Butter is made from milk, cream or both. It contains 80 percent milk fat by weight. A: Butter is a food product, which is made exclusively from milk, cream or both, with or without common salt, and containing at least 80 percent milkfat by weight.

Current scientific research indicates that saturated fat in the diet can increase levels of HDL cholesterol in the diet. It is also well known that increased levels of this type of cholesterol can increase the risk of heart disease thereby increasing the likeliness of a heart attack over time. Butter normally contains four grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat per teaspoon, on average.

Since it is not desireable to have high levels of saturated fat in the diet, it is recommended to use another product to replace butter if possible.