Grass-Fed Butter

Overview

Grass-fed butter provides butyrate, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), vitamins A/D/K2, selenium, and C15:0 pentadecanoic acid, supporting brain and metabolic health. Grass-Fed Butter: Butyrate, Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; such as rumenic acid), vitamins A/D/K2, selenium, C15:0 pentadecanoic acid.

Within the BRAIN Diet framework, c15:0 (Parmesan and grassfed Butter). Instead of excluding them, dietary strategies should focus on unprocessed, nutrient-dense sources such as Parmesan cheese, grass-fed butter, and pasture-raised egg yolks [1][2].

Key Nutritional Highlights

• Grass-fed butter provides a different fatty-acid and CLA profile than conventional butter [1]
• Butyrate-related pathways link saturated dairy fats to colonic metabolic effects in dietary context [2]
• Grass-fed butter provides butyrate, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), vitamins A/D/K2, selenium, and C15:0 pentadecanoic acid, supporting brain and metabolic health. [1]
• Grass-Fed Butter: Butyrate, Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; such as rumenic acid), vitamins A/D/K2, selenium, C15:0 pentadecanoic acid. [2]
• C15:0 (Parmesan and grassfed Butter).
• Instead of excluding them, dietary strategies should focus on unprocessed, nutrient-dense sources such as Parmesan cheese, grass-fed butter, and pasture-raised egg yolks.

Food Context

Synergies

• Part of nutrient-dense fat strategy

Sourcing

• Choose grass-fed/pasture-raised sources for optimal nutrient profile
• When consumed in moderation within an anti-inflammatory, micronutrient-rich diet, foods like grass-fed butter provide essential brain nutrients including choline, vitamin K2, butyrate, and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E

Preparation

• Use for finishing vegetables, grains, or cooking (with higher smoke point oil to avoid burning)
• Supports butyrate and K2 intake

Essential Amino Acid Profile

This food provides a complete essential amino acid profile typical of animal proteins.

Recipes

no recipes found

Nutrient Tables (per 100 g)

Core nutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Energy	198 kcal	—
Protein	19.4 g	—
Total fat	12.7 g	—
Saturated fat	5.3 g	—
Carbohydrates	0 g	—
Fibre	0 g	—

Key micronutrients

Nutrient	Amount per 100 g	% RDA per 100 g
Iron	2 mg	11.1%
Zinc	4.6 mg	41.4%
Magnesium	19 mg	4.5%
Selenium	14.2 µg	25.8%
Calcium	12 mg	1.2%
Potassium	289 mg	8.5%
Choline	67.4 mg	12.3%
Folate	6 µg	1.5%
Vitamin B12	0 µg	0%
Vitamin B6	0.4 mg	20.9%

Bioactive compounds

Values below are often from specialist compositional databases or literature, not the standard USDA panel. Asterisks (*) refer to source notes at the bottom of this section.

Compound / class	Amount per 100 g	Notes
ALA	71 mg	—
EPA	1 mg	—

Note: Bioactive-compound values vary substantially by cultivar, species, cocoa or oil percentage, processing, and brand formulation. Show quantitative values only where a defensible source exists; otherwise prefer qualitative presence statements or ranges in source notes.

Reference intakes: US Dietary Reference Intakes for adults (19–50 years; using the higher of male/female values where they differ).

Data provenance (core / micronutrient panel): USDA FoodData Central, Beef, grass-fed, ground, raw, FDC ID 168608, API, per 100 g edible portion, last checked 2026-03-14

Substances

Substances in this food: editorial (Overview / literature) plus analytical (nutrition table).

14 substances in this food

Se^2-

Selenium

Antioxidant enzyme cofactor (GPx); supports redox balance

Vitamin A (Retinoids; β-Carotene precursor)

Neurodevelopment; immune regulation; antioxidant via carotenoids

Vitamin D

Neurotrophic and immune modulation; calcium homeostasis

Vitamin K2 (MK forms)

Calcium handling; potential roles in brain health; often co-occurs with fat-soluble vitamins

Fe²⁺

Iron

Oxygen transport; dopamine synthesis (tyrosine hydroxylase cofactor)

Zn²⁺

Zinc

Cofactor in neurotransmission and antioxidant enzymes; dopamine modulation

Mg²⁺

Magnesium

Enzymatic cofactor (>300 reactions); neurotransmitters; mitochondria; redox balance

Ca²⁺

Calcium

Bone health; neurotransmission; interacts with vitamin D and K2

K⁺

Potassium

Electrolyte for nerve transmission, muscle function, and blood pressure regulation

Choline

Acetylcholine precursor; methyl donor; phospholipid synthesis for membranes

Vitamin B9 (Folate; 5-MTHF)

One-carbon metabolism; methylation; homocysteine recycling

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine → PLP)

PLP cofactor for neurotransmitter synthesis; relies on brain PDXK activation

ALA (Alpha-Linolenic Acid)

Essential omega-3 precursor; limited conversion to DHA/EPA

EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid)

Potent anti-inflammatory; precursor to E-series resolvins; modulates dopamine and serotonin signalling

References

[1] Grass-fed butter provides a different fatty-acid and CLA profile than conventional butter. Daley et al. 2010. A review of nutritional differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef

[2] Butyrate-related pathways link saturated dairy fats to colonic metabolic effects in dietary context. Rose et al. 2018. Butyrate enhances mitochondrial function during oxidative stress in cell lines from boys with autism