Fat!
The Bible says:
[Jesus] said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone.”
Matthew 4:4a
He was/is right. I think butter makes any loaf far more exciting!
Oh, wait, that’s not what Jesus was recommending:
… but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 4:4b
In any case, what about butter? Good for you? Bad? In between? The debate has raged.
Well, now there’s yet another study out there pontificating on butter. This time with good news for butter-holics like me (and cheese aficionados).
Dairy products can apparently prevent a heart attack!
This was announced in Public Library of Science: Medicine in “Biomarkers of Dairy Fat Intake, Incident Cardiovascular Disease, and All-Cause Mortality” last week.
Explained Dr. Matti Marklund, chief author, researcher from Sydney.
Many studies have relied on people being able to remember and record the amounts and types of dairy foods they have eaten, which is especially difficult given dairy is commonly used in a variety of foods. Instead, we measured blood levels of certain fatty acids, or fat ‘building blocks’ that are found in dairy foods, which gives a more objective measure of dairy fat intake that doesn’t rely on memory or the quality of food databases.”
About 4,000 Swedish adults over 60 years (among the world’s biggest consumers of dairy products) were followed, and findings pooled with data from other studies involving over 40,000 from the US, UK, and Denmark. The subjects for tracked for an average of 16 years and monitored for heart attacks, strokes, and other serious cardiovascular events.
The authors concluded:
In a meta-analysis of 18 observational studies including our new cohort study, higher levels of [particular fatty acids] were associated with lower CVD risk.”
These positive results held even after accounting for differences in age, income, lifestyle, dietary habits, and other illnesses. Moreover, those with the highest levels had no increased risk of death
Markland added:
While the findings may be partly influenced by factors other than dairy fat, our study does not suggest any harm of dairy fat per se.”
Yesssss!
Cardiovascular disease is the world’s number one killer, claiming almost 18 million lives annually. And scientists wanted the rest of us also to depart this life butterless, cheeseless, and joyless.
Nope! Not anymore!
Even God loves fat!
“From the sacrifice of the peace offerings he shall present an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, which is on the loins, and the lobe of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. Then Aaron’s sons shall offer it up in smoke on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire; it is an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD.”
Leviticus 3:3–5
God had first dibs on fat.
“The priest shall offer them up in smoke on the altar as food, an offering by fire for a soothing aroma; all fat is the LORD’S.”
Leviticus 3:16
Yes, but even more pleasing to God is the “soothing aroma” of a life lived unto him.
Paul thanks a supporting church in Philippi for …
… what you have sent, a soothing aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
Philippians 4:18
That’s the sacrifice that pleases God.
Like the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins.
Christ loved you and gave Himself up for us,
an offering and a sacrifice to God as a soothing aroma.
Ephesians 5:2
Live an aromatic life … and enjoy your butter!
SOURCE:
EurekAlert; Study Finds; PLOS Medicine
Abe Kuruvilla is the Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), and a dermatologist in private practice. His passion is to explore, explain, and exemplify preaching.