What Kind of Carbohydrate Is Butter? The Truth About Its Macronutrient Profile

December 11, 2025 •

4 min read

Though often paired with carbohydrate-rich foods like bread and potatoes, butter is actually comprised of approximately 80% fat and contains a negligible amount of carbohydrates. This common misconception stems from a basic misunderstanding of butter's core nutritional profile and its creation process. By isolating the concentrated milk fat, nearly all the sugar and milk solids are removed.

Quick Summary

Butter is a dietary fat, not a carbohydrate, made by churning cream to separate the fat from the water and milk solids. Its minimal carbohydrate content makes it suitable for ketogenic and other low-carb eating plans.

Key Points

Butter Is Not a Carbohydrate: Despite being used alongside carb-heavy foods, butter's nutritional profile is almost exclusively fat, with negligible carbs.
It's Made by Separating Milk Fat: The process of churning cream or milk removes most of the water and milk solids, which contain the carbohydrates (lactose), leaving behind concentrated fat.
High-Fat, High-Calorie Source: With about 100 calories and 12 grams of fat per tablespoon, butter is an energy-dense food, drawing its energy from fat, not carbs.
A Staple for Low-Carb Diets: Its minimal carbohydrate content makes butter an excellent source of fat for those following ketogenic and other low-carb eating plans.
Different Varieties Have Similar Carb Counts: Whether salted, unsalted, or grass-fed, traditional dairy butter remains a zero-carb food. Clarified butter (ghee) is even purer fat.
Misconception Stemming from Popular Culture: The idea that butter is a carbohydrate is a common myth, reinforced by popular culture, that misunderstands basic food science.

Understanding Butter's Composition

Butter is a dairy product made by churning milk or cream, a process that separates the milk fat from the liquid buttermilk. The result is a water-in-oil emulsion, a semi-solid product that contains concentrated milk fat, a small amount of water, and trace milk solids. Carbohydrates, composed of sugars, starches, and fibers, are chemically and functionally distinct from fats. While milk contains the sugar lactose, the churning process effectively removes this carbohydrate along with other water-soluble components, leaving behind a product that is almost entirely fat.

The Macronutrient Breakdown

For a standard tablespoon (14 grams) of unsalted butter, the macronutrient breakdown is remarkably simple and dominated by fat.

Total Fat: Approximately 12 grams.
Saturated Fat: Around 7 grams, accounting for a significant portion of its total fat content.
Carbohydrates: 0 grams. Some food databases may show an extremely small trace amount, such as 0.01 grams per tablespoon, but for nutritional purposes, it is considered negligible.
Protein: Around 0.1 grams.

This composition confirms that butter is not a carbohydrate and should be classified and consumed as a fat source. Its high energy density (about 100 calories per tablespoon) comes exclusively from its fat content, with no contribution from carbohydrates.

Butter's Place in Low-Carbohydrate Diets

Because of its near-zero carbohydrate count, butter is a staple for those following a low-carb or ketogenic (keto) diet. A ketogenic diet aims to force the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, where it burns fat for energy instead of glucose from carbohydrates.

Key advantages of butter in low-carb diets:
- High Fat Content: It provides a concentrated source of dietary fat, which is the primary energy source on a ketogenic diet.
- Flavor Enhancement: Its rich flavor makes low-carb meals more satisfying and palatable, helping dieters adhere to their plan.
- Versatile Cooking Medium: It can be used for sautéing, baking, and as a finishing fat for a wide variety of low-carb vegetables and protein sources.

The Difference Between Butter and Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates and fats are both crucial macronutrients, but they play fundamentally different roles in the body. Fats provide long-term, slow-release energy, while simple carbohydrates provide quick, immediate energy.

Carbohydrates vs. Fats: A Comparison


Feature	Carbohydrates	Fats (like Butter)
Chemical Structure	Sugars, starches, and fibers	Fatty acids and glycerol
Energy Source	Primary and quickest source	Secondary, long-term energy storage
Energy Density	4 calories per gram	9 calories per gram
Water Solubility	Generally soluble in water	Insoluble in water
Primary Function	Immediate energy, brain function	Energy storage, insulation, vitamin absorption
Processing by Body	Converted to glucose, stored as glycogen	Converted to fatty acids, stored in adipose tissue

Different Types of Butter and Their Carb Content

The fundamental macronutrient profile remains consistent across different varieties of traditional dairy butter. However, slight variations exist.

Salted vs. Unsalted Butter: The addition of salt provides flavor and acts as a preservative but does not significantly alter the macronutrient profile. Both contain negligible carbohydrates.
Grass-Fed Butter: Made from the milk of cows that primarily graze on grass, this type may have a slightly different fatty acid composition, including more omega-3s and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). However, its carbohydrate content remains virtually zero.
Whipped Butter: Regular butter that has been whipped with air or nitrogen to increase its volume and spreadability. The added air does not impact the fat-to-carb ratio, and the overall caloric and fat content is lower per tablespoon due to reduced density.
Clarified Butter (Ghee): Produced by heating butter and removing the milk solids and water. This renders the product even purer in terms of fat content, with no carbohydrates. Ghee has a higher smoke point, making it excellent for high-temperature cooking.

The Misconception and Conclusion

The popular culture misconception about butter being a carbohydrate, famously highlighted in the movie Mean Girls, is a persistent myth. In reality, the butter-making process is designed specifically to separate the milk fat from the water-soluble components, which include the trace lactose (a carbohydrate) found in milk. The resulting creamy product is a rich source of dietary fat, with no significant carbohydrate content.

In conclusion, butter is definitively not a carbohydrate. Its high fat and virtually zero-carb profile make it a popular ingredient in specific dietary plans, such as the keto diet. Understanding the fundamental macronutrient composition of foods is key to making informed dietary choices. For more detailed nutritional information on butter, refer to reputable sources like the U.S. Dairy website, which provides comprehensive data on dairy products.

Authoritative link: For more information on dairy nutrition, visit the U.S. Dairy website at https://www.usdairy.com/dairy-nutrition/products/butter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Butter is a fat, not a carbohydrate. Its macronutrient profile consists of approximately 80% fat, with only trace amounts of carbohydrates and protein.

The milk used to make butter contains the sugar lactose, which is a carbohydrate. However, the churning process separates the milk fat from the water and milk solids (where the lactose resides), resulting in a final product with virtually no carbohydrates.

Yes, butter is an excellent food for a ketogenic diet. Since the keto diet relies on fat for energy and restricts carbohydrates, butter's high-fat, zero-carb composition makes it a perfect fit.

No, because butter contains no carbohydrates, it does not cause a spike in blood sugar levels. The high fat content can, however, slow down the digestion of other foods eaten with it.

Carbohydrates provide the body's quickest and most preferred source of energy. In contrast, fats serve as a more concentrated, slow-burning, and long-term energy source.

No, both grass-fed and conventional butter contain the same negligible amount of carbohydrates. The main difference lies in their fatty acid and vitamin content, with grass-fed butter having a superior nutrient profile.

No, clarified butter, or ghee, is also a pure fat. It is made by further heating butter to remove all milk solids and water, making it even higher in fat and completely free of carbohydrates.