So, I am learning a lot these days. It's safe to say I'm back in school. The school of butter. Is butter bad for you? All the info out there is so convoluted, I don't even know myself. So, let's take a moment and do a simple pro's and con's list.
Margarine Gate: According to the Mayo Clinic's Dr. Martha Grogan, "Margarine, which is made from vegetable oil contains no cholesterol. It is higher in "good" fats," (which we will deconstruct here in a second) Poly and Mono. Poly and Monounsaturated fats help reduce LDL cholesterol, LDL = bad, while saturated fat increases LDL. BUT - not all margarines are the same. Margarine is highly processed and most of the conventional margarines on the market are actually worse for you than butter. The packaging is deceiving and most are loaded up with trans fats (anything that says trans fat, trans fatty acids, hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated are all trans fats). Trans fats are man made and are worse for you than saturated fat that is found in animals (ie: butter). Hydrogenated oils/trans fats used to be considered as a healthier alternative to the saturated fats found in butter, BUT studies now show that these trans fats are actually worse than saturated fats. Yes, saturated fat raises bad LDL cholesterol levels, but trans fats do the same and also strip levels of good HDL cholesterol, the kind that helps unclog arteries. HUH?
Cholesterol...Cholesterol (needed to produce hormones, protect nerves and cell structure), in a nutshell, must be transported between cells by carriers - these are the LDL and HDL cholesterols you hear about. LDL = bad, HDL = good. When there is too much LDL in the blood (increased by too much saturated fat), it slowly builds up on the arteries inner walls - these arteries feed your heart and brain. Not a good place to clog, eh? HDL, on the other hand, is high-density lipoprotein. High levels of HDL in the blood protect against heart attacks, and as you guessed, low levels of HDL increase the risk of heart disease. Most margarine has high LDL and strips the body of good HDL - a double whammy.
To recap - with it's high saturated fat content (which again, increases LDL cholesterol), Butter does get a con. In the argument against margarine however and with it's good levels mono fat (which again, helps reduce LDL cholesterol), Butter gets a pro.
Moving on.
With Margie out of the way we can address the question at hand. Is Butter bad for you?
Good fat vs. bad fat? Butter is fat. Nothing smells as delicious as melting butter, that little something in your sauce that makes it so so tasty, butter. Butter is used in basically all elements of classic French cooking - the basis of the food that many of us eat. Should you use it? Can you lose weight and still eat butter? What if you have high cholesterol and are tying to monitor your saturated fat and LDL cholesterol? Good questions.
The old school of thought on Butter is rapidly and thankfully changing. Fat is good for you. Say it with me, "Fat is good for you!" Rejoice and be merry! We now have plenty of research data that has made things more clear - fat is good for you BUT all fats are not equal.
Unsaturated fat = good fat. This is your mono and poly. Mono, in case you were wondering, lower LDL (bad) and boost HDL (good) cholesterol. Poly are a "good source of Omega 3 fatty acids which help lower blood pressure, combat LDL (bad), fight inflammation and protect the brain and nervous system," according to Fiona Haynes (Good Fats, Bad Fats, Worst Fats). Canola oils, olive oils and fish oils are mostly unsaturated fats - this is why you hear about them so much.
Saturated fat = bad fat. These are the meat and dairy artery-clogger fats. Saturated fat is solid at room temperature (ex: butter - solid, Olive Oil - liquid). HOWEVER, an analysis published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010 found "no link between saturated fat intake and increased risk of coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease." At the same time, another study done by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2010 found that "replacing saturated fats with an equal amount of polyunsaturated fats did indeed reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 19% (from Good Fats, Bad Fats, Worst Fats)." Erg, confusing. But...
Maybe saturated fat isn't so bad after all? Did you know...Coconut oil? Oh yes... the coconut is all the rage these days. Well, it's a plant based source of saturated fat. There is overwhelming evidence that saturated fat may be more middle of the road than previously thought, maybe even nutritious.
As far as calories go...
Fat is fat and has calories. Let's break it down now:
1 TBSP of unsalted butter has 100 calories, 11 g fat (7.5 g of saturated fat, .5 g poly and 3 g mono) and 30 mg cholesterol.
1 TBSP of Extra Virgin Olive Oil has 120 calories, 14 g fat (2 g of saturated fat, 1 g poly and 11g mono) and zero cholesterol.
So, if you always use a small amount of EVOO in cooking (which I do), you can safely add a little butter to that too! Horray! If you have ever fried an egg in a little butter... oh it's just heaven.
But if you are watching your cholesterol, you do need to be careful here. Stick with Extra Virgin Olive Oil for sauteing and Canola Oil for higher heat cooking. I also highly recommend the Vegan butter spread, Earth Balance, which is great on toast and cooks well too. This is a fantastic substitute for butter and is great in baking for your Vegan friends (or Vegan self).
Calorie counters - yes, you can use a little butter, just watch portion control. Remember, one tbsp has 100 calories. Yes, 100 calories of flavor! But, it's still a whopping 100 calories. So use it, just watch how much you use and be sure to add it up at the end of the day with all the other calories you've eaten.
Ok. That's enough for me. I am off to make toast now with one Tbsp of butter. REAL BUTTER.
Mmmmmm.....butter... (Homer Simpson voice)
