Butter really is BETTER!

Last weekend I decided to venture into a world of making my own butter. Well, only kind of, because some would argue that we don't "make" butter, nature pretty much makes it for us. All we really do is get the right ingredients and shake it up a bit!
So....I did just that!
I'm fortunate enough to live in a state (California) where raw dairy is easily accessible. So, I went to the local co-op and got myself a nice pint of Organic Raw Cream (this means unpasteurized), I'm talking really raw--the kind where it even smells like you're on the farm.

I wanted to see if it could be easily done with our everyday kitchen ware. I didn't really have a butter churn, and I always enjoy bringing traditional foods and dishes to this day and age--this makes it simple for just about anyone and it also mellows the excuses for NOT trying it (including my own.)

Okay, so, I poured the raw cream into my food processor and spun it on high for about 3-5 minutes. Enough time to see the cream thickening...and resembling butter. It's the same look you get when you OVER whip heavy whipping cream.
I took out the thick cream, now resembling butter, and placed it into a strainer over a bowl--to allow any buttermilk to drain from the fat. I allowed it to drain for about an hour.....and POOF, there was butter!! (I must admit that my butter came out looking and tasting more like clotted cream or really thick whipping cream, but I actually preferred this because it resembled whipped butter which is easier to spread. If you prefer more of a butter consistency then just whip it more, or just shake the raw cream in a glass jar until you see the butter separate from the buttermilk liquid.)

When all was said and done, it was so easy and well worth the small amount of work! If you like you can add a little sea salt or fresh herbs to the whipped butter when it is finished.

You may be asking yourself, "this sounds fun and all but I thought butter was bad for you.....and contributed to heart disease?"

So....let's talk butter!!

BUTTER (A dear friend, in moderation):
Butter has been called out as villain especially when it comes to cholesterol (which is not all bad, but that's another article.) However, research does not support the claim that butter causes chronic cholesterol values. In fact, it's important that we dispel this theory that Saturated Fats are "bad" for us. Saturated fats are the most stable of the fats--meaning that they don't often go rancid--and they play a vital role in our body's chemistry. Scientific evidence does not support the theory that "artery clogging" saturated fats cause heart disease. With further evaluation, the fat in artery clogs reveal that ONLY 26 percent is saturated. The rest is unsaturated, mainly in the form of polyunsaturated oils.
Americans are convinced that butter is dangerous when it has in fact been used as a valued component in many cultures and traditional diets, and is a great source of vital nutrients. These nutrients are the Fat Soluble Vitamins: A,D,E,K (all essential, folks!)
In fact, vitamin A is most easily absorbed from butter than from other sources. The most amount of nutrients are received when the butter comes from cows that graze and eat green grass (hence, Organic raw butter.)
After studying isolated traditional peoples around the world, Dr. Weston Price discovered that the healthiest cultures had fats high in fat soluble vitamins--like butter--as one of their primary sources of fat. NEVER did he find that they used Polyunsaturated oils (like canola, soy, or safflower) which can be easily converted to Hydrogenated oils or become rancid.
Furthermore, he discovered that the nutrients in butter actually had a "catalyzing" effect on other foods. For instance, consuming vegetables and other foods WITH butter actually helped the body utilize the minerals in those foods. Without the butter, the minerals are not as bio-available and useful to the body. Dr. Price coined this "catalyst" or "activator" phrase as: Activator X
It is the "Activator X" (from the fat soluble nutrients of the butter) that allows our bodies to easily absorb the vital nutrients we need. A lovely synergistic effect!!

Of special importance: Eating butter from raw dairy has an additional complement to the body in that it contains a substance that protects humans and animals from calcification of the joints. It has been coined: The Wulzen Factor by Researcher Rosalind Wulzen. It works as a buffer and lubricant between your joints, and has also been found to protect against hardening of arteries, cataracts, and calcification of the pineal gland.

If you'd like to read more on the effects of raw dairy versus pasteurized, please check out the following link: http://www.realmilk.com/healthbenefits.html

I personally subscribe to a diet with a varied amount of different beneficial fats. As I personally believe that variety is the key for health! Of the varied fats, I use raw butter and olive oil the most, as I find that they benefit my body the best. However, there are other great fat sources like Coconut oil and even Lard (yes, I said lard) so please explore and keep your options open.

My purpose of this article was to educate more on the beneficial and more stable fats like butter, and keep us away from the more dangerous fats like margarine, hydrogenated oils, and even polyunsaturated oils like canola, soy, safflower, sunflower, etc. (If interested, my next article will be on Hydrogenated and Polyunsaturated Oils.)

Is this testing everything you've learned that was "good" or "bad" for you? Does it seem reversed or confusing? If the answer is yes, then I am doing my job...which is to have you question what you think you know. Dig deeper, ask more questions, and find the truth that really speaks to you. Empower yourself by educating, asking, and trying new things!
Maybe the French really do know something that we are just starting to explore?
Perhaps, there is no "French Paradox" after all?

Love and Butter~




Sources: Sally Fallon (with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D) Nourishing Traditions:1999,2000