Is butter good for weight loss? Yes! When combined with a nutrient-dense diet plan such as Healthy Keto®, butter can help with weight loss by increasing satiety and promoting hormonal balance.
Uncover the remarkable health benefits of grass-fed butter and learn how to choose the highest-quality option for maximum nutritional value and purity.
What is butter?
Butter is a dairy product made by churning cream or milk to separate milk solids from the liquid, known as buttermilk. The result is a smooth, creamy spread packed with essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins.
Butter is a staple ingredient in kitchens worldwide. Both salted and unsalted butter enhance the sweet and savory flavors of many dishes and add delightful textures to sauces, dips, and pastries.
While butter’s rich flavor lends versatility to many dishes, its relatively low smoke point makes it best suited for low to moderate-heat cooking, such as sautéing, baking, and light pan-frying.
Butter nutrition facts
One tablespoon (14 grams) of salted, grass-fed butter contains:
- 100 calories
- 12 g fat
- 0 g protein
- 0 g carbohydrates
In addition, grass-fed butter is an impressive source of health-promoting nutrients, including:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K2
- Butyric acid
- Omega-fatty acids
- Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
Watch the video below to learn how butter can help you achieve a healthy body weight.
Is butter good for weight loss?
When paired with a whole-food-based, low-carb diet such as Healthy Keto, butter can support weight loss and help promote weight management.
By limiting carbohydrates and prioritizing high-quality, nutritious whole foods, Healthy Keto encourages your body to transition from relying on glucose for energy to entering ketosis, where stored fat becomes the primary fuel source. This metabolic shift highlights why butter can be a valuable addition to your diet.
Butter is a rich source of essential fatty acids, which help promote sustained energy production and steady blood sugar levels and can curb food cravings and hunger.
“Butter contains lauric acid, which has potential anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties and is good for weight loss and improved metabolic health,” explains Dr. Berg.” It’s also packed with CLA, which can help reduce body fat and support a healthy weight.”
Research published in Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports shows that fatty acids found in butter, such as butyric, caprylic, and capric acid, can help improve the function and metabolism of fat cells associated with greater fat-burning capacity.1
This indicates that multiple compounds in butter may play a role in supporting the breakdown of fat and enhancing metabolic processes, which is linked to weight-loss and better weight management.
4 health benefits of butter
Beyond its rich, savory flavor, grass-fed butter is a nutritional powerhouse that, when paired with a nutrient-dense diet, can enhance overall health.
Here are four health benefits of eating butter.
1. Supports fat-soluble vitamin intake
Butter is a rich source of fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K2, which are essential for immune function, vision, bone strength, and heart health.
Butter’s high-fat content enhances the absorption of these vitamins and helps counteract oxalates, naturally occurring anti-nutrients found in foods like spinach, kale, beets, and almonds.
Oxalates can interfere with the absorption of essential minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, and may contribute to kidney stone formation. Additionally, high oxalate intake can irritate the gut lining, leading to digestive discomfort for some individuals.
This explains why regular butter consumption can help promote better nutrient uptake and overall digestive health.
2. May help lower inflammation
Research published in Immune Network shows that butyric acid, a short-chain fatty acid in butter, helps regulate the body’s inflammatory response by supporting gut lining integrity and modulating immune cells.2
A strong gut barrier prevents harmful microbes and environmental toxins from entering the bloodstream, which can help reduce immune responses and systemic inflammation.
Butter also contains other beneficial fats, including omega-3 fatty acids, vaccenic acid, and CLA, which have demonstrated potential anti-carcinogenic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
3. Supports cardiovascular health
Contrary to outdated beliefs, consuming saturated fats such as those found in butter isn’t harmful when incorporated into a healthy diet.
In fact, evidence published by the BMJ, which reanalyzed foundational data regarding the cardiometabolic effects of saturated fats, revealed that substituting saturated fats with vegetable oils was linked to a 22 percent higher mortality risk.3
Furthermore, butter contains vitamins A, D, E, and K2, which help support heart health by reducing calcium buildup in the arteries, offering antioxidant protection, and promoting healthy insulin and blood pressure levels.
4. Promotes hormone balance
Saturated fats in butter support the production of essential hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, and cortisol.
Without adequate intake of healthy fats, the body’s hormonal balance can suffer, potentially leading to fatigue, mood swings, brain fog, and metabolic slowdowns.
How to choose the best butter
For optimal health benefits, it’s best to choose grass-fed and organic butter. This selection helps limit exposure to synthetic pesticides, growth hormones, preservatives, and endocrine disruptors that can negatively impact metabolic, hormonal, and cardiovascular health.
Research published in the Journal of Dairy Science compared conventional and organic bovine milk and found that healthier farming practices are associated with improved nutritional profiles.4
The researchers noted, “Milk fatty acid composition is affected by farming systems, with organic milk consistently having a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids.”
They also found that organic milk products have a better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, which is critical for overall health as excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids is associated with inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.
The origin of the butter also influences its quality. For instance, New Zealand butter is often praised for its superior quality, attributed to its strict dairy standards and year-round grazing practices.
Moreover, the production methods used can significantly affect butter’s nutrient content. Raw butter, made from unpasteurized cream, preserves more enzymes and beneficial bacteria than regular butter.
This traditional butter-making method minimizes heat exposure, helping maintain nutrients and may also aid in improving digestion and reducing inflammation.
While raw butter can be challenging to find due to regulations surrounding unpasteurized dairy, it’s worthwhile to seek out trusted local sources that prioritize safe and hygienic milking procedures.
Key takeaways
Is butter good for weight loss? Yes, when included as part of a nutritious diet, high-quality grass-fed butter can aid weight loss while offering essential nutrients and supporting overall health.
Butter contains various beneficial fatty acids that support metabolic functions, enhance nutrient absorption, promote hormonal balance, and support a strong immune system.
FAQ
1. Can you eat butter when losing weight?
Yes, when paired with a nutritious diet such as Healthy Keto®, you can eat butter and lose weight.
Unlike a low-fat diet, a high-fat weight loss diet helps stabilize blood sugar, enhance satiety, and support metabolic function by focusing on nutrient-dense foods that promote fat burning. This often results in dieters requiring fewer calories to feel satisfied.
2. Which butter is best for weight loss?
Organic grass-fed butter from New Zealand is considered one of the best choices due to the country’s exceptionally high standards for meat and dairy production.
New Zealand is known for its strict regulations on animal welfare, food safety, and quality control, ensuring premium-quality butter.
3. Is butter keto-friendly?
Yes, butter is keto-friendly. Butter consists primarily of healthy fats, making it an ideal choice for those following a Healthy Keto diet.
Butter also promotes steady energy levels and helps maintain satiety, which is highly beneficial for those pursuing the keto diet for weight loss.
4. How much butter can I eat a day for weight loss?
The ideal amount of butter for weight loss depends on your overall fat intake, body type, and lifestyle.
On a ketogenic diet, each meal typically includes 20 to 40 grams of total fat. Since one tablespoon of grass-fed butter provides approximately 10 to 12 grams of fat, it can be incorporated accordingly to meet your dietary needs.
5. Is butter a bad fat?
No, butter isn’t a bad fat. Real butter, especially from organic and grass-fed, pasture-raised animals, contains beneficial fatty acids, including medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which support metabolic health and fat-burning.
Butter is also a rich source of several other health-promoting nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K2, omega-3 fatty acids, and butyric acid.
6. Is clarified butter better than regular butter?
Clarified butter is a good choice for those sensitive to dairy, as it removes milk solids and retains pure butterfat. This process improves its stability for high-heat cooking while preserving beneficial nutrients, including fat-soluble vitamins and healthy fats.
