The Origins Of Cultured Butter
Cultured butter can be traced back to ancient dairy practices in Europe. Before the advent of refrigeration, fresh milk and cream were often left to sit for a period, allowing naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria to ferment the cream. This fermentation process not only extended the shelf life of the dairy products but also imparted a distinctive tangy flavor, resulting in what we now recognize as cultured butter.
Butter rose to prominence as a spread and cooking fat in northern Europe during the Middle Ages, when it was eaten by peasants. The upper classes also ate it periodically, because it was the only animal fat allowed by Rome on days when meat was forbidden. In the 16th century it was allowed during Lent. In the early days, it took a little while to get enough cream to churn, and so it was collected over various days. Because the milk in these small old-timey dairies was not refrigerated, the lactic acid bacteria inherent in dairy would ferment slightly. This cultured butter has a very tangy and rich flavour, and is Suki’s most favourite butter.
About Our Cultured Butter
At Suki Bakery, we make our own organic cultured butter which is then used in our Lowrey Foods baked treats including our famous butter cookies, nougat and shortbread biscuits.
We have the added luck that in New Zealand, most dairy comes from grass-fed cows, resulting in a healthier end-product.
The Difference Between Cultured Butter vs Regular Butter
Cultured butter is made by fermenting cream with bacterial cultures before churning it into butter. This fermentation process gives cultured butter a more complex flavour profile which can enhance the taste of baked goods and other dishes. It's slightly tangy with a creamier and somewhat 'fluffier' texture to regular butter.
Regular butter is simply churned fresh cream without any fermentation, resulting in a milder taste and a slightly firmer texture.
Additionally, cultured butter often has a higher butterfat content and lower moisture, making it a favourite among chefs and bakers for its superior cooking and baking properties.
The Health Benefits of Cultured Butter
Like many fermented and cultured food products, cultured butter contains beneficial bacteria, primarily lactic acid bacteria (such as Lactococcus lactis and Leuconostoc mesenteroides). These beneficial bacteria play a key role in making cultured butter healthier for several reasons:
Probiotic Benefits
The beneficial bacteria in cultured butter can contribute to gut health by promoting a healthy balance of gut flora. Probiotics are known to aid digestion, enhance immune function, and potentially reduce the risk of certain gastrointestinal conditions.
Digestive Enzymes
Lactic acid bacteria produce enzymes during fermentation that can help break down lactose, making cultured butter easier to digest for people with lactose intolerance.
Vitamin Production
These bacteria can increase the bioavailability of certain vitamins, such as B vitamins (including folate and riboflavin) and vitamin K2, which are essential for energy production, cell health, and bone health.
Antioxidant Properties
Some strains of lactic acid bacteria have been shown to produce antioxidants, which can help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.
Improved Fat Metabolism
The fermentation process can alter the fat composition of the butter, potentially making it easier for the body to metabolize and use the fats efficiently.
Other Potential Health Benefits of Cultured Butter
In moderation, butter can be a healthy part of your diet. It’s rich in nutrients like bone-building calcium and contains compounds linked to lower chances of obesity. Butter can also be part of a low-carbohydrate diet, which may help people better maintain their weight or lose weight quicker than they would with a low-fat diet.
Butter has other health benefits:
It could help your eyes. The beta-carotene in butter may help slow the rate of vision loss, or age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
It can help strengthen your bones. Butter contains vitamin D, an important nutrient in promoting calcium absorption in the gut, maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations for normal bone mineralization, and supporting immune function, neuromuscular health, and inflammation reduction.
It can help make your skin healthier. Butter also contains vitamin E, which plays a role in skin health. The nutrient reduces damage from UV sun rays, reduces skin inflammation, and improves how well skin wounds heal.
It can help lower your chances of cancer. Butter is high in beta-carotene, a compound that your body converts into vitamin A. Beta-carotene has been linked to lowered risks of lung cancer and prostate cancer.
