Who would have thought that butter—usually frowned upon for increasing cholesterol, causing heart disease and widening the waistline—would have its time in the sun on social media. Butter boards, the latest social media trend, first caught everyone’s attention via a video by Brooklyn-based recipe developer Justine Doiron (@justine_snacks on Instagram), who credits chef Josh McFadden for the initial idea. Like a charcuterie board, this customisable spread of softened butter, smeared over a board and topped with favourite ingredients, can be used as a dip to eat with warm bread, veggies, salad or meat.

Before we dive into the details, nutritionist and gut microbiome coach Karishma Chawla clears the air around butter’s bad reputation. “Butter is a saturated fat made from cream separated from whole milk by fermentation and agitation. It contains fat, some amount of protein, non-fat solids, and some water. However, it contains less fat compared to vegetable oils and has short chain fatty acids such as butyric acids that make it easy to digest and help with the gut microbiome [gut flora/gut bacteria] and lowering inflammation. However, moderation is key, and we must balance the consumption of different kinds of fat for optimal health,” she adds, recommending adding herbs with medicinal properties to butter to enhance its nutrition without adding to the calories.