This is so accepted that margarine (made from vegetable oil and water) fills supermarkets world wide and is just as, if not more popular than butter. Its popularity comes from people avoiding butter for its high fat content. But if this is an undisputed fact, then why am I writing an article? Well, as you may imagine, the truth is more complicated. Now, I’m not going to make the outlandish, and patently untrue claim that there isn’t fat in butter. No, what I am going to claim, that fats by themselves, even unsaturated fat (as found in butter) are not totally bad for you.
A Myth Dispelled: Not All Fats Are Harmful
People are often quite scared of the word fat, and consider all forms of fat to be totally harmful. However, there is such a thing as healthy fat, monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat have a range of health benefits. Now, it is true that saturated fats increase cholesterol [1]. If these fats are built up in the body, they can lead to serious health issues such as coronary heart disease. Because of this, it is strictly and severely inadvisable to eat too much butter as butter contain only saturated fat.But cutting it out entirely is unnecessary.
The Nutritional Component of Fat: Cholesterol
Whilst cholesterol in high levels can be severely harmful, however, in low levels it can aidimportant bodily functions [2] such as in the production of Vitamin D, helping cell health and functionality, and the development of bodily hormones. Entering the blood carried on lipoproteins, cholesterol carried on high density lipoprotein has these beneficial effects, and can counteract the harmful effects of low density lipoprotein cholesterol.Basically there are two forms of cholesterol, one good, one bad [3]. Butter, which contains a lot of saturated fats, contains a quantity of both forms.The harm done by saturated fats, too has recently been called into question.
What is Saturated Fats?
This view that butter is not a purely harmful substance, as once thought comes from recent research [4] . This research from 2014 [5]even goes so far to cast doubt on the direct link between saturated fats and an increased risk of heart disease. This is the important part, it may mean that our stance on saturated fats, like the fats in butter, need re-evaluation. It should be stated, of course, that just because something is not so clearly bad for you is not [6]the same thing as being good for you. So though it seems that saturated fats may not be as harmful as once feared, they should still be consumed in moderation. It may even one day be discovered that not all saturated fat is harmful, this is a lot like how once it was thought that all cholesterol was harmful, but, again, now we know that some forms are actually beneficial. How much saturated fat should you consume has caused some significant debate among nutritionists? Some (such as the World Health Organisation[7]) recommend that no more than 10% of total calories taken in should come from saturated fats. Meanwhile others [8]have suggested that not only might saturated fats not increase risk of heart disease, but the kinds of saturated fats found in dairy products, may actually decrease the risk.
So who to believe?
It is not my intention to bamboozle you with contradictory information, but only to suggest something that goes against common understanding. That butter, instead of being an almost deadly, super unhealthy lump of fat, which should be avoided at all costs, is actually perfectly fine to eat in moderation. It might not be super bad for you, but like with a lot of things, eating a lot of it may have some bad consequences. So, before you root through stores to find the perfect butter substitute to spread, you can be safe in the understanding that simply buying some good old fashioned butter is not something you should worry about.
5 Surprising Health Benefits of Butter
Though there is a debate about the risks of saturated fats. There are a number of other genuine benefits which have been accepted. Here are five ways butter can actually be good [9]for you. So, with the above considered, its clear that butter both may not be as bad for you as previously thought, but also contains an impressive range of health benefits.
