Don’t you hate it when your butter comes with too much bread? Yeah, me too.
“In 1910, butter consumption was 18 pounds per capita and heart disease rates were below 10 percent. In 2000, butter consumption was less than 4 pounds per capita and heart disease killed 40 to 45 percent of people. ”
Butter is rising from the dead and seems to have prolific science-driven research to back it. Butter could be the missing link in your diet that may be hindering your performance in all domains. This highly saturated dairy-fat product is packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants—which begs the question, why the flying fudge has it been given a bad rep when humans have been consuming it for centuries?
Butter Is Not Butter: Why It's Important To Go Grass-fed
Grass-fed butter contains a better omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio. Research has shown us that this ratio is important for optimal health and brain functioning. When cows are fed cheap grains that aren’t part of their natural diet, they store toxic waste. This toxicity shows up in the fat between their muscle tissue and the outer subcutaneous fat. A subtle yellow tinge in the fat of your meat is one way to know it is grass-fed. Kerrygold Butter also has this light, natural, yellow colour present. This is due to the carotenoid pigment, b-carotene, which indicates high levels of vitamin-A.
“Butter is significantly healthier than the milk it is made from because the harmful milk proteins are largely absent”
I use grass-fed butter for everything, including; blending it in Bulletproof Coffee for a delicious energy-rich latte, cooking just about anything with it and even helping me slip into those shorts that are a little tight around the waist. Many people ask me about butter—people tell me it just feels ethically wrong to be consuming butter whilst trying to be healthy—after all, it is the pretty boy proclaiming the exoneration of fat. I assure you, it can be one of the greatest ROI in terms of your health and well-being.
Not only is grass-fed healthier, you are supporting ethical farming practices. Cows that are free to feed on the natural pasture will be happier, stronger and healthier—until you consume the living shit out of them. A bonus would be anti-biotic and growth hormone free. For the sake of laziness and preventive time-wasting measures, when I say “butter,” I actually mean “grass-fed butter”— *insert wink emoticon*
But, Butter Is Saturated Fat, And That Shit Is Bad For Me…Isn’t It?
There is no conclusive evidence that links saturated fat to heart disease according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Ironically, they have made statements regarding coconut oil recently which I think is absurd. They are informing the public to stay away from coconut oil and rather go for “healthy” alternatives like vegetable oil. If you are comfortable with directly increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease along with metabolic problems that will plague you for life, please follow the guidelines outlined by the AHA.
According to Peter J. and M. Park, Advances in Nutrition, "The findings indicate that the majority of observational studies have failed to find an association between the intake of dairy products and increased risk of CVD, coronary heart disease, and stroke, regardless of milk fat levels.” Although, they do state “The review highlights some significant gaps in the research surrounding the effects of full-fat dairy on CVD outcomes, pointing to the need for long-term intervention studies.”
We need to be funding non-biased research that has no affiliation with Big Food. Progress is being made and the public is catching on—fat isn’t the enemy, corporates are. If you would like to learn more about saturated fat, go have a squizz at my post, Fat vs Fiction | Undertanding this complex macro nutrient.
5 Reasons Why Butter Can Make You Smarter, Faster and Stronger
1. Anti-Inflammatory
Butter contains a compound called butyrate. This short-chain fatty acid plays a crucial role in providing energy to your cells that prevents autophagy (self-destruction). In addition, it plays a major role in preventing inflammation from occurring—which is now believed to be one of the driving forces for majority of chronic diseases, especially metabolic and cardiovascular. According to NCBI, "There is increasing evidence that butyrate, a major metabolite of intestinal bacteria and crucial energy source for gut epithelial cells, also possesses anti-inflammatory properties.” This is due to the Inhibiting of NF-kappa beta, involved in cellular responses to stress, which in-turn reduces inflammation
2. Sustainable Energy
We all want more energy to do stuff. Butter doubles as a pre-workout and post-workout superfood when added to coffee (make sure its unsalted). The healthy dose of fat provides a crash-free day filled with energy that lasts for hours. Start by introducing butter in your coffee, over your juicy grass-fed steak and even when you bake your resistant starch-containing sweet potato.
3. Vitamin-Packed
Butter has an array of vitamins in high amounts; Vitamin-A, Vitamin-K, Vitamin-D, Vitamin-E. In fact, grass-fed butter has more carotenes than carrots and just 14g of grass-fed butter has 500IU of Vitamin A. Vitamin K-2 supposedly plays a major role in decalcifying the arteries—that’s one way to avoid unnecessary medical bills.
4. CLA
Conjugated Linoleic Acid can be found in your dairy and meat products. It potentially has cancer busting effects — CLA in rats were shown to fight cancer cells that were present. CLA is also a muscle builder and fat destroyer.
5. Brain-enhancing Cholesterol
Butter has arachidonic acid which plays a role in optimal brain functioning and prostaglandin balance. You may find this part counterintuitive—the fact is, however, cholesterol is a key ingredient to functioning optimally. In The Bulletproof Diet, Dave Asprey sums it up perfectly, "Despite all of the misinformation you may have heard, cholesterol is needed to maintain intestinal health and for brain and nervous system development in the young.” We must keep in mind; our brains are predominately made of fat—in fact, approximately 60% of that useless material on top of your neck that you use to figure out how much the extra guacamole will cost, is fat! Dr. Mark Hyman, Eat Fat Get Thin, mentioned a study that basically concluded—in older people, the greatest predictor of life expectancy was linked to higher levels of cholesterol. That’s right, eating low-fat doesn’t do your body, or mind, any favours.
I hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did writing about it. I certainly became more educated on the subject of butter and the benefits. If you haven't already, please subscribe to my newsletter that will show you the latest blog posts I write. Any critical feedback, questions or concerns please get hold of me.
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