Dive Brief:
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A new holiday ad campaign by Organic Valley, a farmer-owned cooperative of more than 1,800 organic family farms, celebrates the end of the "War on Butter," according to a news release.
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The video campaign is designed to change what the company calls the incorrect perception that butter and fats lead to negative outcomes such as obesity and heart disease. Members of the co-op can also be seen on a live-streaming website sculpting the faces of “butter heroes” out of organic, pasture-raised butter in real time.
- Organic Valley farmers included in the ad explain that butter is packed with healthy fats and a better balance of omega-3 and omega-6, while imitation butter sprays and spreads made from artificial ingredients often use large amounts of sugar to compensate for flavor.
Dive Insight:
Despite efforts in the past to devalue butter's benefits, recent research has shown consumers are changing their stance on the no-no ingredient, and food manufacturers are paying attention.
Nutritionists are now claiming that the saturated fats from butter have no effect on risks of dying from heart disease. Butter is a great source of a fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid, which has been shown to have anti-cancer properties and can lower body fat percentage in humans.
Additionally, the fat from butter contains glycospingolipids, a special category of fatty acids that protect against gastrointestinal infection, especially in the very young and the elderly.
As more consumers turn away from the myths and misinformation surrounding butter and fats, manufacturers could start highlighting and reincorporating the ingredient in their formulas.