Butter Not Linked to Chronic Heart Disease; Not as Bad as White Bread: Study

Butter Not Associated with Chronic Heart Disease or Other Conditions.

By Mariel Peralta, CP Contributor Thursday, June 30, 2016

Butter's nutriotinal content is always misunderstood in the food pyramid. In a new study, researchers found that it is a "middle-of-the-road" kind of food where health outcomes are largely dependent on how it is consumed.

Butter Not Linked with Chronic Heart Disease and other Conditions

In a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE, scientists reviewed various studies to find out if butter can cause chronic heart disease and other conditions. The researchers found that those who consumed butter at a third serving to more than three servings did not have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It also had no significant effect on mortality.

Tuft scientist Laura Pimpin said that butter should not receive so much flak as it is considered to be a "neutral" food, Science Daily noted. Butter is used in different dishes and how it is consumed and paired with another food will decide how it impacts a person's health.

Senior author Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian said that butter should not be considered an enemy in the food pyramid or in having good health. There are many factors that cause heart disease and other conditions, and no food is singularly responsible for its development.

Butter is considered to be more healthy than starch and sugar, which is why putting butter on toast and sugared pastries is high-caloric, bordering on unhealthy.

Furthermore, Mozaffarian adds that saturated fats are not necessarily harmful. Time Magazine shared that eating processed meats with butter does not mean that the latter is to blame. He explains that the sodium and preservatives used in the meat could be factors that mitigate heart disease and other conditions.

Oils that are made of healthy fats including flaxseed, extra virgin olive oils, soybean and canola are considered healthier than using butter.

Butter Can Lower Type 2 Diabetes Risk?

In another similar but smaller study, scientists found that consuming a bit of butter decreased type 2 diabetes risk by up to 4 percent. However, scientists add that their findings should not spur people to eat more butter. The researchers say that they will conduct another investigation to confirm their findings.

Do you stay away from butter because you think saturated fats are bad for you? Let us know what you think of the findings and if you will go back to enjoying a generous of dollop on your toast soon in the comments below.