This Article is Approved By » Esther Howard (Nutritionist)
Garlic butter is a popular ingredient used in cooking and recipes. It adds great flavor to dishes like pasta, bread, vegetables, and more. But is garlic butter good for you? Let’s take a closer look at the health effects of garlic butter.
Is Garlic Butter Good for You?
Garlic butter can be good for you in moderation. It provides some health benefits from garlic, like improved heart health and immunity.
But garlic butter is high in saturated fat and calories, so portions should be small. For most people, garlic butter is fine to enjoy occasionally as part of an overall healthy diet.
Those with high cholesterol or lactose intolerance may want to limit intake. In general, garlic butter adds lots of flavor for a few carbs, and a little bit goes a long way.
What is Garlic Butter?
Garlic butter is a compound butter made by mixing softened butter with minced garlic, sometimes along with herbs, lemon juice, or other ingredients. The garlic is gently cooked in the melted butter to allow its flavor to infuse into the fat.
This aromatic butter adds a punch of garlicky flavor and richness to anything it’s slathered on or used to cook with. It’s a fast and easy way to add big flavor to simple dishes.
Nutrition Facts of Garlic Butter
The nutrition of garlic butter depends on how it’s made, but in general, the main nutrients come from the butter.
Here are the nutrition facts for a typical serving of homemade garlic butter (1 tablespoon):
- Calories: 100
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated fat: 7g
- Cholesterol: 31mg
- Sodium: 75mg
- Carbs: 0g
- Protein: 0g
As you can see, garlic butter gets the majority of its calories from fat, since butter is mostly fat. The small amounts of minced garlic add trace amounts of vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin B6.
Overall, garlic butter is high in calories and saturated fat. But it can be enjoyed sparingly as part of a healthy diet.
Potential Health Benefits of Garlic Butter
Garlic is renowned for its many potential health benefits. So garlic butter may offer some of the same benefits when consumed in moderation. Here are some of the ways garlic may boost health:
May Lower Heart Disease Risk
Studies show that garlic can help lower LDL “bad” cholesterol and blood pressure in people with high levels. The antioxidant sulfur compounds in garlic may be responsible for these heart-protective effects.
So using garlic butter instead of regular butter may provide heart benefits for some people. But more research is still needed.
Contains Anti-Inflammatory Compounds
Chronic inflammation is at the root of many diseases. Garlic contains anti-inflammatory compounds like allicin that may lower inflammation in the body.
Using garlic-infused butter in cooking may help reduce inflammation compared to cooking with plain butter or oils.
May Boost Immunity
Garlic has long been used in herbal medicine to treat and prevent colds and flu. Studies show garlic can boost immunity by activating certain immune cells.
The antimicrobial properties of garlic may also kill microbes and parasites, protecting the body from infection.
So cooking with garlic butter may help fend off illness compared to cooking with butter alone. More human research is needed.
Potential Health Risks of Garlic Butter
However, there are some potential downsides of regularly consuming garlic butter:
High in Saturated Fat
While garlic has heart benefits, butter is high in saturated fat. Too much saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol, increasing heart disease risk.
So those with high cholesterol should limit their intake of garlic butter and all sources of saturated fat. Use sparingly.
Can Cause Digestive Issues
Some people may experience bloating, gas pains, or diarrhea from eating large amounts of garlic. The high-fat content of garlic butter could make these issues worse.
Those with sensitive digestion may want to limit garlic butter for this reason or look for lower-fat versions.
Contains Lactose
Butter contains lactose, the natural sugar found in dairy milk. People with lactose intolerance may experience digestive symptoms like gas, cramps, and diarrhea from eating butter and garlic butter.
Lactose-free butter or oil-based garlic “butters” are better options for those sensitive to lactose.
How to Make Healthier Garlic Butter
There are a few easy ways to lighten up garlic butter to make it a healthier choice:
- Use reduced fat or light butter. This cuts some of the saturated fat.
- Mix in extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil instead of just butter. This adds some heart-healthy fats.
- Increase the ratio of garlic to butter. More garlic = more health benefits.
- Add in fresh herbs like parsley or chives for extra nutrients.
- Use lactose-free butter if lactose intolerant.
- Look for commercial brands of light garlic butter spread.
With just a few tweaks, it’s easy to enjoy the big flavor of garlic butter as part of a balanced diet. Just be mindful of portions.
How to Use Garlic Butter in Cooking
Here are some of the tastiest ways to use garlic butter in recipes:
- Brush on bread, pizza crusts, biscuits, etc before baking
- Melt over steamed veggies like broccoli, green beans, asparagus
- Toss with cooked whole grains like rice, quinoa, or pasta
- Use as a flavor base for sautéing veggies, chicken, shrimp, etc
- Spread on halved potatoes or sweet potatoes before baking
- Rub under chicken or fish skin before roasting
- Flavor olive oil for dipping bread
- Compound butter swirls on top of soups or stews
And much more! Garlic butter adds flavor and richness to almost any savory recipe.
Healthy Garlic Butter Recipes
Here are a few healthy recipes using garlic butter:
Lemon Garlic Asparagus
Saute asparagus in lemon garlic butter until crisp-tender. Serve as a light side.
Honey Garlic Salmon
Brush honey garlic butter over salmon filets then bake until flaky.
Garlic Bread
Spread light garlic butter over whole-grain bread or baguette. Broil until crispy.
Cauliflower Garlic Mash
Blend riced cauliflower with garlic butter for a low-carb, creamy mash.
Garlic Butter Shrimp & Veggies
Saute shrimp and vegetables in garlic butter for a fast, easy meal.
Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Toss potatoes wedges in garlic butter then roast until golden brown.
Final Thoughts
Garlic butter certainly adds a ton of flavor for a few calories or carbs. In moderation, it can be part of a healthy diet and provides some benefits from garlic.
But garlic butter is high in saturated fat, so portions should be monitored. Other fats like olive oil and avocado oil are healthier choices. Look for light versions or balance it with more healthy fats.
Those with diabetes, high cholesterol, or lactose intolerance may want to further limit their intake of regular garlic butter. But lactose-free and light versions are better options.
Overall, garlic butter makes cooking more delicious and can fit into a balanced diet when used sparingly. Be mindful of portions and balance with plenty of veggies, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins. Then enjoy the garlicky goodness!