October 19, 2022—In recent weeks, butter boards—cutting boards covered in butter and decorated with herbs and other toppings—have gone viral on TikTok. Experts in an October 7, 2022, Newsweek article offered a few health cautions for those wanting to try the trend.
Hygiene is a top concern, given the intended communal nature of the boards. Hands are an obvious potential source of germ transfer, but household cutting boards can also harbor bacteria. Using bread knives and an alternate board can help, the article suggested.
The butter itself is also a health risk. Lilian Cheung, lecturer on nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, noted in the article that it is a concentrated source of saturated fat, which is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk.
She suggested a hummus or nut butter board as a healthier alternative—and only indulging in a butter board for an occasional celebration.
“It’s important to consider frequency and alternatives when assessing an individual food,” she said. “If butter is a ‘sometimes food’ that is eaten infrequently … it would be fine if the individual does not have any health risk related to saturated fat.”
Read the Newsweek article: Is TikTok’s Viral Butter Board Trend Healthy?