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Short Answer

No, butter is not Paleo but..
is butter paleo

There is Good About Dairy Too!

Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh cream or milk separating the butter milk or butter fat. Butter is made up of butterfat, milk, proteins and water. Butter is mostly made from cow’s milk. 80% of butter is fat and the rest is water and milk solids. Sometimes, salt and preservatives are added to it.  It also is a pure animal fat with dairy proteins and sugar.

Butter is rich in water soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, E and K2. Vitamin K2 in particular is involved in calcium absorption and can lower the risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers.  It is mostly present in grass-fed cows. Butter is a good source of saturated fats which we already know can help in maintaining a healthy heart and lowers the risk of heart attack.

The 4- carbon fatty acid butyrate makes up 3-4% of butter. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancer properties and can be beneficial to the digestive system. Conjugates Linoleic Acid  (CLA) is present in butter too. It has anti-cancer properties and can lower body fat percentage.

Butter can be used as a spread or a fat for cooking or ingredient in baking.

The Bad About Dairy..

Yes, butter can give you health benefits but like all other foods, it has its own downside.

Casein, a dairy protein that butter contains has growth and immune factors that can have negative impact in the body. This is the main reason why dairy is not a Paleo food. It can contribute to some cardiovascular diseases and other inflammatory illnesses.

Unhealthy cows produce unhealthy butter. If the cow is not pastured or even grain-fed, you already know what this means. Think about synthetic feeds, antibiotics, pesticides and hormones. All those fat solubles can make way to your butter.. Not good!

For lactose intolerant people, consumption of dairy can result to bloating, diarrhea and indigestion problems. Lactose intolerant are those who lack the enzymes to properly break down and digest milk.

The Bottom Line…

With all the good one can get from eating butter, it is still not Paleo. It was not present and consumed during the ancestral era. Plus it is a dairy product that contains sugar (lactose) which is one of the no-no’s in the Paleo diet list!

If you cannot resist and you want to add butter to your daily diet, go for grass-fed butter or ghee instead.

What Experts Say About Butter.. Is It Paleo?

“How about milking one? Indeed – this is an impossible task to say the least. Until the dawn of agriculture 10,000 years ago and the subsequent domestication of dairy animals, milk, butter, cheese and yogurt were never part of our ancestors’ menu.” – Dr. Loren Cordain

“The embrace (some might say exaltation) of butter is, in some respects, what sets the Primal eating plan apart from strict Paleo. It is essentially pure animal fat with only minor traces of dairy proteins and sugars remaining, and for that reason I consider it a worthwhile staple. But, to answer the question posed in the title, not all butter is created equal. Most of us are in agreement that the nutritional content of the animal’s flesh depends on the content of its diet, and the same goes for butter”. – Mark Sisson

All you ever wanted to know about Butter and Paleo

Robb Wolf. Paleo Fueled Adventure
http://robbwolf.com/2012/02/05/paleo-fueled-adventure/

Chris Kresser. For a Healthy Heart, Stick to Butter
https://chriskresser.com/for-a-healthy-heart-stick-to-butter/

Mark’s Daily Apple. Is All Butter Created Equal?
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/grass-fed-butter/#axzz3Y6gonnBl

Mark’s Daily Apple.  Should You Be Eating High-Fat Dairy?
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-fat-healthy-paleo-primal/#axzz3Y6gonnBl

The Paleo Diet. DAIRY: MILKING IT FOR ALL IT’S WORTH
http://thepaleodiet.com/dairy-milking-worth/

Chris Kresser. RHR: What Science Really Says About the Paleo Diet – With Mat Lalonde
http://chriskresser.com/rhr-what-science-really-says-about-the-paleo-diet-with-mat-lalonde/

Paleo Leap. The Place of Dairy on a  Paleo Diet
http://paleoleap.com/place-of-dairy-on-paleo-diet/

Mark’s Daily Apple. The Definitive Guide to Dairy
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-intolerance/#axzz2t9owD1x5

Paleo Leap. The Many Virtues of Butter
http://paleoleap.com/the-many-virtues-of-butter/

Ultimate Paleo Guide. Paleo Diet Food List
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/paleo-diet-food-list/

Ultimate Paleo Guide. Is Dairy Paleo? The Bad, The Better & The Best Options
http://ultimatepaleoguide.com/dairy/

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/

Paleo Grubs. Foods You Can Eat on the Paleo Diet
http://paleogrubs.com/paleo-diet-food-list

Paleo Plan. Is Dairy Paleo?
http://www.paleoplan.com/2011/03-07/is-dairy-paleo/

Bare Root Girl. Paleo:  My Dairy- Free Butter Recipe
http://barerootgirl.com/nourish/2013/7/31/paleo-my-dairy-free-butter-recipe

Whole 9. The Butter Manifesto
http://whole9life.com/2011/10/butter/

Authority Nutrition. 7 Reasons Why Butter is Good For You
http://authoritynutrition.com/7-reasons-why-butter-is-good-for-you/

Did we miss anything?

Comment below and let us know what you think. Do you agree with our conclusion?

photo credit: Vegan Butter