I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
Of all the food categories I've audited for my clean keto lifestyle, none is more of a "grey area" than dairy.
For many on a ketogenic diet, dairy is a staple. It's high in fat, moderate in protein, and (in its proper forms) low in carbs. But for those of us focused on a strictly clean, anti-inflammatory protocol, "dairy" is not a single category. It's a minefield of industrial processing, hidden additives, and nutritional variance.
My "label detective" work has taught me that the difference between a "clean" dairy product and a "dirty" one can be the difference between an anti-inflammatory superfood and an inflammatory "dirty keto" trap.
Today, I want to look at two of the biggest offenders: butter and cream.
Part 1: The Butter Audit (The "Spreadable" Deception)
Butter is a fantastic, stable, clean keto fat. But not all products labeled "butter" are created equal. This is one of the food industry's most blatant tricks.
The "Clean" Butter (The Gold Standard)
This is the goal. When you flip over a package of true butter, the ingredient list should be beautifully simple:
Ingredients: Cream, Salt.
(Or just Cream for unsalted.)
This is a pure, whole-food fat. It is a 100% "hard yes" on my protocol.
The "Dirty" Butter (The Trap)
Look for any product labeled "Spreadable" or "Blended." Now, look at its ingredient list:
Ingredients: Cream, Canola Oil, Salt, Water...
This is a "hard no." This is an immediate fail on my
This isn't butter. It's a processed fat-blend masquerading as butter.
Part 2: The "Quality" Audit (Grain-Fed vs. Grass-Fed)
Okay, so we've found a "clean" butter. The ingredients are just Cream, Salt. We're done, right?
Not quite. Now we have to ask: what was the quality of that cream? This leads to the "Good" vs. "Best" comparison.
"Good" Butter (Conventional, Grain-Fed)
This is your standard, pale-yellow block of butter. The cows that produced the cream were fed a diet primarily of grains (corn, soy).
Is it "clean"? Yes. The ingredient list is pure. It's an acceptable "clean keto" fat.
The "Hole": The cow's grain diet creates a fat profile that is much higher in pro-inflammatory Omega-6 fatty acids and lower in beneficial Omega-3s. It doesn't add to my inflammation, but it doesn't help fight it, either.
"Best" Butter (Grass-Fed)
This is the optimal choice for an anti-inflammatory protocol. This butter (like the Canadian Gay Lea or other high-quality brands) comes from cows that ate their natural diet: grass. This isn't just a marketing buzzword; it creates a fundamentally different, nutritionally superior fat.
Grass-fed butter is:
Higher in Anti-Inflammatory Omega-3s: Its fat profile is much more favorable, directly supporting my anti-inflammatory goals.
Packed with Vitamin K2: This is a critical (and rare) nutrient. As someone with a serious cardiac history, K2 is vital. It works to keep calcium out of my arteries and in my bones.
Higher in Butyrate: This is a short-chain fatty acid that is a primary fuel for the cells in my colon, directly supporting my
"Second Brain" Higher in CLA (Conjugated Linoleic Acid): Another healthy fat associated with improved metabolic health.
Part 3: The Cream Audit (The "Carrageenan" Trap)
This was a major "Aha!" moment for me, as I wrote about in my
I was wrong.
I started reading the labels on standard heavy whipping cream and coffee cream cartons. And I found this:
Ingredients: Cream, Milk, Carrageenan, Polysorbate 80.
What is carrageenan? It's a "red flag" additive. It's not just a "thickener"; it's an emulsifier added to prevent the fat and water from separating, ensuring a perfectly smooth pour every time.
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| Underwater Eucheuma farming in the Philippines for carrageenan production (photo credit: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa) |
But as I've noted, carrageenan is a known gut irritant for many people and is associated with inflammation. For someone like me, who is actively trying to heal my gut and reduce inflammation, why would I ever consciously consume an ingredient that works against those goals?
The fix was simple, but it required effort. I had to hunt for a "clean" cream. I finally found an organic brand whose ingredient list was, just like the clean butter, beautifully simple:
Ingredients: Organic Cream (Milk).
A Note About Cheese
In Canada, the terms "Milk Ingredients" and "Modified Milk Ingredients" are legal definitions. They are collective terms used to save space on a label, but they are strictly limited to dairy components.
They cover things like: skim milk powder, whey protein concentrate, casein, butter oil, or fluid milk. They DO NOT cover non-dairy additives. A manufacturer cannot put carrageenan, canola oil, or starch into a vat, mix it with milk, and call the whole mixture "Milk Ingredients."
If an additive exerts any function in the final food, it must be declared. Carrageenan is a powerful texturizer. If it is present in the cheese, it is affecting the texture. Therefore, it is functional and must be listed.
Most cheeses (Cheddar, Mozzarella, Swiss, Cream Cheese) are Standardized Foods. Canadian law dictates exactly what is allowed to be in them. If a manufacturer adds cream containing carrageenan to a vat to make Cheddar, and that carrageenan remains in the final block, it becomes a "food additive" in that cheese. Since the standard for Cheddar usually does not allow for carrageenan, they typically can't use that cream in the first place, or if they do (in a non-standardized cheese), they must list it.
The One "Trap" to Watch For: Shredded Cheese
While the block of cheese is safe, pre-shredded cheese is a "dirty keto" trap for a different reason: to prevent the shreds from clumping back together, manufacturers add an "Anti-Caking Agent."
The Label: These ingredients must be listed. You will usually see: Cellulose Powder, Potato Starch or Corn Starch.
The Verdict: While not "hidden," these are the exact starches I am trying to avoid.
What About US Products?
While European Union food laws are often even stricter than North American ones regarding additives in traditional foods, in the United States, they change the name of the food itself.
If a manufacturer wants to add seed oils, starches, or extra gums to a cheese to make it cheaper or melt better, they are legally required to change the name on the front of the package.
Watch out for these "red flags":
- "Pasteurized Process Cheese Food"
- "Pasteurized Process Cheese Product"
- "Cheese Food"
- "Imitation Cheese"
If I see any of those words, I put it back. These are the products where you will find the seed oils, the starches, and the chemical emulsifiers.
Yummy! Corn Maltodextrin is made from corn starch and has a higher Glycemic Index (GI) than table sugar. Modified Milk Ingredients is a catch-all term for franken-foods that have been chemically altered. Sodium phosphate is often avoided in anti-inflammatory diets as excessive intake can disrupt mineral balance in the body. "Seasoning" can hide maltodextrin, MSG, or sugar. I guess this is why they have to label it Cheez rather than Cheese!
The Takeaway
"Dairy" is not an inherently safe category. It is a perfect case study for a clean keto lifestyle. The "clean" versions (true butter, carrageenan-free cream) are fantastic, healthy, whole-food fats. The "dirty" versions (spreadable butter with canola oil, cream with carrageenan) are ultra-processed traps.
The lesson, as always, is the same: Ignore the front of the package. Read the back.
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