ASK THE NUTRITIONIST
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answers to your food questions
Better Butter
Want to enjoy your favorite spread without the guilt? Grass-fed is the way to go BY MELISSA DIANE SMITH
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why some people, such as keto diet followers, are now adding it to their coffee. Here’s a rundown of the nutrients found in this creamy, golden favorite.
The Benefits of Grass-Fed Butter Grass-fed butter was a historically used fat. It was part of the diets of many traditional cultures, and in many ways, it was considered a superfood. We now know that it’s rich in numerous hard-to-obtain and not so well-known nutrients and healthful fats—a key reason
CLA— Grass-fed butter is a rich source of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA): It actually contains five times more CLA than butter from grain-fed cows. CLA is a beneficial fatty acid that has anti-inflammatory properties and is linked to fighting cancer and helping your body build muscle rather than store fat.
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CLA also seems to promote cardiovascular health. One study conducted in Costa Rica, where most dairy farms are still pasture-based, found that people with higher CLA levels in their bodies also had less risk of heart attacks. Those with the highest levels of CLA had a 36 percent lower risk of heart attack compared to those with the lowest levels.
• MAY 2020
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Photo: adobestock.com
We all grew up hearing that butter should be avoided because it’s a saturated fat that isn’t good for heart health. However, the saturated fat myth has been thoroughly debunked in recent years: two massive review studies showed there is no association between saturated fat consumption and heart disease. (This is especially true if the saturated fat you eat doesn’t go hand-in-hand with sugar and refined grains.) But bear in mind that all butter isn’t created equal. Just as grass-fed beef has a much stronger nutritional profile and offers more health benefits than conventional beef from cattle that are fed grains, the same is true of grass-fed butter. This is the type of butter that comes from the milk of cows that graze on grass their entire lives.
Photo: adobestock.com
To me, there’s nothing better than mushrooms sautéed in butter, or buttered broccoli, or butter melted on a muffin! However, I’ve repeatedly heard that we should avoid saturated fats like butter. Should butter be avoided or not?
