Aftonbladet, a Swedish tabloid, claimed this week that Leila Lindholm and fellow TV cookery stars were encouraging the normally health-conscious Swedes to shun less fatty “artificial” alternatives to butter.
The newspaper even ran a butter recipe for readers wanting to churn their own. All they would need, the paper told them, was a mixing bowl, whipping cream and salt. “Swedes think butter is delicious,” said the tabloid.
Aftonbladet singled out Lindholm as a particularly influential butter evangelist. “I only bake with real butter,” the newspaper quoted her as saying. “Butter is the best flavor enhancer and tastes fantastic.”
The dairy association said that while butter had enjoyed a recent spike in sales, there had been a reduction in the amount of milk and butter produced annually in recent years. Younger Swedes are not attracted to work in the dairy business as well.

Out of the kitchen go the light, additive-filled butter substitutes. In comes the pure raw butter, preferably containing as much butterfat as possible. It seems to be cheered on by both TV chefs and nutritionists.