Butter is one of those foods that can turn bland meals into piece de resistance. Its taste can make hearts melt, and it is loved by everyone. Recently butter has been making a comeback as a better food over margarines and vegetable based spreads. Here are seven reasons why butter may be good for your health in recommended amounts…
Butter is rich in fat-soluble vitamins
There are a lot of fat soluble vitamins in butter. This includes vitamins A, E and K. It also contains Vitamin D, which is fairly rare in the modern diet and can have powerful effects on health. It is intimately involved in calcium metabolism and a low intake of vitamin D has been associated with many serious diseases.
Butter contains a lot of healthy saturated fats
Recent studies suggest that there is no association at all between naturally occurring saturated fats and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, butter contains short and medium chain fats, which are metabolised differently from other fats. They lead to improved satiety and increased fat burning.
Butter lowers heart attack risk
In the Framingham heart study, they examined the effects of butter on cardiovascular disease, and it was realised that butter has no effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease. Another study revealed that high – fat dairy consumption reduced the risk of heart disease by a whopping 69%, most likely due to increased Vitamin K2 intake.
Butter is a good source of the fatty acid Butyrate
The 4-carbon fatty acid butyrate is created by bacteria in the colon when they are exposed to dietary fiber. This may be the main reason fiber has health benefits for humans. In humans, butyrate is anti-inflammatory and has powerful protective effects on the digestive system.
Butter is rich in Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Butter, especially grass-fed, is a great source of a fatty acid called Conjugated Linoleic Acid. This fatty acid has powerful effects on metabolism and is actually sold commercially as a weight loss supplement. CLA has been shown to have anti-cancer properties as well as lowering body fat percentage in humans. However, some studies on CLA show no effect on body composition.
Butter is associated with a lower risk of obesity
The nutrition authorities often recommend that we choose low-fat dairy products. That way, we can get the calcium we need without all those “bad” fats and calories. But despite the higher calorie content, eating high-fat dairy products is NOT associated with obesity. In fact, a new review paper came out in 2012 that examined the effects of high-fat dairy consumption on obesity, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic disorders. They discovered that high-fat dairy did NOT increase risk of metabolic disease and was associated with a significantly reduced risk of obesity.
Butter is delicious!
That’s it. Butter is simply delicious…
