For decades, butter was marked as an enemy of health: Saturated fat, cholesterol, risk to the heart and blood vessels. The recommendation was clear – stay away, and prefer margarine and vegetable oils. However, in recent years, both the World Health Organization (WHO) and leading health bodies around the world have softened the message.
The emphasis has shifted from the question of a single food (that contains saturated fat) to the question of overall dietary patterns, food quality, and the degree of processing.
So is butter really “clogging arteries”? Or is the story more complex? It’s time to bring some order to the confusion surrounding butter. Here are 8 things worth clarifying:
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1. Butter is a natural food, not an industrial one
Real butter is one of the simplest food products: Cream that undergoes churning, and sometimes a small addition of salt.
Unlike refined vegetable oils, which undergo heating processes at high temperatures, chemical refining, and sometimes even deodorization (odor neutralization), butter does not undergo a chemical change in the structure of the fat.
In terms of the ingredient list – this is a short and clear product, without stabilizers or industrial additives.
2. Butter contains about 80% fat – which is less than oil
About 80% of butter is fat, but about 18% is water. The rest consists of milk proteins and additional natural components. Therefore, in 100 grams of butter there are on average about 730 calories, compared to vegetable oil, which is 100% fat and contains on average about 900 calories per 100 grams.
3. How many calories are in one teaspoon of butter?
This is a relevant question, because unlike meat, where an average portion is 100–250 grams, or even unlike dairy products such as cream (a container is at least 150 grams), butter is eaten in the amount of a teaspoon. If 100 grams are used for a whole cake recipe or a whole tray of cookies, that amount is divided among many servings.
In a level teaspoon of butter (about 5 grams) there are about 45 calories. This is not a high amount – the problem begins when it is not measured. When it comes to bread with butter – we have all noticed that cold butter spreads less easily, and many people “pile it on” without noticing.
4. Cholesterol: The numbers in the right context
And again we return to the issue of the teaspoon, this time from the cholesterol angle. Remember, we eat a teaspoon, not 200 grams of butter at once.
In 100 grams of butter there are about 220 mg of cholesterol, but in one teaspoon there are only about 12 mg. For comparison: One egg contains over 200 mg of cholesterol, and yet eggs have long not been considered a “nutritional disaster”.
A large epidemiological study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the connection between dietary cholesterol and heart disease is much weaker than previously thought, and in most people blood cholesterol levels are influenced more by the overall composition of the diet, the quality of fats, and genetics. Meaning – not by an occasional teaspoon of butter here and there.
5. Butter and satiety – not just a matter of calories
Combining fat with carbohydrates slows the rate of gastric emptying and the absorption of sugar into the blood. Therefore, a slice of bread with a teaspoon of butter may be more filling than two slices of light bread – even if the number of calories is similar.
A small example is a study published in The Journal of Nutrition that showed that meals containing a combination of fat together with carbohydrates lead to a more moderate rise in glucose and insulin levels, and contribute to a longer-lasting feeling of fullness – and therefore also to reduced snacking later in the day.
6. Not every fat is suitable for frying
The smoke point of butter is relatively low (about 150 degrees), and therefore it is not suitable for deep or prolonged frying. With excessive heating, the milk proteins burn and may create off-flavors and undesirable compounds. In contrast, for baking, short cooking, or quick sautéing – butter can בהחלט be suitable.
7. Butter versus margarine – a fundamental difference worth noting
I remember that when I was a child, everyone (but really everyone) thought margarine was a preferable product to butter, because margarine contains no cholesterol.
So yes, in the past margarine was packed with industrial trans fats that are very harmful to the heart, and today it usually is not, but it is important to understand: Margarine is produced from vegetable oils that undergo processing to change the structure of the fat, in order to mimic the texture of butter. But even when it comes to the newer margarines, it is a product that is far more processed than butter.
Butter, on the other hand, does not contain industrial trans fats, and in terms of processing – is much simpler.
8. So does butter “clog arteries”?
Modern research presents a complex picture. A broad meta-analysis published in BMJ found that butter consumption is not significantly associated with an increased risk of heart disease or stroke, when it is consumed in moderate amounts as part of a balanced diet.
The main problem is not the teaspoon of butter on the sandwich – but its combination within baked goods, cakes, and store-bought cookies, where it comes together with white flour, sugar, and fat in large quantities.
In summary, butter is not a superfood, but it is also not poison. In the right dosage, as part of a diet rich in vegetables, legumes, nuts, and high-quality vegetable oils, an occasional teaspoon of butter will not cause heart disease. And if you ask me – sometimes it is better to use real butter in a cake, rather than refined and processed oil that has no real nutritional advantage.