Swapping out butter for plant-based oils can lower your risk of dying — but you don’t need to give it up entirely

There’s a popular mantra frequently heard on social media: Butter makes everything better. Americans have apparently taken that to heart, eating about 6.5 pounds of butter per person a year. But new research suggests that butter enthusiasts may want to cut back — it could help them live longer.

That’s the major takeaway from a new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. For the study, researchers analyzed 33 years' worth of diet and health data from 221,054 adults who participated in several long-term health studies. The researchers discovered that people who took in higher levels of butter — a little over 1/2 tablespoon a day — had a 15% greater risk of dying than those who ate the least amounts of butter.

On the flip side, those who consumed more plant-based oils — especially soybean, canola and olive oils — had a 16% lower risk of dying from cancer, cardiovascular disease or any other cause, compared to those who had the least amount of these oils.

The good news? It doesn’t require a big change: The study found that swapping 10 grams (less than a tablespoon) of butter a day with an equivalent amount of plant-based oils was linked with a 17% lower risk of dying from any cause, as well as a 17% lower risk of dying from cancer. So, you can get a lot of mileage out of scaling back just a little.

If butter is a way of life for you, the findings don’t mean you need to stop enjoying it altogether. But experts say that it may be time to rethink how much you have on a consistent basis.

What’s in butter exactly?

Most people are familiar with butter on some level, but you may be hazy on what’s actually in it. Traditional butter is a dairy product that’s made from either milk or cream, Scott Keatley, a dietitian and co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, tells Yahoo Life. That concoction has been churned to separate the fat from the buttermilk, creating a semi-solid mixture.

“By the end of the processing, American butter is about 80% butterfat, European butter is 86% butterfat and ghee is almost 100% butterfat,” Keatley says. “In the USA, the other 20% is water, proteins, lactose and trace minerals.” Butter that’s used as a spread typically has salt added to enhance its flavor, although you can still buy unsalted versions — those are just more commonly used in baking.

On the nutritional front, you can generally expect that 1 tablespoon of salted butter contains:

Calories: 102

Fat: 11.5 grams

Protein: 0.12 grams

Calcium: 3.4 milligrams

Potassium: 3.4 milligrams

Sodium: 91.3 milligrams

Why might butter raise your risk of dying?

There are a few reasons for this. “Traditional butter is high in saturated fats, which can promote inflammation and disrupt hormonal activity, increasing the risk of cancers such as breast and prostate,” Dr. Yu Zhang, lead study author and research assistant at the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, tells Yahoo Life. Bodily inflammation has also been linked to a higher risk of developing a number of serious diseases, including type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders and autoimmune conditions.

That high saturated fat content can affect your cardiovascular health too, Dena Champion, a dietitian at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life. “These fats can raise LDL [bad] cholesterol levels, which is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke,” she says.

There’s likely more than just saturated fat involved in this link, though. “Dairy products, including butter, contain insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which has been implicated in promoting cancer cell growth,” Keatley says. When butter is used for high-heat cooking, it can also produce harmful compounds like oxidized cholesterol and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), which raise the risk of oxidative stress, an imbalance in cells that increases the risk of cancer, heart disease and premature aging, he explains.

People who use butter a lot may be more likely to choose other foods that promote harmful inflammation, Stephani Johnson, a dietitian and adjunct professor in the Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences at Rutgers University, tells Yahoo Life.

Why are plant-based oils considered a better swap?

To be fair, some previous research has suggested that butter isn’t the villain it’s been made out to be. It’s just that plant-based alternatives are probably better.

One scientific analysis of existing data on butter’s impact on health, for example, found that there were “relatively small or neutral” links between eating butter and developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease or dying. But that doesn’t make it better than plant-based oils. Butter doesn’t have protective compounds like polyphenols and antioxidants found in those oils that can counteract things like bodily inflammation, Keatley says.

Plant-based oils are also lower in saturated fats and higher in unsaturated fats, which can improve cholesterol and reduce inflammation, Zhang says. “Olive oil, in particular, is packed with polyphenols and vitamin E, which have antioxidant properties that can protect cells from damage,” Keatley says. “Unlike butter, these oils do not produce as many harmful by-products when used in cooking, especially at moderate temperatures.”

Making these swaps over time can make a difference in your health, Johnson says. “Food choices inherently involve substitution — for example, when selecting a fat source for crusty Italian bread, one person may choose butter, while another opts for olive oil,” she explains. “Regularly choosing a fat associated with reduced inflammation, such as olive oil, over one linked to increased inflammation, such as butter, may have long-term health benefits.”

How to get more butter alternatives in your life

To cut back on your butter consumption, Champion recommends starting out by replacing butter with olive or canola oil when you cook vegetables. “Plant oils do have distinct flavor profiles that vary by type and brand, so some experimentation may be necessary to find what works best for your palate,” she says.

You can also substitute things like applesauce or mashed bananas for butter in baked goods. “In savory dishes, try experimenting with herb-infused oils to add flavor without relying on butter,” Champion says.

“Instead of spreading butter on toast, try hummus, nut butters or a drizzle of olive oil with herbs,” Keatley says. “And for finishing touches, rather than melting butter over vegetables or grains, use extra virgin olive oil with fresh lemon or balsamic vinegar.”

You can even try this hack from Johnson to have your butter and eat it too: Mix 1 cup of softened butter with 1 cup of a neutral-flavored plant-based oil like canola and ½ teaspoon of salt. “Store it in the refrigerator for an easy-to-spread butter option that’s ready to use straight from the fridge,” she says. Or opt for plant-based butter (such as Earth Balance and Miyoko's), which are typically made from canola, coconut, olive, avocado, flaxseed or sunflower oil and are rising in popularity.

Is it still OK to eat butter?

The study doesn't demand that people swear off butter. That’s a fact that Zhang stresses. “We’re not suggesting that you need to give up butter entirely,” he says. Instead, the research indicates that having lower amounts of butter on a regular basis may help you live longer.

“Butter isn’t inherently harmful, but whether it’s a problem depends largely on how you use it in cooking,” Keatley says. “If you’re spreading a small amount on whole-grain toast or adding a little as a finishing touch to vegetables, pasta or seafood, it’s unlikely to be a major health risk.”

Johnson agrees. “Moderation is essential,” she says. “Balancing butter intake within an overall nutrient-dense, heart-healthy diet is the best approach for long-term health.”