There is bad cholesterol and good cholesterol, and butter is a source of good cholesterol. When it comes to butter for kids, you may be skeptical about adding it to their meals. But a moderate amount is essential for children to get the required nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids (1). The beneficial properties of butter can help the child’s overall growth by promoting brain development, providing immunity, and improving digestion. In addition, butter is a versatile ingredient that you can creatively include in different foods to enhance their flavor. Scroll through this post to learn more about butter, including its benefits for children, a recipe for homemade butter, and ways to serve it.
Benefits Of Butter For Kids
The health properties of butter have been famous for generations. Modern scientific studies prove the health benefits of butter for children. Some of them include (1) (2) (3):
1. High In Nutrients:
Butter is a great source of fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E and K. Yes, butter is quite high in fats. But even fats are essential for the assimilationiXThe process of absorbing and digesting nutrients by the body. of nutrients, especially water-soluble vitamins. Without fat, your child cannot obtain any nutrition from the food he eats.
2. Source of Healthy Minerals:
Butter contains traces of vital minerals such as manganese, zinc, copper, selenium, Lauric acidiXA saturated fatty acid found in plants and animal fats and oils. and chromium.
The minerals serve as an effective antioxidant and keep your kid protected from harmful infections.
Lauric acids present in butter helps your kid fight against fungal infections and candida.
3. Improves Digestion:
Butter contains glycosphingolipidsiXA subclass of glycolipids found in the cell membranes of all living organisms. , substances that support against gut infection in kids, thereby promoting digestion.
4. A Good Source Of Healthy Cholesterol:
Butter is an excellent source of healthy cholesterol. Healthy cholesterol is crucial for the proper growth and development of children. It helps synthesize the naturally occurring steroids in the body. It protects the body against heart diseases, mental illness, and even cancer.
5. Prevents Calcification Of Calcium:
Raw butter contains ‘anti-stiffness’ nutrientsiXNutrients that help relieve pain, swelling, and stiffness in the body. that protect from calcification and ensure that the body uses calcium effectively. It is important for growing children.
6. Aids Brain Development:
Butter contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, the same fats found in fish. The omega-3 fatty acids promote brain development. As your child grows, he will require a regular supply of these fatty acids. So including butter in your kid’s diet would be a good idea, considering not many children like fish.
7. Good For Physical Development:
Butter is high in protein, a nutrient vital for the developing body. It strengthens the muscles of the body, including the muscles of the brain.
8. Improves Immune System:
Butter is a great source of antioxidants. The antioxidants help counter the attack of the free radicals that the body produces during metabolism. It also contains a high source of Resveratrol, which has some serious disease-fighting potential. It even assists in preventing tissue and DNA damage and slows aging.
9. Contains Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA):
If you prepare butter from cow’s milk that feeds on green grass, then it contains a high percentage of CLA.
The compound helps in boosting the immune system and provides protection from different types of cancer.
10. Contains Glycosphingolipids:
This specific fatty acid protects the stomach from gastrointestinal infections.
Science Behind Homemade Butter Formation
When you put the heavy cream in a tight-lidded jar and shake it for several minutes, it creates the little globs of fat in the cream to hold them together. The protein present in the cream helps in the formation of the fresh butter. The liquid obtained from all the shaking is buttermilk.
Which Form Of Butter Is The Best?
The best butter for your children would be raw or organic butter. Pasteurization destroys all the essential nutrients. But organic butter retains all the nutrients naturally present in butter. Cultured butter is also a great option. Cultured butter contains health sustaining good bacteria like lactococcus lactis and lactobacillus plantarum (4) (5) . These bacteria are essential for proper functioning of the body.
Homemade Butter Recipe For Kids
Don’t want to give store-bought butter to your child? Then how to make butter for kids at home? Well, follow these step by step processes for making butter for kids at home! You Will Need:
Glass jar with lid Heavy Cream
How To:
Putting Homemade Butter To Good Use
Everyone loves cookies. Here is a great butter recipe for kids using the butter you made to cheer up a gloomy day. You Will Need:
1 cup of homemade butter 1 egg 1 cup of white sugar ¼ teaspoon salt Two teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups of all-purpose flour
How To Make:
Take a large bowl and mix the butter and white sugar together to obtain a fluffy mixture.
Beat the egg in a separate bowl and add it to the butter mixture slowly. Add the vanilla extract, sugar and mix it well.
Now, add the all purpose mix and fold the content with soft hands.
Cover the dough and let it chill for another one hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Now place small amounts of dough on the butter-greased cookie sheets.
Place the cookie sheet in the oven for the next ten minutes or till the cookies rise.
Your plain butter cookie is ready to serve. You can also add Chocó chips or strawberry crush to add some extra flavor to your butter cookie.
Serving Butter To Kids
A great thing about butter is that most of the kids like it, even the finicky eaters. Some children eat foods that they would not normally eat if it has some butter spread on it. You can spread a spoonful of butter on a bagel or bread toast. Or toss some fresh veggies in butter. Your kid will not refuse it.
