Clarified Butter Nutrition Benefits and Facts

Nutritional summary

Clarified butter has a neutral association with long-term health outcomes, as systematic reviews indicate it is not significantly linked to increased risks of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, or type 2 diabetes .
Replacing clarified butter with oils high in unsaturated fats, such as canola oil, consistently improves lipid profiles by lowering total cholesterol and LDL (low-density lipoprotein, often called "bad" cholesterol) .
Because it is composed almost entirely of milk fat, clarified butter is a concentrated source of saturated fatty acids and dietary cholesterol, which can influence biomarkers of cardiovascular health depending on the overall dietary pattern .
Early research in specific populations suggests that high intake of clarified butter may be associated with increased body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference, though these findings are often linked to broader regional dietary habits .

Interesting fact

In ancient Ayurvedic medicine, clarified butter—known as ghee when simmered longer—was considered a 'medhya' food believed to enhance memory and cognitive function.

Standout nutrients

EPIC

SOURCE

Vitamin A

EPIC

SOURCE

Retinol

EPIC

SOURCE

Iodine

SUPER

SOURCE

Vitamin E

880

kcal per 100g

Protein0.16g

Fat98.5g

Fat breakdown

Polyunsat4.25g

Monounsat25.8g

Saturated59.7g

Trans2.10g

Seasonality

Not available

Diet

VegetarianPescatarianGluten FreeKetoLow FodmapPaleo

Sustainability

Heavier footprint

As a concentrated dairy product, it shares the high greenhouse gas footprint associated with cattle methane emissions and land use.

Confidencehigh

Storage

Cool Dark Place

3–6 months

Stays shelf-stable due to the removal of water and milk solids.

Refrigerate

6–12 months

Extends freshness and prevents oxidation.

Airtight Container

3–6 months

Prevents absorption of strong kitchen odors.

Flavour

Data & Sources

Harmonized from 3 validated sources

Swiss Food Database

1 contributing source food

McCance & Widdowson

1 contributing source food

USDA

USDA FoodData Central

1 contributing source food

Claim citations

Is Butter Back? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Butter Consumption and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes, and Total Mortality - PMC

[1]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of substituting clarified butter with canola oil on the components of metabolic syndrome, fatty liver index, and insulin resistance among individuals diagnosed with metabolic syndrome: a quasi-experimental study - PMC

[2]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

We Repeat: Butter is Not Back. • The Nutrition Source

[3]nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu

Table 36, Evidence examining the relationship between dairy consumption compared to food sources of unsaturated fatty acid, and risk of cardiovascular disease in adultsa - Food Sources of Saturated Fat and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review - NCBI Bookshelf

[6]www.ncbi.nlm.nih.govncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Health benefits of ghee: Review of Ayurveda and modern science ...

[8]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Food sources of saturated fat and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review

[9]nesr.usda.gov

Coverage

Nutrients

FoodCompass

1.0

Version

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