Butter is principally composed of milk fat, moisture, salt and curd. It also contains small amount of fat, lactose, acids, phospholipids, air, microorganisms, enzymes and vitamins.
The nutrition facts for 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of salted butter are:
Water: 16%
Protein: 0.12 grams
Carbs: 0.01 grams
Sugar: 0.01 grams
Fiber: 0 grams
Fat: 11.52 grams
Monounsaturated: 2.99 grams
Polyunsaturated: 0.43 grams
Trans: 0.47 grams
Butter is considered as high calorie food as 100 g of butter provides almost 700 Kcal. Butter has a saturated fat content around 51.4%, with saturated fats, such as palmitic and stearic acid, which are double the concentration of those in cream and other dairy products. However, stearic acid is beneficial to health and lowers the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in blood.
Butyric acid is at a greater concentration in butter than other short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). It causes a rancid off-flavor in butter, which is undesirable during storage. However, phospholipids have many biological activities which are essential for human health.
The presence of carotene in natural butter is a source of important nutrition for human beings. Carotene benefits various parts of the body. It promotes cell regrowth and repair, protecting the body from various infections.
Main nutritional components of butter
