Butter’s one of those ingredients that’s easy to understand why people who are trying to be a bit more health conscious in their diets tend to avoid. It’s delicious, can feel a bit indulgent and is generally found in all those kinds of foods we consider ‘treats’! But recently, we couldn’t help but notice that the yellow wonderstuff has been spoken about in a new light. Could a little bit of butter actually be good for you after all?
Vitamins aplenty
Yep, you read that correctly. Butter is actually a great source of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, E and K2. If you’re already making an effort with a well balanced, chances are you’re probably getting enough vitamin A and E already. However, it can be hard to find reliable sources of K2. One of the benefits of grass-fed cows (like ours!) is that they produce dairy that’s particularly rich in K2. It’s well worth getting your daily dose as it can seriously help your body metabolise calcium and build healthy teeth and bone and has even been linked to better heart health too.
Good fats?
There’s been some debate in recent years that saturated fats, like that found in butter, may not be as bad for us as first thought. Without getting into too much scientific detail it seems that cutting saturated fats from our diet altogether may be a slightly over-simplified reaction. Essentially fatty acids with a certain molecular profile that are commonly found in dairy, have been linked to actually lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as mentioned in this BBC News article.
To spread or not to spread?
Well, that’s really up to you. We know we’d definitely find it hard to pass up the option of a generously buttered slice of toast first thing in the morning! And it’s definitely good to know that we’re not necessarily indulging (and possibly even doing something that’s beneficial to our health) when doing so.
