Butter is present in the daily diet of most people. This is a nutritious and healthy product. In Russia, he gained fame back in the 19th century, and since that time he has been perceived precisely as food. However, butter can also be used for other purposes, for example, for the preparation of medicinal and cosmetic products at home.
Chemical composition
Butter is a concentrate of milk fat. It consists entirely of dairy products, and it can be obtained by separating or whipping cream. It should not contain any other additives, especially preservatives. Sometimes salt can be found in the composition. Butter is rich in oleic acid, which is a useful monosaturated acid, as well as other fatty acids, including linolenic, arachidonic and linoleic. The total amount of fatty acids reaches 150. There are those without which the human body cannot function normally. Butter contains vitamins, minerals and a small amount of water.
Table: the content of nutrients in butter
Valuable product properties
Butter can be very beneficial for a sick stomach. It has an enveloping effect, and the complex of vitamins contained in butter contributes to the rapid healing of the walls of the stomach. However, it should be remembered that in some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the product can be harmful. Therefore, before using it, it is better to consult a doctor.
Points of view about what fat content butter should be (72.5% or 82.5%) differ. There is an opinion that oil below 82% fat should not be consumed. This statement is incorrect. The difference between products with different fat content is only in the production technology.
Butter has the following valuable properties:
- It is the prevention of oncology and prevents the formation of metastases in an already existing disease.
- Saturates the body with energy, increases endurance and working capacity.
- Promotes cellular regeneration of organs and tissues of the body.
- Increases immunity.
- Improves the condition of skin, hair, teeth and nails.
- It has a positive effect on vision.
- It has a mild antifungal effect. In particular, the lauric acid present in the composition is able to cope with the Candida fungus. Of course, from the mere use of butter, the diseases caused by this fungus will not go away, but as an additional factor, this product contributes to recovery.
- Improves brain function.
- Promotes the production of serotonin.
Thanks to certain rules for choosing butter, you can avoid buying a spread
It should be noted: in the warm season, if the storage conditions are not observed, the oil may deteriorate and subsequently cause food poisoning, which manifests itself 1-2 hours after the use of the product. As a rule, it is not dangerous and is treated with gastric lavage and the intake of adsorbents.
Benefits for Women
Butter has a positive effect on the hormonal system of the body, including the female one. For the normal process of producing steroid hormones, which include female sex hormones, the intake of fatty acids is necessary. Cholesterol found in butter, in moderate doses, can also be helpful. Despite the fact that it is now customary to talk about the dangers of cholesterol, for the normal functioning of the female reproductive system, it is necessary to maintain it at a certain level. This explains the hormonal imbalances that can be observed in women suffering from malnutrition or excessive dieting.
Benefits for men
Androgens, male sex hormones, are also steroidal. Therefore, butter has no less positive effect on men than on women. First of all, the use of butter has a positive effect on reproductive function and sexual activity, which, with insufficient production of male hormones, can significantly decrease.
Natural butter contains fatty acids necessary for the body
Benefits for children
It is extremely important for children to get the necessary amount of fatty acids from food. This is necessary for the healthy physical and mental development of the child. Brain cells cannot be normally formed in conditions of deficiency of the components that make up the butter. Therefore, the children's menu must necessarily include the inclusion of oil in the diet. All children's institutions use this product to prepare hot meals and sandwiches, which are mainly offered for breakfast on the kindergarten menu.
Is it good for breakfast
Nutritionists are inclined to believe that it is the first meal of the day that is most favorable for the use of butter. The beneficial substances contained in it are absorbed much better than in later meals. But the calories that enter the body during breakfast are mainly spent on maintaining the energy tone of the body, and are not deposited on the sides.
Video: butter - how to distinguish a healthy product from a spread
Contraindications
Despite the obvious benefits, butter also has contraindications for use:
- allergic reactions;
- milk protein intolerance;
- high blood cholesterol;
- problems with the heart and blood vessels;
- obesity;
- prone to acne - improper functioning of the sebaceous glands can be aggravated by the use of fatty foods. They need to be reduced as much as possible.
Basically, all the negative consequences are associated with the feature of the product to increase the level of cholesterol in the blood. But you need to remember that people who do not have contraindications from the above list are only useful for natural butter, which does not contain additives in the form of trans fats. The product that contains additional components is not butter and has many more contraindications.
Butter can lead to an increase in cholesterol levels only if consumed excessively. Compliance with the norm of consumption (and the absence of contraindications) eliminates the harmful effects of this product.
Individual reactions to the product should also be taken into account. . For some people, butter causes heartburn. This happens with certain types of gastritis or cholecystitis and is due to the fact that the bile produced to break down fats, instead of the duodenum where it should go, enters the stomach, causing acid reactions.
For people with problems with the heart and blood vessels, butter is contraindicated
Features of the use of butter
An adult healthy person is supposed to eat 30 g of butter per day. In winter, this rate can be doubled, since at this time of the year there is a shortage of nutrients in the body, and additional feeding is also required for heating. Children under the age of ten are allowed to consume much less oil. Their norm does not exceed 10 g. Butter should be carefully included in the diet of people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, as well as gastric diseases. Their norm is equal to children's and is 10 g per day.
Some people, fearful of the saturated fat found in butter, prefer to substitute margarine instead. This is unlikely to be beneficial, since the latter is created from vegetable oil by hydrogenation, which leads to the formation of trans fats that negatively affect the body.
Butter is beneficial for various categories of people.
During pregnancy and lactation
During pregnancy, butter is an indispensable product, as it nourishes the body and, in particular, the female organs responsible for bearing the fetus. During this period, it is also useful for the prevention of varicose veins, because thanks to it, the walls of blood vessels remain elastic. Vitamin D contained in butter promotes good absorption of calcium, which is very important both for the woman herself and for the formation of the child's body.
It is allowed during pregnancy to slightly exceed the consumption of butter. It can reach 50 g. But at the same time, it is necessary to monitor weight and cholesterol levels. If any of the above exceeds the norm, then oil consumption will have to be reduced to a minimum.
Butter does not pose a danger to the child's body, but its excessive consumption by a nursing mother can provoke digestive problems or allergic reactions in the baby. The latter, however, is extremely rare. The norm for a woman during lactation is no more than 20 g per day.
At what age can children be given
As a general rule, children begin to give butter at 6-8 months. Until this time, fatty foods are excluded for the child, as they can provoke problems with the digestive tract. It is better to introduce oil into the diet starting with sunflower or olive, and only then, when the body adapts to fat, you can try butter. Portions of a child under one year old should be very small and not exceed 5 g per day. You should pay attention to the composition, taste, price and fat content of the product, so as not to accidentally confuse the oil with the spread and other oil-containing products that include trans fats. Such food is strictly forbidden to the child.
The famous pediatrician E.O. Komarovsky argues that butter should not be given to children before 8 months, since animal fats are not recommended before this age. He advises introducing oil into the diet only when the child is already well assimilating cottage cheese, kefir and cereals.
When introducing butter into a child’s diet, first you need to add a small amount of the product to the porridge
Butter for various diseases
Since butter has a small number of contraindications, it is approved for use in many diseases. Moreover, it can be used as a medicine.
It is important to know: after operations (which do not require subsequent adherence to a special diet) and caesarean section, it is allowed to use butter on the fourth day.
Gastritis
The use of butter for gastritis can affect the condition of the stomach in different ways. As a rule, it is well tolerated and even acts favorably on the walls of the digestive tract, promoting healing. However, in rare cases it can cause heartburn. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to well-being after its use. The norm for a person suffering from this disease is 25 g per day.
stomach ulcer
Unlike other animal products, butter is allowed for this disease. There are even traditional medicine recipes, the main ingredient of which is butter.
To prepare a cure for stomach ulcers, you will need the following ingredients:
- 0.5 tablespoon of honey;
- 50 g of alcohol (drinking, not more than 50%).
Melt butter and honey in a water bath, then cool slightly, mix with alcohol and take the entire resulting volume of the mixture at a time. This should be done in the morning, on an empty stomach, half an hour before breakfast. Every day you need to prepare the mixture again, you can not store it. The duration of treatment is 30 days. Then a two-week break and, if necessary, repeat the course again.
Video: butter for stomach pain
Pancreatitis
During an exacerbation of the disease, fatty foods, including butter, are prohibited. In the chronic course of the disease, it is allowed to consume up to 20 g of oil per day. It is desirable if it is used as a dressing for side dishes, and not for making sandwiches. In the latter case, it will be cold, and therefore more difficult to digest.
Diabetes
In any form of diabetes, it is necessary to follow a diet, including limiting fat-containing foods, as they can negatively affect blood sugar levels. Also, diabetics should refrain from foods that increase cholesterol. The vessels of such people are already very fragile, they cannot be endangered by the occurrence of cholesterol plaques. Therefore, the maximum daily norm of butter for a diabetic is 15 g.
For people with diabetes, butter should only be consumed in very small amounts.
From hemorrhoids
Butter is very effective for this ailment. It can relieve inflammation and even stop bleeding. Can be made from oil candles.
You will need:
- 250 g butter;
- 1 tablespoon of honey;
- 10 g of wax.
It is necessary to melt the wax and oil separately in a water bath. Next, mix all three ingredients before the wax hardens, and make a candle out of the resulting mass. They should be used at night as needed without restrictions on the duration of the course. Keep refrigerated. Wax hardens very quickly, so it's best to do a few pieces rather than large batches.
For constipation
Recommended for use. However, do not expect an immediate effect. It is necessary to take butter regularly, preferably not exceeding the daily allowance for an adult (30 g). Of these, it is desirable to eat 10-15 g in the morning, on an empty stomach, 20 minutes before breakfast.
Milk with cough oil during pregnancy
During pregnancy, you can use a useful recipe that does not harm the body, unlike medications. The recipe is used for dry cough.
- 1 glass of milk;
- 1 tablespoon of oil;
- ¼ teaspoon of soda;
- 1.5 teaspoons of honey.
Milk should be boiled and then cooled slightly. Then add all other ingredients to it. You can drink up to three times a day. Preferably no more than 3-4 days, as the drink is quite high-calorie and contains a lot of fat. This remedy is used when a moderate cough occurs. If the disease develops, you should consult a doctor.
Hot drink with milk, butter and honey is an excellent cough remedy
Gout
Gout is a serious metabolic disease, so it is impossible to cure it with butter alone. However, it can be used to prepare an ointment that will help alleviate the symptoms of the disease. You need to take medical alcohol and butter at a ratio of 1: 1 and cook a mixture of these ingredients over low heat until the alcohol has completely evaporated. The remaining substance is used for rubbing diseased growths that occur with gout, 2 times a day. You can use it constantly, without interruption.
From sinusitis
The following recipe is found in the journal "Bulletin of Healthy Lifestyle" for 2007. It is necessary to put a piece of butter the size of a pea in one nostril at night. Before going to bed the next day, do the same, only put the oil in the other nostril. So alternate until the effect is achieved. It is believed that as a result, pus should come out of the sinuses.
Painful joints
For the treatment of joints, you can prepare a special ointment. You will need:
- 1 raw egg;
- vinegar essence;
- 150 g butter.
Place the egg in vinegar essence (so that it is completely immersed) for 3 days. After that take it out. By this time it should be soft. It must be turned into a homogeneous mass, without peeling, and mixed with oil. The resulting ointment is rubbed into diseased joints daily for 4 days. After use every other day until relief occurs. Keep refrigerated.
From a heel spur
This recipe is similar to the previous one, but has its own characteristics. Have to take:
- 2 teaspoons of vinegar essence;
- 1 raw egg;
- 100 ml melted butter.
The egg must be mixed with the essence. Add the shells and oil crushed in a coffee grinder there. Insist 5 days. The resulting ointment is applied to the spurs with a thick layer. Next, a compress is made: from above, the sore spot is covered with gauze and cellophane, fixed with a plaster.
Regular compresses with butter, vinegar, and egg help relieve heel spur pain in the foot.
The same mixture can remove warts. In this case, it is better not to do compresses, because the ointment can get on healthy skin around the neoplasm and cause a burn. It is necessary to carefully apply the mixture on the wart and leave until completely absorbed, trying not to accidentally erase it. Repeat daily until you get results.
For immunity
Have to take:
- 50 ml of aloe juice;
- 100 g of ground viburnum;
- 150 g walnuts;
- 150 g of honey;
- 150 g butter.
All ingredients must be mixed and taken 1 teaspoon 2 times a day after meals. The duration of the course is at least 2 months. Store the mixture in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container.
From varicose veins
It is necessary to mix chopped garlic and butter in a ratio of 1: 2. With this mixture, treat locally affected areas of the veins. After applying, wrap with parchment, and on top with a bandage. It is necessary to walk with such a bandage for 12 hours, then remove and rinse the areas treated with ointment with cool water. You can do it 2 times a week for 3 months. Then take a break for 1 month.
Butter for losing weight people and athletes
People who are trying to lose weight should eat fat-containing foods with great caution. Butter contains 745 calories and 82% milk fat, so it does not apply to dietary products. However, daily consumption of at least 10 g of butter per day is recommended to maintain health and, first of all, the hormonal system of the body, which has a heavy load during the diet.
People involved in sports should consume butter in the amount prescribed as the norm for a healthy adult, that is, 30 g per day. Although in general saturated fats are quite unhealthy for athletes, so if possible, butter can be partially replaced with olive oil.
For people who exercise regularly, butter is recommended to be consumed in small quantities.
beauty recipes
Butter can be used not only for food, but also to make various face and hair masks based on it.
Hair Growth Mask
- 1 tablespoon of grated horseradish root;
- 1 tablespoon of butter;
- 1 yolk.
The ingredients are mixed and applied to the scalp for 40 minutes. Top with cellophane and a towel. The mask is washed off with warm water and shampoo. You can do it once a week.
By mixing butter with other beneficial ingredients, you can prepare products for the face or hair.
Moisturizing face mask
- boiled potatoes - 1 pc.;
- butter - 15 g;
- kefir.
Mash potatoes and mix with oil. Add a little kefir, 0.5 - 1 teaspoon. Apply the mixture on your face for 30 minutes. You can do 2 times a week for 3 months. Then a month break.
For the skin around the eyes
- cottage cheese 9% fat - 1 tablespoon;
- butter - 1 teaspoon;
- warm milk - 1 teaspoon.
Mix everything well until a homogeneous consistency and apply to the area around the eyes for 30 minutes. Can be done 2 times a week. After 2 months, take a two-week break.
For acne
- 1 teaspoon of butter;
- 0.5 teaspoon of raspberry leaf juice.
Make a cream from the ingredients and apply it pointwise to problem areas. It is advisable to do the procedure at night, and wash your face in the morning as usual.
