Few foods spark as much confusion — or passion — as butter. It’s a staple in most kitchens, cherished for its rich flavor and culinary versatility. But it also sits at the center of a nutrition debate that’s spanned decades about whether healthy butter exists.
On the one hand, there’s the camp that says that butter is a wholesome, minimally processed fat that humans have eaten for centuries. On the other is the group that says it’s a source of saturated fat that should be limited to protect your heart.
Depending on which headlines you’ve read, you may have seen butter labeled everything from a comeback food to something you should avoid altogether. It’s no wonder that you’re confused about butter!
Today, the conversation around butter is more nuanced than it used to be. We now know that dietary fats behave differently depending on their source, how they’re processed, and what foods they’re replacing in your overall diet. That means the healthfulness of butter isn’t determined in isolation; it depends on your broader eating pattern and lifestyle.
So, where does butter really fit in a modern, health-conscious diet? Here’s what the latest science tells us, and how to choose the healthiest butter options when you use it.
Butter and Saturated Fat
Butter from cow’s milk has 7 grams of saturated fat per serving (1 tablespoon), which is a considerable amount. The American Heart Association suggests limiting saturated fat to no more than 6% of daily calories, which equates to 13 grams of saturated fat if you’re on a 2,000-calorie diet.
These recommendations are based on the research-backed link between saturated fats and increased cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease. But more recently, some research has suggested that saturated fat on its own may not raise the risk of heart disease or dying from it, and that saturated fat may affect your body differently depending on which food you’re eating (think red meat versus yogurt versus cheese). Basically, it’s a complicated topic!
That said, current research does suggest that butter may come with health risks that other cooking oils don’t. When a 2018 study compared the effects of olive oil, butter and coconut oil (also high in saturated fat) on cholesterol levels and other heart disease markers among healthy adults, the results showed that butter raised “bad” LDL cholesterol levels significantly more than coconut and olive oil.
A case could be made that butter may be more neutral from a health perspective than once thought, but it doesn’t provide the same disease-lowering risk as poly and monounsaturated fats
Is Butter Bad for You?
This partially depends on how you’re eating it and what you’d eat instead if you were to choose something besides butter. Think of it this way: There’s no such thing as having a plate full of saturated fat or butter without a carrier vehicle, such as toast, a potato or baked goods. And when you eat less butter (or another saturated fat), what do you eat more of instead? Luckily, science provides some clues.
A 2015 study that tracked more than 120,000 adults for 24-30 years found that people who replaced 5% of their calories from saturated fats in foods like butter with whole grains or unsaturated fats had a lower risk of heart disease.
It’s safe to say that nuts, seeds, avocados, extra virgin olive oil and fish fats are healthier than butter.
Which Butter Is the Healthiest?
There are times when it makes sense to cook with butter, or you may prefer spreading butter on your toast to dipping it in extra-virgin olive oil. For those times when nothing but butter will do, here are the two healthiest options.
There are times when it makes sense to cook with butter, or you may prefer spreading butter on your toast to dipping it in extra-virgin olive oil (though the latter can be delicious). For those times when your recipe needs some butter, here are the two healthiest options.
Grass-Fed Butter
This type of butter comes from cows that graze on grass, leading to higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), according to research. This fat profile is healthier for your heart than traditional butter, so I’d consider it the healthiest butter.
Grass-fed butter may also be creamier and softer, making it easy to spread over toast. Being more spreadable may also make it easier to control portion size, which could help you eat a little less butter.
Organic Butter
If you’re concerned about potential pesticide and hormone exposure, organic butter may be a better option. Plus, a 2017 study from the Netherlands found that, like grass-fed butter, organic butter also had higher levels of omega-3 fats and CLA than conventional butter.
Spreadable or Whipped Butter
If you’re just looking for a spread to use on toast, spreadable butter and whipped butter get my vote. Spreadable butter is a mixture of butter and vegetable oil, often canola oil, which reduces the saturated fat to 4 grams per tablespoon.
Whipped butter has air whipped into it, making it more spreadable. The addition of air means it has 45% less fat per serving than regular butter, or about 4.5 grams of saturated fat.
Both of these options can be great choices if you’re trying to lower your saturated fat intake.
Tips for Buying the Healthiest Butter
You typically have a choice between conventional butter, grass-fed and organic, and each version is available in salted and unsalted versions. Look for butter with minimal ingredients — primarily cream and possibly salt. Avoid butters with added preservatives or artificial ingredients.
Most cooks prefer salted butter for general cooking purposes and unsalted butter for baking.
Choose a vegan butter if you’re looking for a dairy-free alternative. You can find options made with numerous types of oils, such as coconut, sunflower and olive oil. You may also see versions with cashew milk. When selecting a vegan butter, try to choose one with ingredients you’d find in a home or restaurant kitchen and limit those with a long list of emulsifiers and other ingredients.
Is Margarine Healthier Than Butter?
Margarine was initially developed as a healthier alternative to butter with less saturated fat. However, margarines were higher in trans fats, which are even more detrimental to heart health than the saturated fats in butter. Trans fats have been banned in the United States since 2015, and manufacturers haven’t been able to use the partially hydrogenated oils that create trans fats since 2018. Therefore, you won’t find these types of margarine in your supermarket anymore.
Is Ghee Healthier Than Butter?
Ghee, a form of clarified butter integral in Indian cuisine, removes milk solids, leaving pure fat. Due to this, ghee has a different fat makeup than butter. It contains short chain fatty acids, CLAs, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. While research on ghee itself is limited, studies on these compounds suggest they may have certain health benefits, such as promoting brain and immune health.
Are Spreads like Country Crock Better for You Than Butter?
Butter-like spreads are typically made from a blend of vegetable oils, and some may have dairy-based ingredients. While they have less saturated fat than butter, these spreads are classified as ultraprocessed foods. They may contain emulsifiers, preservatives and artificial flavors. Given the numerous health risks associated with heavily processed foods, as well as with butter intake, as a dietitian, I’d recommend using both products sparingly.
Healthiest Butter Substitutes
All foods can fit within a healthy, balanced, plant-forward diet, but the healthiest diets limit butter and instead promote healthier sources of fat. Here are some of my favorite options.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenol antioxidants. It’s the primary fat source in the Mediterranean diet and is associated with numerous health benefits. You can use it in cooking, baking and dipping bread.
Mashed Avocado
Mash up some avocado, and use as a spread for bread or a fat replacement when baking. It’s rich in monounsaturated fats and fiber and contains several other vitamins and minerals. Avocados may also increase hormones that suppress hunger, research shows.
Nut and Seed Butters
Add flavor, fiber, protein, and beneficial nutrients to your toast with nut and seed butters, like healthy peanut butter. I also love drizzling them over pancakes and waffles instead of traditional butter. They can also be used to replace the fat in baked goods, imparting a nutty flavor, which appeals to some taste buds. One benefit of using nut and seed butter as a butter replacement in baked goods is it may allow you to lower the added sugar in the recipe.
Greek Yogurt or Icelandic Skyr
Greek yogurt or skyr, a culture dairy product from Iceland, can replace butter in baking recipes, providing protein and gut-friendly probiotics. You can also spread them over toast instead of butter. I like to use Siggi’s Icelandic skyr as a toast topper since it’s strained to make a thicker, creamier yogurt, so it works really well as a spread. You can use any flavor you like since they’re all lower in added sugars than most flavored yogurts.
Should You Eat Butter?
Butter may not be as unhealthy as we once thought, but that doesn’t make it a health food. You’re better off replacing butter with a healthier alternative, but if your overall diet is predominantly based on whole, plant foods and you’re in good health, it’s OK to have some butter now and then.
