What is Cow Butter? Nutrition Facts, Types, and Differences of Butter vs Margarine

What is Cow Butter?

Butter is a dairy product made from churning cream or milk to separate the solid butterfat from the liquid buttermilk. It is a staple ingredient used in cooking, baking, and as a spread. Butter derived from cow's milk is the most common type of butter consumed worldwide.

Cow butter contains at least 80% milkfat, while the remaining content is water and milk solids. It gets its signature yellow color from pigments called carotenoids found in the cows' feed. Its rich and creamy texture as well as full, sweet flavor make it highly prized in cuisines across the globe.

How is Cow Butter Made?

Cow butter production begins on dairy farms where cows are milked daily. The raw milk is then transported and processed at a dairy facility. Here the milk goes through a separation process to divide the milkfat from the skim milk.

Next, the cream containing the milkfat is pasteurized to kill any harmful bacteria. The pasteurized cream is churned through mechanical churners which agitate and beat the cream until it ruptures the membranes of the fat globules.

This allows the fat clumps to stick together and form solid butterfat. The remaining liquid is the buttermilk which is drained off. Finally, the butter mass is kneaded and rinsed with water to further remove buttermilk and improve texture.

Salt and flavorings are also sometimes worked into the butter before it is packaged into blocks, tubs, or sticks. Homemade butter can also be hand churned though the process takes much longer.

Types of Cow Butter

There are several main types of butter made from cow's milk:

• Regular butter - This is the most common type of butter made from pasteurized sweet cream. It contains at least 80% milkfat and has a pleasant creamy mouthfeel.
• Salted vs. unsalted butter - Salted butter contains added salt for flavor. Unsalted or sweet butter contains no added salt, allowing more control over saltiness in cooking/baking.
• Whipped butter - This incorporates air to make a lighter, fluffier texture. However, overwhipping can make butter greasy.
• European-style - Has a higher butterfat content of 82-86%. Slightly tangier flavor.
• Clarified butter/Ghee - Simmered to separate milk solids and water from pure butterfat.
• Raw/cultured butter - Made from raw cream instead of pasteurized. Usually cultured to develop tangy, cheese-like flavors.

Nutrition Profile of Cow Butter

Here is the nutritional value of one tablespoon (14 grams) of regular salted cow butter (source: USDA):

• Calories: 102
• Fat: 11g (7g saturated)
• Cholesterol: 31mg
• Sodium: 102mg
• Carbohydrates: 0g
• Protein: 0g
• Vitamin A: 355IU (7% DV)
• Vitamin D: 2IU (1% DV)

As expected, butter is high in fat, particularly saturated fat. It also contains cholesterol and sodium. However, butter is devoid of carbs and plant compounds found in oils like olive or avocado oil.

Butter does contain small amounts of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. However vitamin content rapidly declines once butter is cooked or exposed to heat. Overall, regular butter is considered less healthy than oils rich in mono- or polyunsaturated fats.

Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed Butter

The type of diet cows eat affects the nutritional makeup of their milk and butter. Cows naturally graze on grass in pastures. But grain-fed cows are kept in barns and fed a diet of corn, soy, grains, and other supplements.

Studies show that milk from grass-fed cows is higher in heart-healthy fats like omega-3s and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid). Grass-fed butter can contain 3-5 times more omega-3 fatty acids compared to regular grain-fed butter.

Higher omega-3s give grass-fed butter more anti-inflammatory properties. Grass-fed butter also tends to be richer in antioxidants like vitamin E and beta-carotene from the cow's natural diet.

Furthermore, cows raised exclusively on pasture have been found to produce butterfat with improved spreadability due to softer texture and lower melting point.

When it comes to taste, grass-fed butter has a richer yellow color. The flavor is often described as sweeter, creamier, and less fatty-tasting than regular butter.

Grass-Fed vs Regular Butter Nutrition

Here is a nutritional comparison of one tablespoon grass-fed butter versus regular butter (USDA):

While calorie, total fat, and saturated fat content are identical, grass-fed butter contains nearly 5 times more omega-3 fatty acids and higher amounts of fat-soluble vitamins like A and D.

Butter vs Margarine

Margarine was created as a butter substitute made from vegetable oils. Traditional margarine went through a process called hydrogenation, which turned healthy unsaturated fats into trans fats.

Research links trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Due to this health hazard, the FDA banned trans fats in processed foods starting in 2018.

Today's margarines are made with unhydrogenated vegetable oils, making them trans fat-free. However, some brands may still be high in unhealthy omega-6 fats. Instead of butter's rich flavor, margarine tends to have a blander taste.

When comparing butter vs margarine, butter does contain more saturated fat at 7g per tablespoon versus 2g in margarine. But butter provides vitamins A and D, while margarine does not.

Overall, butter is considered more natural and less processed than margarine. But both should be consumed in moderation for heart health.

Butter vs Clarified Butter

Clarified butter, or ghee, starts with regular butter that is slowly melted to separate the milk proteins and water from the pure butterfat. It has a higher smoke point than regular butter making it ideal for sauting or frying.

Removing the milk solids also makes clarified butter shelf-stable for months without refrigeration. It has a delicious nutty aroma and flavor.

Nutritionally, clarified butter and regular butter are similar in calories and fat content. However, clarified butter has slightly lower amounts of vitamins A and D since some fat-soluble vitamins are lost when the milk solids are removed.

Clarified butter is lactose-free making it easier to digest for those with dairy sensitivities. Overall, clarified butter and regular butter can both be used for cooking, but clarified butter has

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.