Fascinating Facts About Butter
• It takes 21 pounds of fresh, wholesome cow’s milk to make each pound of butter. • Butter contains no trans fatty acids, which, according to recent studies, are associated with increased LDL ("bad") and lower HDL ("good") cholesterol. • The United States produces more than 1.2 billion pounds of butter every year. • Americans consume more than 4 pounds of butter per person per year. • Butter is produced essentially the same way it was thousands of years ago. Made by churning fresh cream until the fats separate from the liquid (buttermilk), butter is one of the most highly concentrated forms of fluid milk. • Butter was once a form of commerce. In the early days, people bartered butter in exchange for merchandise in the general stores of small country towns. • Butter has also been used as a cosmetic and a medicine. • Butter is graded by letter code, AA, A or B, according to flavor, texture, aroma and body, with AA being the supreme quality. Most butter sold in supermarkets is AA.