The Bikini Guide to Butter

Choose the right butter for you and that just may be a vegan cashew butter! Read on for the spreadable facts.

GMO, cross-breeding, additives… it can all be so confusing. What butter is the best to consume or does butter have any redeeming qualities? Not all butters are bad. Too much of anything is too much. And, butter is not to blame for all cholesterol problems.  The Bikini Guide to Butter gives you the “skinny” on all things butter-fat!

 

Butter Healthy Positives

• good source of vitamin E
• contains vitamin K
• contains beta carotene!
• known to aid gut health and when high quality, helps reduce gut inflammation
• provides nutrients and helps convert nutrients to healthy body functions

Butter Not-So-Healthy Qualities

• not so tolerable for lactose sensitive individuals
• not a source of the health fat mega “stars” such as omega 3 fatty acids found in flax seed, olive oil, and most fish
• thumbs up for the omega-3s again… butter can not compare with the health benefits of nuts and nut butters – no sugar added versions, of course

  

The Butter Breakdown

Organic butter
*Provides a certain level of omega-3 fatty acids (remember, those found in olive oil, olives, nuts, and most fish)
*Less likely to be GMO related
*Less likely to have high levels of toxins, including pesticides

Grass-fed butter
*Contains higher concentrations of beta carotene (yay!)
*Can help improve body composition and reduce cardiovascular disease
*Some properties in grass-fed butter have been proven effective in reducing cancer

Cultured butter
*Aged and mildly fermented
*Known to be particularly high in butyrate which helps improve gut health

Unsalted butter
*Essentially no-salt added to the butter
*Recommended for cooking as it retains its properties at high temperature
*A versatile “oil” that will hold its consistency when needed

Ghee
*Clarified butter in which butter, when heated, will separate the true fat from the rest
*Butter solids, when heated, are scraped off the top and removed
*”Stable” at room temperature
*Often more easily digestible to lactose sensitive individuals and even those not sensitive to lactose

Nut Butters

• Almond Butter : Recipe > Matcha Energy Cakes with Almond Butter
• Cashew Butter : Recipe > AVOCADO CASHEW BUTTER
• Walnut Butter
• Pretty much any nut can be pureed and used as a spread
• The key to healthy nut butters? No sugar added!

 

Subscribe to The Bikini Chef YouTube channel for fun, informative cooking videos!