There are few things in life as comforting as a slice of hot toast slathered in butter. It is a staple in British kitchens and has been for centuries. We bake with it, fry with it and melt it over our vegetables.
But for years, we have been told to put the butter dish away. We were told it would clog our arteries and that we should switch to margarine or low-fat spreads instead. Then, headlines started popping up claiming that “butter is back” and that we had been wrong all along.
It is enough to make anyone confused while standing in the dairy aisle.
So, what is the truth? Is butter a natural superfood or a heart attack waiting to happen? We are going to look at what is actually inside that block of gold, what the science says about fat and what alternatives you might want to consider.
What is butter actually made of?
One of the reasons people love butter is that it is simple. It is not made in a lab and the ingredients list is usually very short.
In the UK, the law says that for something to be called “butter”, it must contain at least 80% milk fat. The rest is mostly water and milk solids. If you buy salted butter, there is a bit of salt added too. That is it.
It is made by churning cream or milk until the fat separates from the liquid (buttermilk). This process concentrates the fat. Because it comes from milk, butter does contain some vitamins. It is a source of Vitamin A, which is good for your skin and eyes. It also contains small amounts of Vitamin D and Vitamin E.
However, you would have to eat a massive amount of butter to get your daily recommended dose of these vitamins. There are much better ways to get nutrients into your diet, like eating carrots for Vitamin A or oily fish for Vitamin D.
The big debate: Saturated fat
The main reason health experts worry about butter is the fat content.
Fat is not the enemy. We need fat for energy and to help our bodies absorb vitamins. But not all fats are created equal. The fat in butter is mostly “saturated fat”. This type of fat is usually solid at room temperature.
For a long time, the advice has been clear. Eating too much saturated fat can raise the level of cholesterol in your blood. High cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and stroke.
The NHS currently recommends that:
- Men should not eat more than 30g of saturated fat a day.
- Women should not eat more than 20g of saturated fat a day.
To put that in perspective, a standard tablespoon of butter contains about 7g or 8g of saturated fat. If you have two slices of toast with a generous spread of butter, plus a pastry for lunch and some cheese at dinner, you will hit that limit very quickly.
Is butter back?
You might have heard news stories suggesting that saturated fat is not as bad as we thought. Some researchers have looked at old data and suggested that the link between butter and heart disease is not as strong as we once believed.
One major study published in the journal PLOS ONE looked at huge amounts of data. They found that eating butter was only weakly associated with total mortality (death) and not significantly linked to heart disease.
However, this does not mean butter is a health food. It just means it might not be the deadly poison it was painted as in the 1990s. The British Heart Foundation still advises that swapping saturated fats for unsaturated fats is the best move for your heart.
Think of it this way. Butter is a bit like a treat. It is fine to enjoy it now and then, but it probably shouldn’t be the main source of fat in your diet.
Butter vs. Margarine and Spreads
If butter is high in saturated fat, what about the alternatives?
In the past, margarine had a terrible reputation. To make vegetable oil solid and spreadable, manufacturers used a process that created “trans fats”. Trans fats are very bad for you. They raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol.
The good news is that most spreads in the UK have removed the trans fats. Modern spreads are usually made from blends of vegetable oils like rapeseed, sunflower and olive oil.
Because these are made from plants, they are usually higher in “unsaturated fats” and lower in saturated fats. This generally makes them a heart-healthier choice than butter.
Many spreads also contain added plant sterols. These are compounds that can actively help lower your cholesterol levels. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor might suggest using these specific spreads.
However, some people dislike spreads because they are more processed than butter. They can contain preservatives, emulsifiers and colourings to make them look and taste like butter.
Comparing the alternatives
If you are looking to swap out butter, you have plenty of options. Here is how they stack up.
Olive Oil
This is the gold standard for healthy fat. It is a key part of the Mediterranean diet, which is famous for keeping hearts healthy. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats. You can use it for cooking, dressing salads or even dipping bread into instead of buttering it.
Rapeseed Oil
This is often grown right here in the UK. It has very low saturated fat (even lower than olive oil) and a high smoke point, which means it is great for roasting potatoes or frying. It doesn’t have a strong flavour, so it works well in baking too.
Coconut Oil
This became very trendy a few years ago. People started adding it to coffee and smoothies. But be careful. Coconut oil is actually much higher in saturated fat than butter. Butter is about 50% to 52% saturated fat, while coconut oil is over 80% saturated fat. The British Heart Foundation recommends using it sparingly, just like butter.
Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter. This means the milk solids and water have been removed, leaving pure butterfat. It has a lovely nutty taste and is great for high-heat cooking because it doesn’t burn easily. However, it is slightly higher in fat and calories than standard butter because it is so concentrated.
Cooking and baking with butter
Sometimes, only butter will do.
If you are baking a sponge cake or making pastry, butter provides structure and flavour that oil just cannot match. It helps create that light, fluffy texture in cakes and the flaky layers in croissants.
If you are making a recipe that relies on butter, you might be disappointed if you swap it for a low-fat spread. Spreads often have high water content. This can make your cakes heavy or your cookies spread out too much on the tray.
For cooking savoury food, oil is usually a better bet. If you are frying onions or cooking a steak, rapeseed or olive oil works perfectly well. A trick chefs use is to cook with oil, then add a tiny knob of butter at the very end for flavour. This gives you the taste without using nearly as much.
Commonly Asked Questions
Is salted or unsalted butter better?
From a health perspective, unsalted is better. We already eat too much salt in the UK, which can raise blood pressure. Using unsalted butter gives you total control over how much salt goes into your food. This is especially important in baking, where too much salt can ruin the taste.
Can I eat butter if I am lactose intolerant?
Butter is very low in lactose. The churning process removes most of the liquid (buttermilk) where the lactose lives. Many people with lactose intolerance find they can handle small amounts of butter without any tummy trouble. However, if you have a severe dairy allergy, you must avoid it completely as it still contains milk proteins.
Does butter cause acne?
There is no concrete proof that butter directly causes acne. However, some studies suggest that dairy products can trigger breakouts in some people. If you notice your skin gets worse after eating dairy, you could try cutting it out for a few weeks to see if it helps.
How should I store butter?
Butter is best kept in the fridge to stop it from going rancid. However, cold butter is a nightmare to spread on toast. It is safe to keep a small amount of butter in a covered dish on the kitchen counter for a few days, as long as your kitchen isn’t boiling hot. Salted butter lasts longer out of the fridge than unsalted butter because salt acts as a preservative.
Making the right choice for you
So, is butter good or bad? The answer lies somewhere in the middle.
It is a natural food that tastes delicious and can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. It is not toxic, and you do not need to be afraid of it. However, it is very high in energy and saturated fat.
If you have high cholesterol or a history of heart trouble in your family, you should be mindful of how much you eat. Swapping to a plant-based spread or using olive oil for cooking is an easy way to look after your heart.
For everyone else, moderation is the keyword. Enjoy a scrape of butter on your crumpets or use it to make a birthday cake. Just try not to use it for every single meal. Focus on eating plenty of vegetables, whole grains and healthy proteins, and the occasional bit of butter won’t hurt.
