What are the benefits and dangers of consuming butter?

Benefits and Dangers of Butter Consumption

Butter appears to be relatively neutral for cardiovascular health when consumed in moderate amounts, but may contribute to modest long-term weight gain and increases in total and LDL cholesterol compared to plant-based oils like olive oil. 1

Cardiovascular Health Effects

Neutral Impact on Major Cardiovascular Outcomes

• Meta-analyses of observational studies show that moderate butter consumption is not significantly associated with:

  • Coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence 1
  • Stroke 1, 2
  • Total mortality 1, 2
  • Overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) 2

• The evidence suggests butter has a neutral effect on cardiometabolic health when consumed in moderate amounts (approximately 9-25g/day) 1

Cholesterol Effects

• Butter consumption increases total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol compared to olive oil 3, 4
• Butter also increases HDL cholesterol compared to habitual diets 3
• Butter significantly increases the total cholesterol/HDL ratio compared to coconut oil 4

Metabolic Health

Potential Benefits for Diabetes

• Interestingly, butter consumption is associated with a small but significant reduction in type 2 diabetes risk (RR = 0.96,95% CI = 0.93,0.99) 2
• In European cohorts, individuals consuming any butter compared to none experienced lower risk of diabetes, though no further dose-response was observed among butter consumers 1

Weight Management

• Butter consumption is associated with modest long-term weight gain 1
• This contrasts with olive oil, which has not been associated with increased risk of becoming overweight or obese 1

Nutritional Considerations

Fat-Soluble Vitamin Content

• Butter contains fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) 1
• Fat products like butter can improve nutritional status in certain populations, particularly the elderly 1
• Cooking vegetables with fat increases vitamin A bioavailability 1

Fatty Acid Composition

• Butter contains various fatty acids including:
  • Saturated fatty acids (predominant)
  • Small amounts of ruminant trans fatty acids
  • Some naturally occurring beneficial fatty acids like branched-chain fatty acids and medium-chain saturated fats 1

Practical Recommendations

Moderation is Key

• Current evidence does not support either significantly increasing or decreasing butter consumption 2
• Moderate consumption (around 9-25g/day) appears to have neutral effects on major cardiovascular outcomes 1

Consider Alternatives

• For those with hypercholesterolemia, minimizing butter consumption is advisable 3
• Extra virgin olive oil and other vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fats may be preferable alternatives for cardiovascular health 1
• Virgin oils (like extra-virgin olive oil) may be preferred due to their phenolic compounds that provide additional health benefits beyond their fatty acid profile 1

Low-Fat Butter Options

• Low-fat butter (41% fat) can help reduce overall lipid intake compared to regular butter (82% fat) while maintaining similar consumption patterns 5

Common Pitfalls and Caveats

• The neutral cardiovascular effects of butter apply only to moderate consumption; high intake levels have not been adequately studied 1
• Individual responses to butter consumption may vary based on genetic factors and overall dietary patterns
• The quality of evidence regarding butter's health effects is limited by the small number of studies in meta-analyses (3-5 studies) 1
• Most studies on butter consumption involve moderate intake levels (average 9g/day), so effects of higher consumption remain uncertain 1
• The cardiovascular effects of butter should be considered within the context of the overall diet rather than in isolation 1