Butter Vs. Plant Oil: Which Is Healthier For Longer Life?

Butter Vs. Plant Oil: The rich, creamy aroma of butter often stirs up nostalgic memories of childhood meals, a comforting scent that lingers long after the last bite. But beyond its familiar warmth, butter is packed with a variety of high-value nutrients, offering essential doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K2.

On the other hand, plant oil, popularly known as vegetable oil is derived from various plant seeds, fruits, nuts, or grains. They are known for its rich content of fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6, along with Vitamin E (tocopherol), it brings its own set of nutritional benefits to the table.

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So, could butter or plant oil be healthier for longer life? Which is truly the best option?

In a recent report published by JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers from the Harvard institution presented a case study titled 'Butter and Plant-Based Oils Intake and Mortality' to shed light on this question. The results, however, may not be good news for butter lovers.

Dietary questionnaire 

The study collected data from more than 221,000 adults, all of whom answered a dietary questionnaire every four years. Participants were then divided into four groups based on their reported use of butter and plant-based oils over the past 33 years. 'Plant oils won out handily,' states Harvard.

Result from the case study

The lead author of the study, Yu Zhang reveals, “A higher intake of butter increases mortality risk, while a higher intake of plant-based oil will lower it."

JAMA Internal Medicine states, “After adjusting for potential confounders, the highest butter intake was associated with a 15% higher risk of total mortality compared to the lowest intake (hazard ratio [HR], 1.15; 95% CI, 1.08-1.22; P for trend < .001)."

"In contrast, the highest intake of total plant-based oils compared to the lowest intake was associated with a 16% lower total mortality (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.79-0.90; P for trend < .001).”

About the butter versus plant oil, the study also found that a higher intake of butter increase higher risk for cancer deaths. 

But a higher plant oil intake have the potential to cut the risk for dying from cancer or cardiovascular disease like stroke or heart attack.

So, should you take butter or plant oil?

For butter lovers, “a little butter occasionally for its flavour would not be a problem,” Dr. Willett tells Harvard. "But for better health, use liquid plant oils whenever possible instead of butter for cooking and at the table."