There have been a lot of health claims lately that butter is good for you. Well, yes compared to margarine butter is better for you, but it is the lesser of two evils. Just because butter, a saturated fat is better for you than margarine, a partially hydrogenated fat doesn't mean you should increase your consumption of it.
In one tablespoon of butter there is 35% of your saturated fat and 10% of your cholesterol for a day. Yes, there is a trace of vitamin A and D in butter, but I wouldn't really call butter a source for these vitamins.
Yes, there has been a realization by the medical community that a little saturated fat and cholesterol is good for our bodies. We need these fats for brain development, clotting, and controlling inflammation.* But we don't need much fat to have a healthy functioning body.
When you look up information about dietary requirements of fats please be careful of your sources. You will be safer with sources like: The American Heart Association, The Center for Disease Control and publications from The American Medical Association.
It is not true that you can eat as much saturated fat as you like. Increased consumption of saturated fats increases cholesterol in most people. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that builds up in your arteries. If there is too much, it can block the flow of blood, causing either a heart attack or stroke.*
I personally have seen my cholesterol go up over the years as I have changed from a low fat vegetarian diet to a diet that now contains dairy and meat. My cholesterol is still very good, but it has changed based on my diet.
Have your cholesterol tested every year, you may be one of the few people are not effected by dietary in take of fats, but you won't know unless you get checked.
Don't trust diet gurus who base their claims on pseudo science. I think we want to believe these people because they are offering us an excuse to indulge.
Play it safe... get checked.
*Source: http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/fat/overview.html
Weekly Menu Plan:
Sunday: Lasagna and a Green Salad
Meatless Monday: Red Kuri Squash Soup with Homemade Sourdough Bread
Tuesday: Muenster Cheese Souffle with Asparagus and Roasted Potatoes
Wednesday: Bowtie Pasta with Mushroom Marsala Sauce with Spinach
Thursday: Coq au Vin (White Wine Chicken)
Friday: Leftovers
Saturday: Birthday dinner out for my daughter. Hibachi Night.
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