Butter is not only "acceptable" in our diets, it actually has many health-enhancing properties. Yes, butter is "healthy."
Actually, I think, by now, most people have heard this nutrition factoid, somewhere, from someone. Then again, the outdated, inaccurate nutrition advice that is still being regurgitated in doctors' offices and "health" tabloids never fails to surprise me.
Butter is most definitely healthier than margarine. "But, wait! I thought butter clogs our arteries, is high in those dangerous saturated fats that increase our cholesterol and cause heart disease, and makes us fat!"
Not so fast. First, saturated fats are most definitely not the "bad guys" we've been led to believe for so long now. Our bodies require saturated fats for countless functions including hormone production, immune function, cell membrane integrity, healing and repair, they decrease inflammation, and they're actually the preferred source of fuel for the heart. They are critical for our short-term and long-term health.
Saturated fats are considered "stable" fats for heating and cooking. That means they're safer to cook with and don't easily turn into rancid, trans fats when we heat them.
Fats do not make us fat. The inability to burn fat effectively makes us fat. That's a whole different ball of wax, involving leptin resistance and our chronic, massive sugar intake. Poor quality, "fake", synthetic fats, trans fats, hydrogenated fats (as found in margarine and most commercial vegetable oils, for example) can make us fat because our bodies and brains aren't certain how to handle these imposters.
It turns out that our waistlines are the least of our concerns when it comes to these fake fats and trans fats. These "bad fats" are one of the leading causes of systemic inflammation. Inflammation is one of the key triggers to every chronic and degenerative illness our culture is currently suffering from on mass scale. Reducing inflammation is a core focus of prevention and treatment of these chronic illnesses.
These "bad fats" also cause cell congestion (which means that important nutrients can't properly get into the cell and toxins can't properly get out), as well as decrease in nerve function. If bad fats are a leading source of inflammation, cell congestion, and nerve interference, well, I think you know what you need to do. Ditch the margarine (and similar spreads) and the hydrogenated vegetable oils!
Some of the "good fats" to choose are butter, pure coconut oil, ghee, and extra virgin olive oil (although, this is not a saturated fat and should not be heated or only at low cooking temperatures).
Let's look more closely at butter.
(Much of the following information is from the Weston A. Price Foundation.)
1. Butter is an excellent source of many fat-soluble Vitamins that we have a difficult time finding in abundance elsewhere in our Standard American Diet. These are Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Vitamin A is needed to maintain good vision and to keep our endocrine system functioning well. Vitamins A and D are essential for growth, for healthy bones, for proper development of the brain and nervous systems and for normal sexual development. Vitamin D has also demonstrated its fortitude in the field of cancer prevention and treatment. Real butter, particularly from grass-fed cows, is considered America's best source of these nutrients. In fact, Vitamin A is more easily absorbed and utilized from butter than from any other source.
2. Butter is also a great source of minerals. Trace minerals, such as chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, and zinc are found in butter. Butter contains more selenium per gram compared to herring or wheat germ. It tastes better on a piece of toast, too!
3. Butter contains healthy fatty acids. Butter provides short-and medium-chain fatty acids. These are converted in the liver for a quick source of energy, and help boost metabolism. These fatty acids also have immune-enhancing properties, as well as anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties.
4. Butter contains Arachidonic Acid which plays critical roles in our brain function as well as being a vital component of the cell membranes. The cell membrane is the most critical component of the cell when it comes to function. Hormonal communication takes place at the cell membrane.
5. Butter has an excellent balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. This balance between linoleic and linolenic acid helps prevent problems associated with the over-consumption of omega-6 fatty acids, so prevalent in our fake fats national diet!
6. Butter has Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA). If your butter is from cows that eat their natural diet rich in green grass, it can contain high levels of CLA. This is a compound that can help provide protection against different types of cancer, and helps the body build lean muscle instead of storing fat, thus improving our metabolism. It's important to note that this benefit of CLA in our foods all but disappears when the animals have been fed grains.
7. Butter also has Glycospingolipids. This is a type of fat that protects us against gastrointestinal infections, especially those in the very young or elderly population.
8. Butter is an excellent source of good cholesterol. Remember, your body NEEDS cholesterol for a variety of essential physiological functions, growth and repair being two of the basics. Cholesterol is necessary for cell membrane integrity, hormone production, and protection against heart disease and cancer.
9. Butter contains Lecithin that assists in the proper assimilation of cholesterol. It makes sure we put cholesterol and other fat constituents to good use.
10. Butter contains two compounds not often discussed in mainstream media: the Wulzen Factor, a substance discovered by researcher Rosalind Wulzen, and Activator X, discovered by Dr. Weston A. Price.
The Wulzen Factor is known as the "anti-stiffness" factor. It is found in raw animal fat and protects against calcification and degeneration of the joints, as well as hardening of the arteries and cataracts.
Activator X (or "The Price Factor") helps the body absorb and utilize minerals effectively. Again, butter can be an excellent source of Activator X when it comes from cows eating rich green grass in the spring and fall seasons.
11. Butter tastes great! I couldn't leave this point off the list! Cooking with real butter adds a flavor like no other. Come on, you know it does! Just be careful not to over cook your butter. If it turns brown, essentially it has become a rancid fat that is no longer beneficial. (Pure coconut oil is safe for high temperature cooking.)
12. I consider butter to be "brain food". I've seen people get rid of the "bad fats" in their diet and replace them with "good fats" like butter, and the changes are astounding, particularly in the area of brain and cognitive function. I've seen improvements with depression, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, memory issues, learning disorders, mood swings, sleep disorder, and so on. The brain loves its healthy fats and begins to shut down when we don't supply them.
So, do you see why I say that butter is more than just "acceptable"? It's a health food!
By the way, for those of you adopting a dairy-free approach and are concerned about butter consumption, I'll share this. Several leading nutrition researchers say that butter has far more properties of a healthy fat than it does of dairy. That makes sense to me. I consider butter more of a fat than a dairy product,especially if you're talking about REAL butter from cows that munch on grass. Raw butter is even better yet.
Many local farmers and farmers' markets are great places to find your source of real, grass-fed, raw butter, as well as some online sources.
Dr. Colleen Trombley-VanHoogstraat ("Dr Mom Online") is a leading expert in Natural Health & Wellness. Her unique perspective and understanding of the science of Wellness provides predictable solutions and transformational results for those struggling with chronic health issues, as well as those striving for lifelong health. To discover her simple strategies for creating better health for the entire family through nutrition, movement and mindset, visit http://www.drmomonline.com/.
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