How to choose the right butter?

The assortment of butter available on store shelves is diverse. Many manufacturers offer products that differ in composition and fat content. Oil can be sold in several forms.

What types of oil is sold:

• in small briquettes;
• by weight;
• in sealed packages.

The best quality varieties of butter are three varieties: traditional, amateur and peasant. Their main difference is the percentage of fat. In the first case, it will be 82,5%, in the second – 80% and in the third – 72,5%.

How to choose oil

When choosing butter, it is imperative to study all the information indicated by the manufacturers on the packages. If the oil is sold by weight, then you can additionally evaluate its appearance and smell.

What kind of oil can you buy:

• on the packaging, GOST must be indicated in the form of alphanumeric designations;
• the oil packaging must contain the abbreviation CTP (stands for “complies with the technical regulations”);
• the packaging of butter must not be slightly opened or damaged;
• real butter always contains whole milk or cream;
• real butter is practically odorless (its aroma is delicate and creamy);
• natural butter has a light yellow tint;
• the salt content in butter is permissible, but it can be eaten only in the absence of serious health problems;
• the oil should have a uniform consistency and not crumble when cut;
• the shelf life of butter cannot exceed 35 days;
• if oil is bought by weight, then outwardly it should look absolutely fresh;
• ghee is also a quality product, but it is mainly intended for frying food.

Which oil is not worth buying:

• if the phrase “made according to GOST” is indicated on the packaging, but there is no alphanumeric designation, then you should refuse to buy such oil;
• it is not recommended to buy butter with a large amount of ingredients (various types of oils, for example, peanut, palm, components that are not understood by the usual buyer or substitutes for any ingredients);
• butter with a fat content below 72% cannot be natural;
• if there is a choice of buying oil in paper or foil packaging, then preference should be given to the second option (paper protects the product to a lesser extent from environmental influences);
• you should refuse to buy butter with a pronounced smell (this is a sign of the presence of many additional ingredients that are not always good for health);
• white or bright yellow butter is not natural;
• under no circumstances should you buy butter in damaged or opened packages (such a nuance may adversely affect the shelf life, the butter may already begin to deteriorate before it is purchased);
• if it is visible on the cut of the butter that it is crumbling, then this is a sign of an increased water content (it will be difficult to spread such butter on a sandwich evenly, and the taste properties will differ from the natural product);
• if there are drops of water on the butter, then this indicates the admixture of margarine (such butter cannot be called natural, but its taste will be different);
• if the appearance of loose butter cannot be called fresh, then you should not buy it (yellow stains on the surface of the butter, dried crust, any plaque or clear liquid release);
• if the expiration date is indicated on the packaging of butter, calculated in months, then this product is not natural (only butter with a large number of substitutes and additional ingredients can have such periods).

Opinions are divided about which oil tastes better. Someone does not like fatty foods and prefers margarine, others, on the contrary, try to devote more time to finding only natural oil. In any of these cases, it is important to buy genuine products that are made without preservatives, colors, or artificial thickeners that could be harmful to your health.