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Butter had a terrible reputation for decades — but is it really deserved?
FoodLens verdict
😊 Good everyday food — use it without guilt
Butter was labelled a health hazard for decades — too much saturated fat, too many calories, switch to margarine. But when you check the NOVA classification, butter is level 2, one of the cleanest dairy products you can buy. And margarine? Often level 4.
Butter contains cream and salt — sometimes just cream. That is it. No emulsifiers, no stabilisers, no industrial additives. This short ingredient list places butter in NOVA level 2, alongside olive oil and other staple foods.
The research on saturated fat and heart health is more nuanced than was communicated in the 1980s and 90s. Current evidence suggests that butter in normal amounts as part of a varied diet is not the health problem it was once thought to be. The raw fat content is not the same as the degree of processing.
Margarine is often marketed as a healthier alternative to butter — but most margarines are level 3-4 with long ingredient lists including hardened fats, emulsifiers and flavourings. Butter with its 1-2 ingredients is dramatically cleaner than most margarines.
Butter is excellent for frying, baking and as a spread. It is a staple food that has been used for thousands of years. Use it in cooking without guilt — it is one of the cleanest fats you can buy in a Swedish supermarket.
Butter is not the health hazard it was once labelled. It is a staple food with a short ingredient list and minimal processing. Margarine is often a worse choice from a NOVA perspective, despite being marketed as healthier.