Salted or Unsalted Butter: Which Should I Use When?

The clear difference between salted and unsalted butter is the presence of salt. Mostly unsalted butter is made with 100% cream, salted butter will have some salt added to it. The exact amount of salt present in the butter will depend on the brand. Salted butter also lasts longer in the refrigerator, since salt acts as a preservative.

Aside from salt content, the temperature of your butter also matters when you’re cooking or baking. Too warm and the cake will be too flat or dense. Too cold and you will have chunks of butter in the cake mixture. 

SALTED BUTTER AND WHEN TO USE SALTED BUTTER:

• Most often than not, salted butter is used in cooking. However, it’s also a great spread which can be eaten right out of the fridge. It can also be used for sandwiches or breads in general.
• Salted butter also serves as an oil; because butter is 80% fat therefore full of flavour.  You can sauté your onions and garlic in it or use it for a bake dish.
• Basically, this butter gives that added richness, saltiness, and depth to your dish. Depending on the amount of salt content, there might even be times when you don’t have to add salt to the recipe.

UNSALTED BUTTER AND WHEN TO USE UNSALTED BUTTER:

• Unsalted butter works best for baking. Most baked dishes needs the flexibility of sodium content and we know that desserts need minimum amount of salt.

• Unsalted butter also helps you create desserts that are fluffier and not flat or dense due to its low water content. Overall unsalted butter gives the dessert a nice texture.
• Without the added salt in the unsalted butter, the pure sweet cream taste comes through and you can add the exact amount of salt you want in the recipe.

None of the two kinds of butter are better than the other. This is because both salted and unsalted butter serve for different purposes. However, salted butter has several potential disadvantages, like increasing the “bad” cholesterol levels in your body, increasing the risk of coronary illness, and increasing your risk of hypertension. On the other hand, there are several advantages of consuming unsalted butter, such as it being rich in fat-soluble vitamins, containing important trace nutrients, and possibly reducing the risk of heart diseases. You must consume unsalted butter in moderation, however, to avoid its disadvantages like excess fat content.