5 Butter Myths Debunked

Every day, we feel like we discover a new butter myth to debunk.  From “butter is bad for you” to “margarine is better for you,” we have heard a lot of misinformation regarding butter.  We decided it was time we do our part and put an end to the myths and untruths.  Here are a few butter myths and the truth from our butter expert (and owner), Venae.

Fat is bad for you 

The reality is that not all fats are bad, and alternatively, research confirms there are lower health risks from consuming dairy fat than consuming items that have trans-fat.  In fact, there are no links between heart disease risk and dairy products.  Although butter is high in calories and fat, it contains a variety of important nutrients as well.  Butter is a great source of vitamin A, a fat-soluble vitamin needed for skin health, immune function, and stronger eyes.  It also contains vitamin E, which we know supports heart health and acts as an antioxidant to protect your cells against damage caused by “bad guys” called free radicals.

Additionally, butter contains very small amounts of other nutrients, including riboflavin, niacin, calcium, and phosphorus.  Big words, big health!  The key takeaway is: fat is not bad for you.

Butter doesn’t last long 

Assuming you keep butter in the refrigerator, butter can last about 6-9 months.  If there is a best by date stamped on the package, butter can last at least a month past that date.  It’s also important to know that butter is freezer safe.  We’re not kidding, we promise.

Like we mentioned in our previous blog, 5 Tips on Working in the Kitchen with Butter, butter is totally OK to freeze.  Simply keep the additional butter in its original packaging, place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze.  In case you were curious, salted butter can last up to 12 months in the freezer, while unsalted usually will last about six.

Buttery spreads are better for you 

Butter-like spreads or items lauded as healthy butter substitutes are heavily processed.  Margarines typically are made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, also known as trans-fats.  These oils are formulated when hydrogen is added to liquid oil to become solid at room temperature and, therefore, mimics butter texture.

Today, scientists recognize that trans-fat is worse for your heart than saturated fat because, in addition to raising your bad LDL cholesterol, trans fats also reduce your good HDL cholesterol.

Butter comes from bad ingredients 

False.  False.  False.  We hear this all of the time and it makes our butter-loving hearts ache.  On the contrary, people have been enjoying and eating butter for thousands of years.  Today, butter is made from one simple ingredient: cream.  Occasionally we throw in Sea Salt or Garlic & Herbs, but it also stems from cream supplied by pasture-raised cows.

Avoid butter all together, to be safe 

Eating any food in abundance will lead to health risks.  According to the American Heart Association, you should restrict the amount of saturated fat you eat to less than 7% of your total daily calories.  If you eat approximately 2,000 calories a day, you can easily and healthily eat 16 grams of saturated fat because there are 7 grams of saturated fat in a tablespoon of butter.

Like our Co-Owner Venae always says, “In my humble opinion, you can never know enough about butter!”  If you’re curious about our products or have additional myths you’d like debunked, head over to our Contact Us section on the website.

In a family of 6 generations of butter lovers, it’s safe to say there was a lot of cooking…and a lot of butter. We encourage you to get in the kitchen, cooking with and for your loved ones. Always remember, if all else fails, just add butter!

We hope you enjoyed our Butter Myths Debunked blog. For some delicious recipes featuring Minerva Dairy’s better butter, head to our Recipes page. Be sure to keep up with our latest creations through our Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram page and our top tips through our blogs.