Butter is the subject of beliefs and legends more or less firmly anchored in people’s minds. So what is it in reality? Is it good or bad for your health? Answers with Corinne Fernandez dietician nutritionist in Paris.
Butter cuisine still has its followers. For the Normans, it is not uncommon for the chips to form a mainstay in the kitchen and pile up in refrigerators. Apart from this traditional local aspect, the use of butter in cooking can be very common in both sauces and pastry dishes. So, is it a health hazard?
The butter vs oils match
First we must remember that cooking in butter is harmful. On heating, this fat produces chemicals that are harmful to our body. On the other hand, it is quite possible to use “ghee” butter, that is to say cooked butter free of its impurities. Namely the whitish substance which is created during cooking. There are many techniques on the internet to do it yourself, but you can buy it ready-made. “But in terms of health, cooking in olive oil, or cooking in rapeseed oil for seasonings remains the best reflex. The Mediterranean diet has shown its benefits in many studies, and it highlights before the virtues of olive oil Oils contain a lot ofomega 3, essential for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system, the hormonal system, and are very useful for combating inflammation. They also have virtues for our mental health“, explains Corinne Fernandez.
The golden rule: consume raw butter, in moderation
If we want to eat butter, we favor it raw. Indeed, it contains vitamin A, excellent for the skin and for the vision. And also vitamin D, so precious in winter when the sun is scarce. A small hazelnut in vegetables or mashed potatoes, or even on toast in the morning is more than enough. “We do not exceed 10 to 15 g per day, either a small individual tablet but you have to adapt to the person’s needs: it all depends on their age, sex, health issues “, adds the nutritionist.
You should know that butter contains 753 calories per 100 grams. And the saturated fatty acids make up about 60% to 65% of the fat in butter. The latter would influence the increase in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (“bad cholesterol”). But there are many studies that contradict each other on this point.
In any case, the only golden rule is to consume it in moderation and preferably raw. And in case of problems or questions, do not hesitate to seek advice from a specialist to adapt the quantities to your profile.
Thanks to Corinne Fernandez, dietician nutritionist (Paris).
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