White Butter — Bitter Or Better?

For centuries, butter has held a special place in Indian cuisine and diet. Butter is used in many recipes from all parts of the country — from dal makhani to benne masala dosa and freshly made Gongura chutney with a liberal dollop of butter. From tadkas to tandoori and from parathas to dosas, butter is a common ingredient.

For our grandparents, it was fresh butter.

For our parents, it was Amul butter.

For us? No butter.

The Good And The Bad

Let us begin with the nutritive value:

Nutrition Facts

The following nutritional values show the full nutrition profile of butter based on a one-tablespoon (14-gram) serving (4).

Calories/Nutrient

Amount

Calories 102 kcal

Carbohydrate- 0.01 g

Fiber- 0 g

Sugars- 0.01 g

Fat- 11.52 g

Saturated Fat- 7.2 g

Monounsaturated Fat- 3.3 g

Polyunsaturated Fat- 0.4 g

Omega-3 Fatty Acids- 0.04 g

Omega-6 Fatty Acids- 0.26 g

Protein- 0.12 g

As we can see, butter is primarily a source of fat — mainly saturated fat — and it contains minimal carbohydrate and protein.

Benefits of Using Butter

Some potential benefits that using this dairy fat may have.

1) Butter Is Relatively Heat-Stable and Does Not Easily Oxidize

Even moderate heating will ruin the oil, darken and scorch it, incite a cloud of putrid smoke and even a flash of flames in your unsuspecting pan.

Studies suggest that consuming oxidized fats can lead to;

• Activation of inflammatory responses
• Oxidative stress

We have good news for you, is that some fats are more resistant to heat than others. Since butter is mostly saturated fat — the most stable type of fat — it does not oxidize easily.

However, My preference is ghee as it is better suited to cooking at high heat temperatures.

2) Butter is Rich in Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Butter is a controversial food. But it isn’t a bad thing though. Butter has a lot of fat soluble vitamins, including vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin K2. Most people get vitamin A and vitamin E from different food sources, including vegetables and fruits. But vitamin K2 is mainly found in certain animal and fermented foods, which most people don’t eat much of.

Vitamin K2, is a powerful nutrient and has a lot of health benefits that are associated with calcium intake, metabolism regulation, and cardiovascular health. Vitamin K2 is also produced by gut bacteria in the large intestine.

Per tablespoon(14 gm) of butter provides 97.1 mcg of retinol, which is equal to 10% of the daily value.

3) Butter Contains CLA, Which Has Potential Health Benefits

Butter provides a natural source of trans-fat called conjugated linoleic acid, also known as CLA.

White butter is a good source of lecithin too which helps in weight loss.

Lecithin is a naturally occurring nutrient found in many foods. Lecithin is not a single substance but a group of compounds called phospholipids.

Phospholipid, a type of fat, helps to maintain the integrity of cells and the normal functioning of the brain, nerves, liver, and other vital organs.

Lecithin helps in the metabolism and assimilation of cholesterol. So it helps to break down fat more efficiently and thus aids in losing weight.

Did you know?

The butter from cows fed on 100% pasture contained up to 22.1 mg of CLA per gram, which was five times higher than the butter from cows supplemented with animal feed.

4) Butter Is the Richest Dietary Source of Butyrate

White butter is a fantastic source of butyrate, a fatty acid that is produced by bacteria found in the colon. Butyrate (butyric acid) is a short-chain fatty acid that we can produce naturally through the microbial fermentation of soluble fiber in the gut.

On the positive side, butyrate may;

• Possess anti-inflammatory properties.
• Have protective mechanisms against oxidative stress and atherosclerosis (cardiovascular disease).
• Help to improve colorectal health, and possibly have a protective effect against cancer.

Potential Drawbacks and Health Concerns

Now that we have examined the benefits, here are some potential drawbacks to consider.

1) Butter Can Burn At High Temperatures

Butter along with fat is also a source of protein and sugar (milk solids). At high temperature the milk solids will burn and start to brown before reaching its smoke point.

For this reason, ghee, which is 100% pure butterfat, performs better than butter at high temperatures.

2) Dairy Allergies and Sensitivities

Though butter contains low concentrations of sugar (lactose), these small amounts still can be the cause of adverse reactions.

3) Butter Can Raise LDL Cholesterol (LDL-C) Levels

Butter is primarily a source of saturated fatty acids.

The saturated fatty acids which have the most significant effect on LDL levels are lauric acid, myristic acid, and most of all, palmitic acid.

With this being said, which are the most predominant fatty acids in butter?

Palmitic acid is the most concentrated fatty acid in butter.

Therefore, it is not surprising consuming too much of white butter can lead to higher levels of LDL.

Final Thoughts

Butter often makes the front page news, and the media tends to either over-hype or overly-demonize it.

The truth is probably somewhere in between these two positions.

While butter is not a significant source of nutrients, it does offer a fair amount of vitamin A and several other, potentially beneficial, compounds.

Although large intakes of butter can lead to higher LDL levels, there is no evidence directly linking it to cardiovascular disease.

Overall, I would say that, in reasonable amounts, butter is a perfectly healthy ingredient that adds a delicious flavor to food.

Many celebrities swear by the morning ritual of having Bullet-proof coffee that advocates blending unsalted grass-fed butter and virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil with freshly brewed coffee. To eat or not to eat is a personalized choice, based not only on our health history but also on our DNA.