TikTok’s latest food trend has people slathering their cutting boards in butter… but health experts are advising caution around this recent culinary craze.
TikTok is home to a slew of viral food crazes. From its must-try baked feta pasta to air-fried ‘pasta chips’ and more, the platform has kicked off quite a few trends that foodies just can’t get enough of.
The app’s latest food-related trend is called a ‘butter board,’ and it’s exactly what it sounds like.
‘Butter boards’ are, essentially, cutting boards slathered in butter. You can put whatever you want on top; from nuts to cheeses, fruits, etc., the world’s your oyster when it comes to these unique takes on charcuterie boards.
Perfect for dipping crackers or chips, TikTokers all across the app are praising this uber-trendy food fad — but health experts are advising caution against the butter buzz.
Are TikTok butter boards healthy?
In a statement to Newsweek, surgeon Dr. Karan Rajan claimed that butter boards could result in the spread of germs from person to person, as it’s essentially a communal dipping sauce.
“Sharing [food] with others has certain obvious risks,” Dr. Rajan said. “If someone doesn’t wash their hands after going to the bathroom, it’s an easy way for gastroenteritis to spread. There’s more prolonged contact time and more saliva transfer.”
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That’s not all; other experts claim that butter might not be the healthiest choice of dipping sauce, as it’s chock full of saturated fats. Lilian Cheung, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s director of health, spoke on the topic in another statement to Newsweek.
“Butter is a concentrated source of saturated fat,” Cheung said. “When compared to sources of unsaturated fat, such as olive oil, butter is going to be the less optimal choice for our health.”
“There is more than double the amount of saturated fat in one ounce of butter (14 grams) compared to one ounce of cheese. However, the amount of sodium in cheeses is higher than butter.”
Although it might not be the healthiest choice of snack, Dr. Rajan says that “sharing within a family is probably fair game” as “you’re already sharing the same spaces and are likely exposed to the same microbes.”
Cheung also admits that butter boards are fine “as an occasional celebration food – not something to consume on a daily basis.”
This is just the latest food fad to take over TikTok after ‘spicy bowls’ permeated the platform earlier this year — and consumers warned against buying them online.
