The healthiest butter substitutes ranked

Amy Brownstein, MS, RDN - Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

The healthiest butter substitute likely isn’t butter at all; instead it's olive, avocado, or plant oils. Learn the health benefits of making the switch.

Healthiest butter substitutes ranked

Fact: Butter makes food taste better! From sizzling in a pan to melting into warm toast, it adds flavor, richness, and satisfaction. But when it comes to heart health, butter isn’t doing you any favors.

That’s where butter substitutes come in for the win. The healthiest butter substitutes offer a better alternative that provides flavor, and a creamy, mouthwatering texture while supporting your heart health.

1. Plant oils

Plant oils place first among the healthiest butter substitutes. Derived from vegetable sources like olives, canola, avocados, soybeans, or sunflowers, plant oils have a different nutritional profile than butter. Plant oils are naturally packed with heart-friendly unsaturated fats compared to the high-saturated fat content of butter. Since oils are liquid at room temperature, they have a variety of cooking applications. Oils enhance flavor by emphasizing different herbs, spices, and aromatics. They work well for sautéing, roasting, baking, and finishing dishes.

Heart-health perks to plant oils

According to the American Heart Association, replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fats can reduce your risk of heart disease. In fact, other research showed that swapping about a tablespoon of butter per day with plant oils can lower your risk of death from all causes by 17 percent! These polyunsaturated fatty acids in plant oils do wonders, providing anti-inflammatory benefits that help reduce the risk of heart disease. So beware of saturated fat, known to contribute to higher cholesterol levels and, subsequently, heart disease.

2. Non-hydrogenated plant-oil spread

Non-hydrogenated plant oil spreads are an excellent alternative to regular butter. Made from vegetable oils, such as olive, canola, or sunflower, instead of cream, they're free of trans fats, which can harm heart health.

3. Butter-oil blends

Hoping for a hint of butter? Butter-oil blends combine a little real butter with your heart's favorite liquid vegetable oils like olive, canola, or avocado. This boosts unsaturated fats while lowering saturated fat, resulting in a more heart-healthy butter spread that also spotlights butter's flavor. The result? A softer, creamier butter replacement that spreads easily straight from the fridge.

4. Whipped butter

Made by incorporating air into butter for a lighter texture, whipped butter typically has a similar ingredient list to butter but with less saturated fat and fewer calories. It's perfect for spreading on toast, bread, or vegetables. For those who prefer the taste of regular butter, whipped butter is a great choice, as long as you use less than you would of regular butter.

Trendy butter substitutes

Despite their health "halos," coconut oil, ghee, and clarified butter aren’t much better than real butter when it comes to saturated fat. They’re still high in saturated fat and lack the heart-health advantages of plant oils.

If you're curious about how your favorite butter stacks up against our list of healthiest butter substitutes, use MyNetDiary to explore the nutritional profile of butter and its substitutes. With a bit of detective work, you can choose the healthiest butter substitute for you.