable butter without the addition of vegetable oils that typical store-bought butter spreads include.

If you purchase butter in bulk, you will want to refrigerate or freeze it. If I find a great deal on one of my favorite brands of butter, I don’t mind stocking up and filling the freezer!

BUTTER NUTRITION: THE BOTTOM LINE

Is butter good for you? I think so! Butter has a multitude of benefits.

If you currently use conventional butter, consider the baby steps listed above to improve the quality of the butter you consume.

And if you’re worried about the calories and fat in butter, remember that those are just tools. What they’re made of matters too! Grass-fed butter is a satiating, real food source for the fat that your body needs to function properly. So go ahead and spread some on your slice of bread!