7 Reasons Why Butter Is Better

There is a misconception that in order to lose weight or to stay slim we must eat low fat.  Instead, the research says we need healthy fats to burn fat and to keep our metabolism up. Margarine is promoted as a healthy alternative to butter but nothing could be further from the truth.  

Margarine has to go through a process called partial hydrogenation in order to change the liquid vegetable oil into a solid fat.  During this process trans fats are created and these contribute to hormonal imbalances, skin problems, heart disease, cancer, bone problems as well as learning difficulties in children. 

During the manufacture of margarine, the vegetable oil is heated to very high temperatures creating free radicals and toxic breakdown products.  The oil changes color and looks grey so the oil is then bleached and yellow coloring is added to give margarine a more appealing color.  The high temperatures kill natural vitamins and minerals present so synthetic vitamins such as synthetic vitamin A is added.  Preservatives and emulsifiers are added to give margarine a longer shelf life.  Artificial flavors are added to give it butter like flavor.

Other additives that disrupt hormone functioning include soy protein isolate which is a highly processed powder added to "low Trans" spreads to give the margarine more body.   Soy isolate can contribute to thyroid dysfunction as well as other hormonal problems.  Sterols are also added to margarine to give them 'cholesterol lowering' properties.  Sterols are estrogen compounds that affect the endocrine system.

7 Reasons Why Butter Is Better

1. Fatty Acids

Butter has both short and medium chain fatty acids which boost your metabolism and have anti-microbial effects in the intestinal tract.  Butter has the perfect ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 essential fatty acids which support brain function, hormonal balance and skin health.

2. CLA

CLA protects the body against cancer. CLA also affects the metabolism by helping the body to build muscle instead of storing fat.  Increased muscle mass increases your metabolic rate.

3. Vitamins

Butter is rich in an absorbable form of Vitamin A as well as all the other fat soluble vitamins D, E, and K.  Vitamin A is essential for the hormonal system and is well known to support good vision.

4. Minerals

Butter is rich in many essential trace minerals - chromium which is great for blood sugar regulation, copper, zinc, manganese, and selenium.  Butter has many of the nutrients needed to support thyroid function, namely zinc, selenium and iodine.  Selenium is a very powerful anti-oxidant and when comparing gram for gram, butter has more selenium that wheat germ.   

5. Gylcospingolipids.

Glycospingolipds fall into the category of fatty acids.  This type of fatty acid is very important in protecting the intestinal tract against infections and keeping the right balance of healthy bacteria.

6. Cholesterol

Yes butter has cholesterol but cholesterol is a part of the cell membrane in every cell in the body.  Cholesterol is needed to for hormones, brain health and the development of the nervous system in children.

7.Wulzen Factor

Wulzen Factor is only available from raw butter as it is destroyed during pasteurization.  This is a hormone like substance that ensures that calcium is used by the body and not deposited into the joints creating joint pain and stiffness.

Not all butter is created equal however.  The best butter is from grass fed cows.  Grass fed cows produce butter that is higher in CLA and Vitamin K2 for example.  However, even if you can't get grass fed butter, regular butter is still a healthier than margarine.

Dr. Simone Burke, Naturopathic Doctor

Perfect Health Blueprint (www.perfecthealthblueprint.com)