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Facts and Fallacies of Butter Butter, Hydrogenation and Trans Fats Butter, Hydrogenation and Trans Fats Butter is not processed using hydrogenation. In fact, butter is hardly processed at all. It is made simply by churning fresh cream until it thickens. What could be more natural? That means butter has no artificially produced trans fats. These artificially produced trans fats do your body double harm by lowering the "good" cholesterol (HDL) and raising the "bad" cholesterol (LDL). They are found in many types of margarine and in all vegetable shortenings, as well as in the foods made with them, including many commercial snacks, baked goods and fried foods. What butter does have is a very small amount of naturally occurring trans fat. Also present in the meat of ruminant animals such as beef and lamb, these natural trans fats are shown in research not to be associated with health problems. In fact, several studies suggest that butter's natural trans fats may even help protect us from some cancers. (top) Butter's health profile The manufacturing process is a simple, time-honoured tradition: all we do is separate cream from milk, churn the cream till it thickens and voilà! – sweet butter! But what about butter's health profile? Surprisingly, butter provides much less cholesterol and potential cholesterol-raising saturated fat than you might think, not to mention butter's beneficial nutrients such as vitamin A, monounsaturated fat and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). And, unlike vegetable shortening and many types of margarine, butter is not hydrogenated. Butter is responsible for negligible amounts of our calories and fat, accounting for only 5% of the fat in the average Canadian diet. It's a small proportion for the heavenly amount of pleasure it gives! In moderation, there's no doubt that butter, so tasty and flavour-rich, can be a wholesome part of an everyday, healthy diet. Enjoy! (top) Butter, Margarine and Olive Oil: A Brief Comparison Flavourful butter, unlike some other spreads, is made by a natural process. It has no more calories and fat than margarine or vegetable oils such as olive oil.
Cholesterol: Should I Worry? According to health authorities, the total amount of fat in our diet has a far greater impact on our blood cholesterol levels than dietary cholesterol. Even if dietary cholesterol had a major impact on health, there would be no issue with butter. In moderation, butter provides relatively small amounts of it.
Saturated Fats However, butter's saturated fat has the potential to raise both the good HDL cholesterol as well as the bad LDL, making its cholesterol-raising potential less serious than previously believed. Compare this to artificially produced trans fats in vegetable shortening and many types of margarine. They raise your LDLs (the bad cholesterol) and lower your HDLs (the good cholesterol), making these trans fats substantially more heart-unhealthy than butter's saturated fat. (top) Look at the Good Stuff in Butter Flavour-rich butter also contains conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, a naturally occurring beneficial trans fat. Many studies suggest that CLA may help reduce the risk of some kinds of cancer – particularly breast cancer. So enjoy that dab of butter on your morning toast with a clear conscience! (top) |
As a delectable part of the human diet for so many millennia, it's only natural that many kinds of butter have evolved to suit different tastes and uses. For the same reason, the salt content of different butters also varies. Churned Churned Butter Cultured Butter While cultured butter is more popular in Europe, it is also found widely in Canada. It sometimes goes by names like "old fashioned" or "antique" butter. Excellent wherever you normally use butter. (top) Light Butter While tasty as a spread on bread or crackers, light butter is not recommended on hot toast or popcorn, for example, because of its higher moisture content. For the same reason, it is also not the best choice for cooking, or in sauces or recipes that require larger amounts of fat. (top) Flavoured Butters Sweet Butter Whipped Butter Ghee Information provided by Dairy Farmers of Canada (www.dairygoodness.ca) |
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