Remember when butter was good? Then it was bad and margarine stepped in. For almost the past 100 years there has been a debate on which is actually better for you: Butter or Margarine?
World War II brought upon us the great butter shortage which is when margarine stepped in as the “healthier” alternative and picked up the slack. Around 1957 most of America was consuming just as much margarine as they did butter which was being marketed as the cheaper and healthier choice of the two. After that, with the right marketing, the amount of margarine consumed in the 1970’s was almost three times that of butter!
Oh, the times they are a changin’! Butter is back! New research has recently been presented on the subject showing what your grandparents always knew: butter is better. The New York Times posted a blog recently that challenge what we have always been told about the link between butter’s saturated fat and heart disease. Real butter is rich in fat-soluble vitamins. It turns out that what is best for your health is the most natural and delicious choice.
Here are just a few reasons butter is good for you:
- Real butter is rich in fat-soluble vitamins.
- Real butter contains healthy saturated fats and fatty acids your body needs.
- Butter is rich in important trace minerals, including manganese, chromium, zinc, copper and selenium (a powerful antioxidant).
- Real butter (especially from grass fed cows) is rich in conjugated linoleic acid (which helps the body build muscle rather than store fat.
- Real butter is associated with a lower risk of obesity.
Not all butter is created equal though. When you go grocery shopping always read your nutrition labels and look at your ingredients. The ingredients should be simple: cream/milk and salt.
Brands such as Falfurrias Butter and Kerrygold are two brands that sport just these ingredients.
This leads to the next logical question: How much butter should I eat? That depends on your diet, fat intake, and lifestyle. When in doubt, just do what Grandma did and add a little pad of butter!
