White butter, also known as makhan; holds a special significance during festival of Janmashtami. Janmashtami marks the birth of lord krishna. He was lovingly known as makhanchor (one who steals makhan) due to his irresistible love towards makhan and numerous stories of him and his friends stealing makhan from their neighbourhood. But how friendly is this makhan for ones on a low cholesterol diet? And are there other healtheir option, lets understand it from this article. An extension to the celebration, today we would like to throw some light on the difference between different types of butter and which is the right one for ones on a low cholesterol diet. So, lets start with comparison between white butter, yellow butter, peanut butter and clarified butter:
White butter (homemade makhan): White butter is made from animal milk, usually buffalo milk as it contains more fats needed to form cream. This cream is accumulated for about 7-10 days and stored in a refrigerator and then it is subjected to blending with chilled water which helps in removal of butter. This cream is a rich source of saturated fats which makes it harmful for health. The cream obtained from Cow milk is less rich as compared to that of buffalo milk . Accordingly, the amount of saturated fats are lower in it. Individuals on a low cholesterol diet can use the homemade butter from Cow milk but in moderation. The advantage of this homemade makhan is that it does not need any added salt. Need some healthy options to reduce your triglycerides, help is just a click away click here
Yellow butter (factory-made makhan): This butter is usually processed butter and is made in food factories. It contains additional salt as a preservative along with other food additives. This butter is commercially also available in unsalted form; however, it does contain preservatives to make it last long plus it has added colour and sugar. The shelf life of unsalted butter is less than that of salted butter but owing to the additives, it is not advisable for regular use.
Peanut butter: It is usually factory-made however fitness enthusiasts do prefer it homemade. When peanut butter is commercially prepared it needs addition of vegetable oils for blending, which adds to the fats. Peanut butter can be prepared at home without using oil and hence it is also considered as a good option for individuals looking forward to avoid saturated fats from diet. If you are on a low cholesterol or low carbohydrate diet, you may consider vegetables sticks with peanut butter as an evening snack.
Clarified butter: Clarified butter is ghee which again can be prepared at home or commercially. Also, it has a good shelf life. As it is again prepared from white butter, it is safe. Although it does contain the saturated fatty acids due to which it should be preferred in moderation i.e. 1 – 1.5 tsp per day, but it also has some other advantages like presence of butyrate. This butyrate is a fatty acid plays an essential role in digestive health and is also known to have anti-inflammatory effects.
Ghee is also suitable for patients with lactose intolerance as it has minimal or no lactose. However, owing to the higher level of saturated fats in ghee made up of buffalo milk, it is advisable to prefer ghee made up of cow milk. Needless to point that, ghee provides a good satiety (feeling of fullness) and should be given to patients needing extra calories.
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