While many people still avoid butter based on faulty science, recent studies have shown that not only butter is healthy but it has the opposite effect on the heart, by lowering the risk of heart disease rather than causing it.
Researchers summarized the results of nine papers that examined more than 630000 people to see the relationship between butter consumption and health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. The final results that were published in the journal PLOS One, stated that eating butter does not cause heart disease. In fact, people who consumed butter daily had a 4% lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes.
Health Benefits of Butter
- Helps prevent Heart Disease. Butter contains A, D, K2 and E Vitamins that protect against heart disease. A Medical Research Council survey found that men consuming butter ran half the risk of developing heart disease as those using margarine (Nutrition Week 3/22/91, 21:12).
- Helps Prevent Diabetes. Intake of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been found to beneficially affect risk markers of atherosclerosis and diabetes in rats. (source)
- Helps your gut. Around 3-4% of butter is butyrate, a four-carbon fatty acid which is responsible for keeping your gut working right.
- Strong Bones and Teeth. Vitamins A, D and K2 in butter are necessary for the proper absorption of calcium and phosphorus which help to build strong bones and teeth.
- Helps with Thyroid. Butter contains iodine, in a highly absorbable form which is essential for proper functioning of the thyroid gland.
- Asthma. Saturated fats in butter are essential to lung function and protect against asthma.
- Fertility. Many vitamins and fatty acids contained in butter are important for fertility and normal reproduction.
Add butter to your coffee! Butter coffee is believed to provide steady, long-lasting energy without a blood sugar crash.
