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There’s nothing better than watching a slab of fresh butter soften and sizzle as you circle it around the skillet.
If just the thought of it makes you jump with ghee, you butter beware — that innocent little rectangle could be melting your chances at longevity.
A new study in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine linked greater consumption of butter to increased mortality rates, while plant-based oils offer protective benefits.
Researchers analyzed the data of over 200,000 adults and found that replacing butter with plant-based oils can slash your risk of premature death by a whopping 17%.
Several studies have demonstrated that replacing butter with plant-based oils can yield health benefits, particularly when it comes to cardiovascular health.
Stephanie Schiff, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Northwell Health’s Huntington Hospital, told The Post why butter is so “bad” for you.
“Butter has been shown to raise LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol in the body, which can clog your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease,” Schiff said.
Butter also contains saturated fats, she explained, which are typically solid at room temperature and found in products like butter, coconut oil, lard, cheese and cream.
In contrast, plant-based oils such as olive and avocado oil are rich in monounsaturated fats, which have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, as well as anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids — that’s why Schiff uses them “almost exclusively.”
“I use olive oil in salad dressing, for sautéing foods and sometimes in baking,” she said. “It’s high in plant phenols — compounds that work as antioxidants and may help prevent cell damage and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.”
She added that avocado oil is also a good source of antioxidants, has a neutral taste and can withstand higher cooking temperatures than olive oil.
“Stick with unrefined olive and unrefined avocado oil,” she advised. ”They’re healthier because they retain more nutrients — vitamins, minerals and antioxidants — than processed and refined oils.”
As for seed oils, like cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil and soybean oil, Schiff knows they get a bad rap and have become quite the hot topic on social media.
“The problem with seed oils is the high ratio of omega-6 oils to omega-3 oils,” she explained. “A healthy balance of omega-6s to omega-3s (about four-to-one) can help reduce inflammation in the body. High levels of omega-6s versus omega-3s can increase inflammation.”
The problem is that “we tend to get a lot of our seed oil from ultra-processed foods, and the oils in those foods are often highly refined and processed themselves,” which is why she suggests getting seed oils that are cold-pressed if you want to cook with them.
She believes these oils can still be part of a healthy diet when consumed in moderation and balanced with omega-3 fatty acids.
And if you absolutely can’t live without butter, opt for the grass-fed kind, as it has lower amounts of saturated fats and more healthy fats, as well as more vitamin K2 — which helps boost heart health.
“I don’t like to demonize any food, but I’d recommend grass-fed, pasture-raised butter over conventional butter if you really want to have butter,” Schiff said. “And eat less of it. Lean more towards olive and avocado oil, use unrefined seed oils and avoid ultra-processed foods.”
Finally, don’t forget that “you don’t need to be perfect,” she said, especially since “everyone’s body is different in how it processes fats.”
