Butter -- what's better for you?

[joyfulheart]

So, I just bought some Organic Valley "Pasture Butter".

My question is -- is it more nutritious to eat it uncooked? My family doesn't really spread butter on anything. We use it in cooked foods and baking. Does cooking with it negate it's benefits?

New to TF -- am reading "Real Food" and have "Nourishing Traditions" on hold at the library.

Thanks and peace! Joyfulheart

[Magelet]

no. It's not raw butter, and it's not cultured butter, so there's nothing to kill that hasn't already been killed by pasturization. go ahead and cook with it. (We still use cultured butter to cook with sometimes anyways, on the theory that it's less the probiotics, and more the predigestion that's the biggest benefit.)

[covertlycrunchy]

I heard that the K2 in the pastured/free range butter is heat stable so cooking w/ it is fine & the pasteurization doesn't harm it. I would see if you can find Anchor butter or Kerry Gold as I've heard bad things about OV farming practices. But if that is the best you can get you should be fine.

[witchygrrl]

Organic Valley is listed in Real Food as beng good, and in eat Fat, Lose Fat, though.

[dogmom327]

Originally Posted by witchygrrl

Organic Valley is listed in Real Food as beng good, and in eat Fat, Lose Fat, though.

Organic Valley is a farm cooperative based company and so farmers have different practices--makes it hard to verify things unfortunately (although it is awesome that small farms are able to bring their milk to market and make a good living). I think the rumblings about OV issues are more recent than either book (both of which were published a few years ago). I think the main issue is that OV farms still often use grain for cattle feed in addition to pasture but hopefully others will chime in.

I think OV is a generally good product but I'd be tempted to go with Kerrygold first (don't know much about anchor personally).

[joyfulheart]

I can get Kerrygold where I live. It's actually less expensive than Organic Valley, too.

Thanks for the feedback!