Butter

Learn about the history of butter, types of butter, nutrition information, and get answers to common questions.

Butter Origin & History

Butter has been a staple in cuisine around the world since its discovery. According to Butter: A Rich History, its beginnings can be traced back to ancient Africa 8000 B.C. A herder found that the warm sheep’s milk strapped to the back of one of his sheep jostled in travel and curdled into something remarkably tasty. The first butters came from the milk not of cows, but of other domesticated animals, like yak, sheep, and goats.

In ancient Rome, butter was swallowed for coughs or spread on aching joints. In India, Hindus have been offering Lord Krishna tins full of ghee —luscious, clarified butter —for at least 3,000 years.

Butter making was introduced in America in 1607 by the Jamestown colonists, who brought the first dairy cows. The first step in producing butter is to separate the cream from the milk. This was done by placing the milk in pans to let the cream rise to the top.

Interesting fact: Butter may have inspired the first known student protest in U.S. history: Harvard University’s Great Butter Rebellion of 1766.

Today, butter in its many flavorful forms is the world’s most popular fat. It’s a versatile spread, a delicious enhancer, and is an essential ingredient for baking.

Butter Calories and Nutrition

Butter can fit into an overall nutritionally balanced diet. One teaspoon provides about 34 calories and 4 grams of fat, which can fit into the 10 percent of total calories (based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet) from saturated fat maximum recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).

Butter contains little to no lactose at .003 g lactose per teaspoon and can be a lactose intolerance friendly option.

What Does the Research Say?

Research suggests that full fat dairy foods can fit within healthy eating patterns. A large body of evidence published over the last two decades indicates that total dairy consumption, whether full-fat or low-fat, does not increase risk for CVD.

A 2018 randomized controlled trial found that saturated fatty acids from butter can increase how well the good cholesterol carrier HDL works in our bodies and a 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis showed a neutral association between eating butter and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, branched-chain fatty acids are a type of fatty acid that can be found in the highest amount in dairy products, like butter. The potential benefits of branched-chain fatty acids include weight maintenance, energy homeostasis, and improvements in insulin sensitivity.

The health benefits of whole fat dairy products may be linked to the dairy matrix or unique physical structure. More research is needed to understand the dairy matrix and its promising impact on health.

activity

How to Make Homemade Butter

Learn how to make homemade butter in just 20 minutes using a mixer. If you don’t own a mixer or are looking for a kid-friendly activity, try making Butter in a Jar.

Different Types of Butter

Traditional butter is made from pasteurized cream and can be salted or unsalted. Whipped butter is another common variety, where air or nitrogen has been whipped into regular butter to increase its volume, making it easier to spread.

Other types of butter include clarified butter and ghee. Clarified butter is clear, melted butter separated from its milk solids and water. Because clarified butter can be heated to a higher temperature without burning, it’s great for or frying. Ghee, meanwhile, a staple in Indian diets, is basically clarified butter that’s cooked a little longer, resulting in a nuttier flavor. Clarified butter and ghee both also have a longer shelf life than traditional butter because they contain less water, which can cause butter to go bad.

What's Trending

Make Your Own Butter Board

Butter boards — a board smeared with softened butter and topped with a variety of savory and sweet accompaniments became a viral sensation on social media. Get inspiration from our beloved New England butter brands as well as tips and tricks for curating your own butter board.

Butter FAQs

Is butter dairy?

Butter is made from milk, making it a dairy product. However, butter contains little to no lactose (.003 g lactose per teaspoon) so it can usually be consumed by those who are lactose intolerant.

What is ghee and is ghee dairy?

Ghee, a staple in Indian diets, is basically clarified butter that’s cooked a little longer, resulting in a nuttier flavor.

Clarified butter is clear, melted butter separated from its milk solids and water.

Clarified butter and ghee both have higher smoke points than regular butter. Both also have a longer shelf life than traditional butter because they contain less water, which can cause butter to go bad.

Both clarified butter and ghee contain dairy as they are butterfat. However, ghee may be a good choice for people who are lactose intolerant because it contains extremely low levels of lactose and casein (a milk protein).

Is there lactose in butter?

Butter contains little to no lactose at .003 g lactose per teaspoon and can be a lactose intolerance friendly option. Clarified butter and ghee also contain low levels of lactose.

How many calories are in a stick of butter?

A stick of butter contains about 810 calories. One teaspoon serving provides about 34 calories and 4 grams of fat, which can fit into the 10 percent of total calories (based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet) from saturated fat maximum recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.