A little bit more of reality would not be bad in this article. Cholesterol is a normal constituant of mammals, and is produced by some of our cells. Excess of it has impact on the quality of our arteres, among others, but it is also an essential lipid, part of our brain, it is also a constituant of cell membranes. And though not essential in nutrition, animal fat is certainly not only *bad*.
- I didn't say it's bad, only that it's generally considered unhealthy - that's certainly the prevailing view among the US medical community. The good thing about butter, clearly, is its amazing ability to make practically anything taste much better. Mkweise 17:45 Apr 18, 2003 (UTC)
- Hello Mkweise. Sorry, I put the comment above without realising you were just editing the article at that point. Please, remember that the encyclopedia is not only a list of views prevailing among US medical community. The view you put is certainly not prevailing in african community, where people starving and lacking basic nutrients, included fats and vitamins would benefit from these much needed fats. Animals fats are essential to some cultures.
- Umm...you can't seriously be suggesting that starving people spend their limited resources on such luxuries as butter or meat instead of millet and pulses to sustain them?! (Reminds me of Marie Antoinette's famously ignorant statement: "What, the peasants have no bread? Let them eat cake, then!") Mkweise
- If I dare add, I do not agree at all with your position on butter. A fresh slightly salted butter is something absolutely delightful. And fried potatoes can only get a very brownish color when saute with both vegetable oil and butter. That's a culinary secret.:-) User:anthere
- As previously indicated, my position on butter is that it makes everything taste better, and I can wholeheartedly agree with its description as delightful. Ghee (clarified butter) is an irreplacable ingredient in nearly everything I cook; I even use it for deep frying. Mkweise 18:26 Apr 18, 2003 (UTC)
(Written before you posted the above reply) Anthere: I personally don't believe that dietary intake of cholesterol significantly affects blood cholesteral levels (and my personal experience with blood cholesterol tests before and after a dietary change supports that), but AFAIK the mainstream view is otherwise. I thought I was being boldly NPOV (despite the prevailing anti-fat bias) when I wrote the bit that you seem to consider too anti-fat. We could use some input from someone who takes the other view and can supply arguments in its favor. Mkweise