13 Reasons to Eat Butter

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

Getting lost in 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:

1. find why butter is good
2. find why butter is bad

I’ve already read the chapter on fat in Nourishing Traditions. So I know what Sally Fallon and the Weston A. Price foundation had to say on the topic.  But I wanted to know what other researchers and nutritionists have said too.

On the first question, Google returned a full page of sources.  A couple hits were bloggers referencing sources on that same first page of results, but even those bloggers are reputable sources in and of themselves.

Tally up the reasons listed on all those pages as to why butter is good for our health and you’ll come up with no less than twenty distinct and legitimate reasons, fully backed up by independent research and studies.

On the second topic, Google returned a full page again, except that nearly half of those results we 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), staking my claim 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.

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 – that not only is it good for our bodies, but saturated fat is a necessity.

Believe me – I tried to find other reasons to give a solid counter-argument 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 make 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 dietary cholesterol is required in order to prevent intestinal disorders such as leaky gut, and 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.

Meanwhile, I’m moving on.  Those umpteen reasons of why butter is good for our bodies are screaming at me to be written.

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

13 Reasons to Eat Butter

A Source of Fat Soluble Vitamins

I’ve discussed how certain vitamins are fat-soluble – meaning they can only be absorbed through fat.  Since our bodies needs these vitamins to function properly, we must eat fat 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.

Dr. Weston A. Price, founder of the Weston A. Price Foundation, extensively studied the effects of butter on various societies.  He concluded that without fat-soluble vitamins, our bodies are not able to use the minerals we ingest, regardless of how abundant we may be consuming them.  In fact, he went as far as to state that fat-soluble vitamins are required for the absorption of water-soluble vitamins! (source)

Helps Prevent Tooth Decay

When Dr. Price was conducting his research back in the 1940’s, 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 is also being researched for its potential at reversing arterial calcification, as a therapy for rheumatoid arthritis, preventing prostate cancer and in treating leukemia and lung cancer.  More studies need to be done I’m sure, but three-cheers for butter!

P.S. – Vitamin K₂ is also found in goose liver paste and goose legs, but let’s face it – eating butter just sounds yummier.

Helps Boost the Immune System

A portion of the fatty acids in butter are short- and medium-chained.  These types of saturated fat contain antimicrobial (kills or inhibits the growth of microorganisms), antitumor (inhibits the growth of tumors) and immune-system strengthening properties.  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. (source)

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…

Helps Maintain Gastrointestinal Health

Butter contains glycosphingolipids, a type of fat that protects against gastro-intestinal infections that typically affect children and the elderly.  Nourishing Traditions reports children who drink skim milk have diarrhea at rates three to five times greater than children who drink whole milk.

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, essentially keeping them strong so the digestive system can properly do its job.

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 regular 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 butter!

Aids in Optimal Growth and Development

Once again, breast milk is touted as best for babies and not only is it high in cholesterol, but over 50% of its calories are butterfat.

The vitamins in butter are absolutely essential for children to grow properly with the most important being Vitamin A.  Which plays an important role in developing sex characteristics, healthy bones, and in developing the brain and nervous systems.  My daughter asks me nearly every morning for “buttered bread” for breakfast.  Hearing her ask makes me smile, and I’m always happy to oblige!

Still not ready to eat butter?  Here are a few more fun tidbits thanks to Body Ecology.

• Lauric acid treats fungal and yeast infections.
• A very rich source of the vital mineral selenium.
• Contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a potent anti-cancer agent, muscle builder, and immunity booster.
• The only source of an anti-stiffness factor, which protects against 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.

Butter Lingo Defined

When moving towards better choices in foods, it can often get overwhelming. Not just the decisions but navigating through the names of all the options! Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out which type of butter will work best for your family and your 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 annotation (like organic, cultured, etc.) it is more than likely conventional.  This type of butter typically comes from big-farm cows, fed mostly grain (unless the farmers add candy to the feed).

Pros:

• 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 GMO’s in the feed
• unless we know what the cows were fed, there’s no promise of K2
• use of antibiotics and hormones unknown, likely prevalent

Organic

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

Pros:

• protection against GMO’s, 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 to cows are filtered through to milk products [source])
• 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
• ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is unbalanced with a higher level of omega 6
• on average, costs twice as much as conventional butter

Cultured

Cultured butter is made from cultured cream.  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 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 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
• ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is unbalanced with a higher level of omega 6 (if produced with cream from grain-fed cows)
• use of antibiotics and hormones 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
• ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is unbalanced with a higher level of omega 6 (if produced with cream from grain-fed cows)
• use of antibiotics and hormones 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:

• 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)
• ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 is equal, 1 to 1
• 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

Concern of Poisons Accumulating in Fat?

A reader mentioned last week that there is concern with toxins, hormones and other drugs given to the cows being found in the resulting milk, and even concentrated in the fat.  This is true to an extent.

The level of hormones resulting in milk is mentioned in the organic section above.

Fat-soluble poisons such as insecticides will certainly collect in the fat cells of the animals, but we must consider the likelihood of the cow ingesting insecticides in the first place.  Cows fed grain that has been commercially produced will likely consume a greater amount of insecticide than cows who feed on unsprayed pastures.

Consider this statement from Nourishing Traditions:

The average plant crop received ten applications of pesticides – from seed to storage – while cows generally graze on pasture that is unsprayed.  Aflatoxin, a fungus that grows on grain, is one of the most powerful carcinogens known. 

Essentially we have to make the best decision we can when it comes to butter, weighing all of the options available.  We have to look beyond the label and consider the true source of the food.  It doesn’t matter if our butter is conventional, organic, cultured or raw – toxins will be an issue if the cow eats grain.

What Butter Is Best?

When you’re looking to buy the best butter you can, remember than 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 into butter, here are some baby steps to help you out.

1. 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. 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.
3. 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.
4. The next step would be to 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 on what you can, when you can.
5. 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 Find 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 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. (I even saw Kerrygold at Aldi once 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.

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 one of these nifty butter crocks. Some use water to help seal out any potential issues. But if you go through butter quickly, a simple covered butter dish works too.

If you bulk purchase butter 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!

Do you eat butter regularly? What’s your favorite brand? 

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