From movie theatre popcorn to pancakes or freshly baked biscuits or bread, butter is a universally loved flavor enhancer, we just took it up a notch and added honey.
Over the past few decades, butter has gotten a bad name. But like with most foods, it isn't the food itself; it's how much we eat of it. In fact, butter can be a healthy part of your diet when eaten in moderation.
Butter is rich in nutrients like bone-building calcium and contains compounds linked to lower chances of obesity. Butter can also be part of a low-carbohydrate diet, which may help people maintain their weight or lose weight quicker than they would with a low-fat diet.
Butter, like honey, has a number of other surprising health benefits:
It can help lower your chances of cancer. Butter is high in beta-carotene, a compound that your body converts into vitamin A. Beta-carotene has been linked to reduced risks of lung cancer and prostate cancer.
It could help your eyes. The beta-carotene in butter may help slow the rate of vision loss or age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
It can help strengthen your bones. Butter contains vitamin D, a vital nutrient for bone growth and development. It also has calcium, which is essential for bone strength. Calcium also helps prevent diseases such as osteoporosis, which makes bones fragile.
It can help make your skin healthier. Butter also contains vitamin E, which plays a role in skin health. The nutrient reduces damage from UV sun rays, reduces skin inflammation, and improves how well skin wounds heal.
Combine those health benefits with honey, and you've got a star spread on your hands.
Like that from World Honey Market, high-quality honey is minimally processed, unheated, and fresh. As a result, our honey contains many important bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. Darker varieties tend to offer more antioxidants than lighter varieties.
Antioxidants help neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS) in your body, which can build up in cells and cause damage. This damage can contribute to premature aging, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
As such, many of honey's health benefits are attributed to its antioxidant content.
For us, honey and butter make an awesome team, and throwing in some fresh herbs simply brings out the best flavor of both. Check out our recipe for Honey Thyme Butter using our Florida Holly Honey.
Honey Thyme Butter Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened (We used whipped butter for our video.)
2/3 cup World Honey Market Florida Holly honey
One tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
Directions
In a small bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the honey and thyme; beat just until blended. Store in refrigerator.
It is worth mentioning that butter isn't ALL good if you overdo it. Butter is high in calories and fat — including saturated fat, linked to heart disease.
Use butter sparingly, especially if you have heart disease or are actively looking to cut back on calories.