I’ve been saying it for years and I’ve been a voice in the scientific and medical wilderness. (Not that I ever was officially admitted to those hallowed precincts!) But, now, The Health Establishment has come out in agreement on the wholesomeness of Butter!
Beautiful, blessed Butter! Is there nothing it can’t do?
Well… What they’re saying is that it may actually be healthier for us to consume more full-fat dairy products in our daily diets. That’s a big change from the medical mantra of the past couple of decades, calling for a change to lower-fat products – both dairy and non-dairy. And, of course, there’s the well-hyped angle that dietary cholesterol promotes the development of high LDL (‘Bad’) Cholesterol in your blood – a major factor in hardening of the arteries, which in turn causes heart attacks and strokes.
But now…
A study filed at the U.S. National Library of Medicine says: “A high intake of dairy fat was associated with a lower risk of central obesity and a low dairy fat intake was associated with a higher risk of central obesity.”
Another study supports the first, saying: “The observational evidence does not support the hypothesis that dairy fat or high-fat dairy foods contribute to obesity or cardiometabolic risk, and suggests that high-fat dairy consumption within typical dietary patterns is inversely associated with obesity risk.”
As the conclusions of the latter study go on to observe, “These findings may provide a rationale for future research into the bioactive properties of dairy fat and the impact of bovine feeding practices on the health effects of dairy fat.”
As I’ve always said…
Humanity has evolved for thousands of generations consuming full-fat dairy products – including beloved Butter and wondrous Whipping Cream – and the race has steadily advanced on those fuels. Only in the past 100 years or so have we left the main track and been side-tracked onto the ‘low fat’, ‘edible oil’ and ‘healthy alternative’ spur lines. And, as we all know, spur lines always run, eventually, to dead ends. (Love that metaphor…)
Anyway…
I also agree with observers who recently noted that the global obesity epidemic (as least in those countries who enjoy plentiful food supplies) is mainly driven by an in-bred craving for fat, sugar and salt, which were always in short supply when our species was young. According to those researchers, we still tend to scarf down all the sugar, salt and fat we can get our hands on, in spite of the fact that – in our modern society where we constantly push the limits of agriculture and food manufacturing – there’s no longer a chronic shortage of these dietary essentials.
So… What’s secret to good health?
Go ahead! Eat the good stuff! Just consume it in sensible moderation…
~ Maggie J.