More often than not I receive a look of bewilderment when people realize such things as the fact that I eat eggs everyday and that I am also not afraid of butter. These are just two examples –trust me when I say that there are many more that warrant perplexing looks! We are told to stay away from eating these two foods otherwise we risk the potential for developing high cholesterol and eventually heart disease. These two foods (along with many others) have been the subject of scrutiny throughout the years and conventional wisdom keeps perpetuating a certain way of thinking and masking some of the facts.
So from the title of this blog you clearly know which food I am going to focus on today. I will offer my reasons for using butter as opposed to a margarine type spread. I am including a link that will provide you with a well-versed and researched explanation with references of why butter is a much better option than what we have been told for many years. I strongly encourage you to read it as it will put perspective on an otherwise cloudy area for most people. With everything – make the best decision for you, but at least you will be more informed to make that decision. What works for me, may not work for you. (Of course if you have a dairy allergy – then the whole butter argument may be moot in your book. Ever tried Ghee? )
So why do I use butter? Plain and simple….
1. Butter is real and margarine type spreads are “fake” in my opinion. The ingredients for butter are simply cream and salt. Margarine, on the other hand, contains things like soybean oil, partially hydrogenated soy oil, whey (which is a component of milk…”eating her curds and whey”…wish I had known that when that ridiculous nursery rhyme was being told to me as a kid), salt, mono and diglycerides… depending on the brand the ingredients will vary.
2. I can make butter in my kitchen. Margarine – not so much!
3.
That pretty much sums up that point. Just make sure the cows that the butter comes from have been feed properly. Butter from grass-fed cows is the best. Organic butter, too! Be cautious of using regular butter due to the fact that the cows may have not been fed properly therefore you are getting the byproducts of the improper diet of the cow. However, if regular butter is all you can do to make the switch from a questionable spread then that may be a better choice for you.
4. Butter has health benefits! Yup – you read that right! Here is the link I referred to above… http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/why-butter-is-better
5. And lastly, if I am going to eat something such as butter, I would prefer it to be the real thing in taste, quality, and ingredients. If you watch the link from one of my favorite TV shows – at the end of the clip – I have to agree with the character’s sentiments all the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA0HViN4XAY&feature=player_detailpage
So yes – You butter believe it – I love me some butter!
*As with any diet or lifestyle change you need to do your own research and feel comfortable with your own conclusions and decisions that may result from that very research. Again – it is worth repeating – that what I have researched and deemed appropriate for my life, may not be for yours. I wanted to take the time in this blog to express my rationale for picking butter due to the fact I have been asked on numerous occasions. I am not one to take Conventional Wisdom as gospel – if that was the case – I would be consuming margarine type spreads instead of butter!
