Illustrated by Gabriela Alford.
Nestled in the layers of some of your favorite foods, you'll find butter (we're looking at you, croissants). We're taught these foodstuffs are bad news for your body. And, for years, margarine trumped butter as a healthier alternative. Well, guess what? Since 2012, butter consumption is at a 40-year high, according to the L.A. Times. To put that claim into perspective, that's 5.6 pounds of butter per capita — an increase from 4.1 pounds in 1997. That's 25% more butter in your fridge, dear reader.
So, what's with all the butter? Apparently, the trend of ditching processed foods for natural options has us looking to get back to basics when it comes to ingredients. Plus, margarine used to be chock full of trans fats, and many people still believe that margarine contains high levels of that dreaded fat. (Trans fats are now known to impair levels of HDL — the "good cholesterol.") It's likely that this perception has been increasing Land O' Lakes' sales for a while now. Butter, which consists of either just cream or cream and salt, offers zero mystery and 100% deliciousness.
It's important to remember, however, that butter isn't a health food. It's got lots of saturated fat, and should be consumed sparingly. In the meantime, to celebrate butter's awesome comeback, we recommend making these oatmeal scones and this peppermint bark. (Alternet)