Is butter healthy?

You may have heard the buzz recently, that butter isn't as bad as people thought.  Is it true, can we go back and embrace our old friend, butter?

Here are some interesting facts about butter:

• Saturated fat is good for the heart.  The saturated fat found in whole, unprocessed foods (think: butter, fresh meat, cheese, yogurt, and milk) is not only ridiculously satiating, but it may actually do the heart some good. In fact, a recent groundbreaking Annals of Internal Medicine analysis of nearly 80 studies found that consuming higher levels of saturated fat doesn’t increase the risk of heart disease. (source:  Women's Health Magazine)
  
• Trans fat, not saturated fat, is the enemy.  Dr. Kummerow, author of Cholesterol Is Not the Culprit, has spent eight decades immersed in the science of lipids, cholesterol, and heart disease, and he was the first researcher to identify which fats actually clog your arteries.  His work shows that it's not saturated fat that causes heart disease, rather trans fats are to blame. Dr. Kummerow was the first to publish a scientific article on this association, all the way back in 1957!   (source:  Mercola.com) 
• Butter is healthier than margerine.  In the Framingham heart study, they examined the effects of butter and margarine on cardiovascular disease.  Margarine significantly increased the risk of cardiovascular disease, while butter had no effect.  (source:  Authoritynutrition.com)
• Butter is associated with a lower risk of obesity.  The nutrition authorities often recommend that we choose low-fat dairy products.  That way, we can get the calcium we need without all those “bad” fats and calories.  But despite the higher calorie content, eating high-fat dairy products is NOT associated with obesity.  In fact, a new review paper came out in 2012 that examined the effects of high-fat dairy consumption on obesity, cardiovascular disease and other metabolic disorders.  They discovered that high-fat dairy did NOT increase risk of metabolic disease and was associated with a significantly reduced risk of obesity (source:  Authoritynutrition.com)
• Butter is an excellent source of vitamins. One of the many beneficial vitamins we get from butter is Vitamin A, which has a wide range of function for our bodies. Vitamin A is needed to maintain good vision. It also keeps our endocrine system functioning well. Aside from Vitamin A, butter also has other fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin D, E and K.  (source:  Dr. Axe)
  
• Butter is an excellent source of good cholesterol.  Basically, cholesterol is needed for healthy cellular function. It also plays a part in brain and nervous system development.  (source:  Dr. Axe)
• All butter isn't created equal.  Butter from organic, grass-fed sources is best.  Butter that isn't mixed with other oils like olive or canola is also better.  Check out ghee, a form of clarified butter where all the proteins, milk solids and lactose is removed. This makes the butter more digestible, concentrated with nutrients and really great for immunity building. Ghee does not need to be refrigerated, it can stay on the counter for a few months without going bad. People with dairy allergies or sensitives often do ok consuming this type of butter.  (source:  Food Babe)
• Don't go crazy.  Butter can increase risk of cardiovascular disease when consumed in excessive amounts. One research study has shown that 3 tablespoons of butter per day over 4 weeks can increase total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. For this reason, if you are going to cook with butter, you will want to keep the amount at a moderate level of no more than 1-2 tablespoons.

My family made the switch back to butter over margerine perhaps 8 months ago, and it didn't affect my weight loss progress.  I only ate perhaps 1 or 2 tablespoons a day, so everything in moderation.  Butter can be a healthy and delicious part of a balanced diet.