Butter is made by churning milk or cream to separate fat particles and protein. The result is a thickened mass that remains about 80% solid at room temperature. In some cases, salt and food colorings are added. "Nut butters," on the other hand, are made by grinding nuts into a paste so that they have a consistency similar to butter made from cow's milk.
Cow's milk butter was a cook's staple before it became a saturated-fat scapegoat, but now it has been somewhat vindicated as a natural source of satisfying fat. Whether it's right for you depends on your values, preferences, and personal health needs and goals.
The following nutrition information is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for one tablespoon of unsalted butter.
There are no carbohydrates in butter, making it a low-carb, low-glycemic food.
The calories in butter come from fat. While there are different types of fat in butter, most of the fat is saturated fat (just over 7 grams per tablespoon). There are 30.5 milligrams of cholesterol in a tablespoon of butter.
Even though it is made from milk, a single serving of butter provides virtually no protein.
You'll benefit from a small amount of vitamin A when you consume butter: 97 micrograms per tablespoon, which is about 14% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for women and 11% for men.
Butter is popular among people who follow a low-carb diet or high-fat eating plan (such as a ketogenic diet). Like many forms of fat, butter is satisfying. Eating a small amount of satisfying fat may be better than consuming larger quantities of fat alternatives that are less satisfying and may include processed ingredients. In some cases, butter alternatives may increase your daily calorie and fat intake more than butter.
Despite its high fat content, regular butter contains about 400 different fatty acids and a number of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A and other nutrients. Fatty acids have important health benefits, such as improved heart health and reduced risk of heart disease.
Butter is a rich source of the fatty acid conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is also a popular fat loss supplement. Research shows that CLA offers health benefits from reduced body fat to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. It may also help regulate immune and inflammatory responses and improve bone mass.
In addition, grass-fed butter may be a healthier choice than regular butter. Research shows that butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows is high in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin K2, and one study found that grass-fed butter may contain up to five times more CLA than butter produced from grain-fed cows.
If you have a diagnosed dairy allergy or avoid dairy in your diet for any reason, you should avoid butter. Common symptoms of dairy allergy can include mild reactions such as hives or more severe symptoms including trouble breathing.
Baked goods and other products that contain butter may also cause a reaction. If you are unsure about your dairy allergy and are not sure if you can safely consume butter, check with your healthcare provider.
Most health experts, including the American Heart Association (AHA), still recommend reducing your intake of saturated fats like butter. The AHA recommends no more than 13 grams of saturated fats per day, and a tablespoon of butter has almost half that. So it's smart to consume butter in moderation, unless your healthcare team recommends otherwise.
This debate can be a tricky one to resolve. Butter is made from milk, a whole food, whereas margarine is usually made from vegetable oil, is highly processed, and often contains trans fats. The American Heart Association recommends that you reduce trans fats in your diet.
But there are many different margarine products on the market and each has a different nutritional profile. There are "heart-healthy" margarine brands, for example, that include healthy fats, such as omega-3 fatty acids.
When you buy butter, you can choose from salted or unsalted varieties. There's not much difference between them, except for the sodium levels. Butter calories do not change depending on the salt content.
Both types of butter can be used interchangeably in most recipes; some recipes specifically call for one type or the other. Ghee is a form of clarified butter that is often used in Indian cooking.
If you're trying to eat less butter, there are many substitutes on the market. Popular butter substitutes include the following:
There are also natural alternatives to butter and butter substitutes. The product you choose may depend on how you plan to use it.
Some people keep butter on the kitchen counter, so it is soft and easier to spread on toast and other foods. But butter makers recommend that you refrigerate the product in accordance with USDA and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.
Butter can be frozen for up to four months from the date of purchase. It should be frozen in its original container. Once thawed, it should be used within 30 days.
Butter is not usually the star of most dishes, but rather an accent, topping, or part of the preparation method. It's an essential ingredient for many baked goods and for enhancing mashed veggies like potatoes and cauliflower.