Butter, the Healthy Option

A backlash is beginning to form against the overwhelming general opinion that saturated fat is bad for you. It is well beyond the scope of this lens to present scientific evidence to support the new way of thinking but if you are keen to find out more then here are a few links:

The Truth About Saturated Fat - Part 1

Reasons to Eat More Saturatd Fat

Why Saturated Fat is Good For You

The 20 Health Benefits of Real Butter

From Donna Gates' Body Ecology site above:

1. Butter is rich in the most easily absorbable form of Vitamin A necessary for thyroid and adrenal health.
2. Contains lauric acid, important in treating fungal infections and candida.
3. Contains lecithin, essential for cholesterol metabolism.
4. Contains anti-oxidants that protect against free radical damage.
5. Has anti-oxidants that protect against weakening arteries.
6. Is a great source of Vitamins E and K.
7. Is a very rich source of the vital mineral selenium.
8. Saturated fats in butter have strong anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties.
9. Butter contains conjugated linoleic acid, which is a potent anti-cancer agent, muscle builder, and immunity booster
10. Vitamin D found in butter is essential to absorption of calcium.
11. Protects against tooth decay.
12. Is your only source of an anti-stiffness factor, which protects against calcification of the joints.
13. Anti-stiffness factor in butter also prevents hardening of the arteries, cataracts, and calcification of the pineal gland.
14. Is a source of Activator X, which helps your body absorb minerals.
15. Is a source of iodine in highly absorbable form.
16. May promote fertility in women.
17. Is a source of quick energy, and is not stored in our bodies adipose tissue.
18. Cholesterol found in butterfat is essential to children's brain and nervous system development.
19. Contains Arachidonic Acid (AA) which plays a role in brain function and is a vital component of cell membranes.
20. Protects against gastrointestinal infections in the very young or the elderly.

Saturated fat has been consumed by human beings for thousands upon thousands of years. It is only in the last couple of decades that it has become 'monsterized'. Coincidentally, this denigration has happened at the same time that the western world is consuming more grains and other carbohydrates than ever before. And.... do you see our general health improving? Nope, nor me.

It's time we took a good look at what we are calling 'bad' and evaluate it from a logical and historical viewpoint.

Studies have shown categorically that eliminating saturated fat from you diet does absolutely nothing in preventing heart disease. Go do some research of your own, then come back and read about all the lovely goodness that is real dairy butter.

Very easy to do and extremely rewarding - use it on your own home-made breads and vegetables. It won't keep as long as commercial butter but, honestly, that won't be a problem as it will get eaten so quickly"

You will need:

*An amount of double (heavy) cream. You can also use whipping cream. Preferably locally sourced and organic. Leave it to stand to reach room temperature before commencing your butter-making.
*A little salt.
*A sealable jar large enough to be able to shake the cream in.
*Several willing assistants.

Put the cream in the jar (don't add the salt just yet) and shake it. That's it. Keep going. When your arms start to hurt pass it to the next person. Small people should be sitting down just in case they drop the jar.

Eventually you will see a solid mass of butter begin to form and separate from the buttermilk.

Alternatively, you can use an electric mixer with a paddle rather than a balloon whisk attachment.

Drain off the buttermilk and refrigerate to use later for such things as buttermilk icing/frosting or delicious buttermilk pie.

You will have to wash the butter in cold water several times to get rid of all the buttermilk.

If you are going to use the butter immediately you can now add the salt, just a small amount to taste; use your own judgement - smoosh it about so the salt gets thoroughly mixed into the butter. If you don't want to use the butter over the next day or two (why wouldn't you?), you can freeze it unsalted and add the salt when you do want to use it.

Press the butter into shape using two wooden spoons.

You will need a beautiful dish for your home-made butter.

Rub a little butter into your child's fresh graze or bruise (not for burns). It will soothe and help the graze heal quicker.

Strengthen finger nails by rubbing butter into the cuticles daily.

Stop doors squeaking - rub a little butter on hinges in lieu of oil.

Shaving - if you run out of shaving cream, butter rubbed onto the skin will provide the necessary lubrication. Also good for shaving ladies' legs as it is a great skin softener.

Remove gum from hair by coating in butter; you should be able to gently pull the gum out.

Keep butter wrappers in the refrigerator and use for greasing cake tins and bake-ware.

Drs Michael & Mary Eades say, in their new book The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle: The Simple Plan to Flatten Your Belly Fast! that we need saturated fat for the following reasons:

1) Improved cardiovascular risk factors

Saturated fat plays a key role in cardiovascular health. The addition of saturated fat to the diet reduces the levels of a substance called lipoprotein (a) that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. Research has shown that when women diet, those eating the greatest percentage of the total fat in their diets as saturated fat, lose the most weight.

2) Stronger bones

Saturated fat is required for calcium to be effectively incorporated into bone. According to one of the foremost research experts in dietary fats and human health, Dr. Mary Enig, Ph.D., there's a case to be made for having as much as 50 percent of the fats in your diet as saturated fats for this reason.

3) Improved liver health

Saturated fat has been shown to protect the liver from alcohol and medications, including acetaminophen and other drugs commonly used for pain and arthritis.

4) Healthy lungs

For proper function, the airspaces of the lungs have to be coated with a thin layer of lung surfactant. The fat content of lung surfactant is 100 percent saturated fatty acids. Replacement of these critical fats by other types of fat makes faulty surfactant and potentially causes breathing difficulties.

5) Healthy brain

Your brain is mainly made of fat and cholesterol. The lion's share of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. A diet that skimps on healthy saturated fats robs your brain of the raw materials it needs to function optimally.

6) Proper nerve signaling

Certain saturated fats, particularly those found in butter, lard, coconut oil, and palm oil, function directly as signaling messengers that influence metabolism, including such critical jobs as the appropriate release of insulin.

7) Strong immune system

Saturated fats found in butter and coconut oil (myristic acid and lauric acid) play key roles in immune health. Loss of sufficient saturated fatty acids in white blood cells hampers their ability to recognize and destroy foreign invaders, such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Taken from Dr Mercola's article "7 Reasons to Eat More Saturated Fat".