Short Answer
No, Grass- Fed Butter is not Paleo but..
Grass-Fed Butter is an Optimal Option!
We’ve tackled on our previous post that butter is not Paleo. Butter contains sugar, milk solids, casein and lactose which can harm the body. These contents can cause bloating, diarrhea and other cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases.
I know you are thinking about grass-fed butter. Technically, grass fed butter is still butter. It is 80% butter fat and the rest is water and milk solids. The only difference it has with the traditional butter is that the cow where the butter came from fed only from grass and not treated with any antibiotics, pesticide and hormones. All these toxins can go with your butter when made.
Compared to grain fed, grass fed butter has higher omega 3 fatty acids. Butter that comes from grain eating cows has higher ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 which can trigger inflammation in the long run.
Grass fed butter has a better quality than those of grain fed. Only grass fed cows can produce significant levels of vitamin K2 and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Vitamin K2 is essential in calcium absorption and utilization. CLA on the other hand is a powerful antioxidant and has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It also has butyrate, a fatty acid which is known to reduce or fight inflammation.
The color of grass fed butter is yellowish compared to grain fed which means it has loads of beta carotene and vitamin A and E. It is more yellow in color because it is fed with fresh vegetation. Plus the taste of grass fed butter is richer and creamier than the grain-fed one.
Healthy cows produce healthy butter!
The Take Away..
Butter may be ugly because of its casein and lactose contents but grass fed butter can supply you with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Grass fed butter may not be Paleo but it can be recommended as long as it is consumed in moderation (as we always say!).
What Experts Say About Grass-Fed Butter.. Is It Paleo?
“Grass-fed isn’t as tough to find as you might think, though. And even if it’s more expensive, it’s still cheaper than shelling out the dough for exclusively grass-fed meat. In fact, for those of you who can’t regularly eat pastured meat, eating lean cuts of conventional meat cooked in a quality grass-fed butter is a great compromise. – Mark Sisson http://www.marksdailyapple.com/grass-fed-butter/#ixzz3Yav2FVfs
“It’s always better to get nutrients from food rather than supplements whenever possible, and CLA is no exception. So if you’re looking for a heart-healthy, cancer-preventing diet, be sure to include plenty of grass-fed beef, butter, and cheese”. – Chris Kresser http://chriskresser.com/can-some-trans-fats-be-healthy/
All you ever wanted to know about Grass Fed Butter and Paleo
Paleo Leap. The Many Virtues of Butter
http://paleoleap.com/the-many-virtues-of-butter/
Paleo Leap. The Place of Dairy on a Paleo Diet
http://paleoleap.com/place-of-dairy-on-paleo-diet/
Paleo Leap. Is Dairy Paleo? The Bad, The Better & The Best Options
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/dairy/
Mark’s Daily Apple. Is All Butter Created Equal?
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/grass-fed-butter/#axzz3YV5JzOu4
Paleolista. Butter’s In, But All Other Dairy’s Out? Wrong! NO DAIRY ON PALEO!
http://www.paleoista.com/food-and-drink/butters-in-but-all-other-dairys-out-wrong-no-dairy-on-paleo/
The Paleo Mom. The Great Dairy Debate
http://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/10/the-great-dairy-debate.html
Robb Wolf. Seven Shades of Paleo
http://robbwolf.com/2012/10/24/shades-paleo/
The Paleo List. Is Grass-fed Butter
http://thepaleolist.com/2014/02/17/is-grass-fed-butter-paleo/
Northwest Edible Life. GRASSFED VS. ORGANIC BUTTER, AND WHICH ONE WILL KILL YOU FASTER
http://www.nwedible.com/grassfed-vs-organic-butter-and-which-one-will-kill-you-faster/
Chris Kresser. Why Grass-Fed Trumps Grain-Fed
http://chriskresser.com/why-grass-fed-trumps-grain-fed/
Whole 9. The Butter Manifesto
http://whole9life.com/2011/10/butter/
Did we miss anything?
Comment below and let us know what you think. Do you agree with our conclusion?
photo credit: Pure Irish Butter