Production of Butter
The first step in the production of butter involves separating the cream from the milk.
In the past, milk was simply left standing until the cream rose to the surface, from where it was skimmed.
This happens because fat is lighter than the other milk components.
Modern production of cream involves a more efficient method called centrifugation.
In the next step, butter is produced from cream in a process called churning.
Churning involves shaking the cream until the milk fat (butter) clumps together and separates from the liquid portion (buttermilk).
When the buttermilk has been drained off, the butter is churned further until it becomes ready for packaging.
Summary
Butter is a milk product produced from milk fat.
It is mainly composed of fat, but is also a rich source of many vitamins, especially vitamins A, E, D, and K2.
However, butter is almost pure fat, and is not particularly nutritious when considering the high amount of calories.
Due to its high saturated fat content, it has been blamed for increased risk for overweight and heart disease.
However, several studies point to the contrary. Moderate consumption of butter may actually have a number of health benefits.
At the end of the day, butter may be healthy in moderation, but excessive consumption should be avoided.