Benefits of Butter – #letsmakeitclear
Everything you need to know about the benefits of butter and the correct, balanced consumption of this complete, vitamin-rich food
Butter is the fatty part of milk separated from the buttermilk through a phase inversion process, derived from cream. The result of this process is an emulsion of water with sugars and proteins in fats, which partially crystallize in the liquid phase. For the #letsmakeitclear campaign, we decided to tell you about the benefits of butter.
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Memories and Uses on Italian Tables
How many memories link butter to cooking and popular culture: from the famous snack of bread, butter, and jam that has pleased both parents and children, to the main food for farm workers, to its use in cooking melted, and TV commercials.
The softness of butter has accompanied humans for many centuries, thanks to its high nutritional content, which provided the right energy for fieldwork. Its use in first courses, second courses, and desserts, especially in areas where dairy farming was predominant and it was not always easy to find alternative products as seasoning, is widespread in recipes around the world.
After all, what would the world be without frosting on cupcakes?
Or without hot melted seasoning on ravioli or tortellini from our country’s culinary tradition?
In short, butter is an essential food in our culture and, although over the years there have been attempts to replace it with lower-quality plant-based and other substitutes, it remains one of the most consumed products in households around the world.
Benefits of Butter, Nutritional Values, and Properties
The benefits of butter, however, are less known and much understated. In reality, butter is a boost of vitamins, sodium, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and water.
According to a study by the Humanitas Institute in Milan, 100 g of butter contains:
- 14.1 g of water
- 0.8 g of proteins
- 83.4 g of lipids, including 48.78 g of saturated fats, 23.72 g of monounsaturated fats, 2.75 g of polyunsaturated fats (including 1.57 g of linoleic acid and 1.18 g of alpha-linolenic acid), and 250 mg of cholesterol
Among vitamins and minerals, 100 g of butter provides:
- 930 µg of vitamin A (retinol equivalent)
- 2.4 mg of vitamin E
- 15 mg of potassium
- 16 mg of phosphorus
- 27 mg of calcium
- 7 mg of sodium
Butter is a Safe Food: Here’s Why
One thing is certain: butter is a safe food for two fundamental reasons.
- Butter is pasteurized: butter pasteurization is mandatory by law. According to Assolatte, EU regulations state that butter must have a minimum fat content of 82%, 2% dry extract, and 16% water, while if salted (2%), the fat content drops to 80%.
- The saturated fats in butter are short and medium chain, making them much safer than other types of lipids, including vegetable oils. This is because they do not require high temperatures to melt and are very energizing and digestible (if butter is consumed raw).
Butter Benefits, Tips for Proper Consumption
According to Il Giornale del Cibo, there are many types of butter on the market:
- light butter (3/4 butter), with a minimum dairy fat content of 60% and a maximum of 62%;
- light butter (1/2 butter) with a minimum dairy fat content of 39% and a maximum of 41%;
- mixed products (which also contain other vegetable fats)
- concentrated butter, with reduced cholesterol content and at least 90% fat.
The benefits of butter are also related to the processing of the product itself: it is a condiment obtained through a mechanical process (unlike margarine and other vegetable derivatives).
Let’s enjoy this delicious food, rich in vitamins and complete.
