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Butter vs. Vegetable oil — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Jack Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on June 27, 2023
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. General differences
      1. Shelf life
        1. Culinary usage
          1. Can you substitute butter for vegetable oil?
          2. Nutritional content comparison
            1. Macronutrients
              1. Calories
                1. Carbs
                  1. Glycemic index
                    1. Proteins
                      1. Fats
                        1. Minerals
                          1. Vitamins
                          2. Health impacts
                            1. Keto diet
                              1. Vegan diet
                                1. Does butter have positive and negative effects on health?
                                  1. Positive effects of butter
                                  2. Negative effects of butter
                                2. Does vegetable oil have positive and negative effects on health?
                                  1. Positive effects of vegetable oil
                                  2. Negative effects of vegetable oil
                                3. Health impact summary
                                4. References
                                  Butter
                                  vs
                                  Vegetable oil

                                  Summary

                                  Butter contains more minerals and is richer in vitamins B12 and A. butter is higher in saturated fats; however, it has a shorter shelf life. On the other hand, Vegetable oil is higher in fats and unsaturated fats and is richer in vitamins K and E.

                                  Table of contents

                                  1. Introduction
                                    1. General differences
                                      1. Shelf life
                                        1. Culinary usage
                                          1. Can you substitute butter for vegetable oil?
                                          2. Nutritional content comparison
                                            1. Macronutrients
                                              1. Calories
                                                1. Carbs
                                                  1. Glycemic index
                                                    1. Proteins
                                                      1. Fats
                                                        1. Minerals
                                                          1. Vitamins
                                                          2. Health impacts
                                                            1. Keto diet
                                                              1. Vegan diet
                                                                1. Does butter have positive and negative effects on health?
                                                                  1. Positive effects of butter
                                                                  2. Negative effects of butter
                                                                2. Does vegetable oil have positive and negative effects on health?
                                                                  1. Positive effects of vegetable oil
                                                                  2. Negative effects of vegetable oil
                                                                3. Health impact summary
                                                                4. References

                                                                  Introduction

                                                                  This article will discuss the difference between butter and vegetable oil, considering their general differences, nutritional content, and health impacts.

                                                                  General differences

                                                                  Butter is obtained from churning milk or cream. Butter has been part of the human diet since the agricultural ages after the domestication of mammals. It could be that the first butter was prepared from sheep’s milk; however, nowadays, the most common source of butter is cow’s milk.

                                                                  Vegetable oils are extracted from vegetables which is the main difference between butter. Some various seeds and vegetables yield vegetable oil. This article will discuss corn oil, peanut oil, and olive oil.

                                                                  Similar to butter, vegetable oils have been used since the agricultural ages.

                                                                  The general differences between butter and vegetable oil are based on shelf life and culinary usage.

                                                                  Shelf life

                                                                  Butter has a shorter shelf life compared to vegetable oil.

                                                                  Also, there is no requirement for refrigeration.

                                                                  Culinary usage

                                                                  They both have versatile usages. Vegetable oil can be used for salads, frying, and cooking. Butter can be used in cooking, frying, and spread for breakfast. Vegetable oil is more widely used in non-frying recipes such as making marinades. 

                                                                  Can you substitute butter for vegetable oil?

                                                                  Definitely yes. You should substitute butter and vegetable oil with a 1:1 ratio. The butter should be melted before the substitution for a more accurate measurement. 

                                                                  Nutritional content comparison

                                                                  Macronutrients

                                                                  In contrast to vegetable oil, butter contains some amounts of water and protein. Vegetable oil is 100% fat. Check the infographic below to visualize the macronutrient distribution. 

                                                                  Macronutrient Comparison

                                                                  Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  4
                                                                  81% 18%
                                                                  Protein: 0.85 g
                                                                  Fats: 81.11 g
                                                                  Carbs: 0.06 g
                                                                  Water: 17.94 g
                                                                  Other: 0.04 g
                                                                  100%
                                                                  Protein: 0 g
                                                                  Fats: 100 g
                                                                  Carbs: 0 g
                                                                  Water: 0 g
                                                                  Other: 0 g
                                                                  Contains more ProteinProtein +∞%
                                                                  Contains more CarbsCarbs +∞%
                                                                  Contains more WaterWater +∞%
                                                                  Contains more OtherOther +∞%
                                                                  Contains more FatsFats +23.3%

                                                                  Calories

                                                                  Vegetable oil contains higher calories than butter. They are both high in calories.

                                                                  Carbs

                                                                  They contain negligible amounts of carbs.

                                                                  Glycemic index

                                                                  The glycemic index of both is equal to 0.

                                                                  Proteins

                                                                  They contain negligible amounts of proteins.

                                                                  Fats

                                                                  Vegetable oil is 100% made of fats as a macronutrient. On the other hand, butter contains less fat, nearly 81g per 100g.

                                                                  Vegetable oil contains mostly unsaturated fats, whereas butter contains mostly saturated fats.

                                                                  Fat Type Comparison

                                                                  Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  0
                                                                  66% 30% 4%
                                                                  Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 50.489 g
                                                                  Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 23.43 g
                                                                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 3.01 g
                                                                  15% 50% 35%
                                                                  Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 14.367 g
                                                                  Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 48.033 g
                                                                  Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 33.033 g
                                                                  Contains less Sat. FatSaturated fat -71.5%
                                                                  Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +105%
                                                                  Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +997.4%

                                                                  Minerals

                                                                  Vegetable oil is nearly devoid of minerals.

                                                                  On the other hand, Butter contains more phosphorus and calcium; however, they are in very low amounts.

                                                                  Below is the chart that displays the mineral distribution.

                                                                  Mineral Comparison

                                                                  Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  8
                                                                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 1.4% 7.2% 2.1% 0.75% 5.3% 2.5% 10% 1.4% 0.52% 5.5%
                                                                  Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 0% 0% 0% 4.9% 0% 0.55% 0% 0% 0% 0%
                                                                  Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +∞%
                                                                  Contains more CalciumCalcium +∞%
                                                                  Contains more PotassiumPotassium +∞%
                                                                  Contains more CopperCopper +∞%
                                                                  Contains more ZincZinc +350%
                                                                  Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +∞%
                                                                  Contains more ManganeseManganese +∞%
                                                                  Contains more SeleniumSelenium +∞%
                                                                  Contains more IronIron +550%
                                                                  Contains less SodiumSodium -100%

                                                                  Vitamins

                                                                  Vegetable oil is richer in vitamins K and E. Whereas butter is richer in vitamins B12 and A.

                                                                  The vitamin distribution chart displays the vitamin profiles for each food.

                                                                  Vitamin Comparison

                                                                  Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  Butter
                                                                  9
                                                                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 228% 46% 0% 1.3% 7.8% 0.79% 6.6% 0.69% 21% 18% 2.3% 10%
                                                                  Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0% 296% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 53% 0% 0.11%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +∞%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +∞%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +∞%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +∞%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +∞%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +∞%
                                                                  Contains more FolateFolate +∞%
                                                                  Contains more CholineCholine +9300%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +537.1%
                                                                  Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +200%
                                                                  ~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg
                                                                  ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg

                                                                  Health impacts

                                                                  Keto diet

                                                                  Both these foods can be used in the keto diet.

                                                                  Vegan diet

                                                                  Butter is a dairy product that cannot be consumed in the vegan diet. However, vegetable oil can be consumed.

                                                                  Does butter have positive and negative effects on health?

                                                                  Positive effects of butter

                                                                  Conjugated linoleic acid in butter decreases body weight and reduces pro-inflammatory proteins and cytokines in the body (1) (2) (3).

                                                                  Butyrate, which is found in butter, is also useful to the digestive tract, lowering symptoms and regulating IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and Crohn's disease. Butyrate in butter has also been proven to reduce blood glucose levels and insulin intolerance positively (4) (5) (6).

                                                                  Butter consumption in small to moderate amounts has beneficial effects. When consumed in small to moderate amounts, butter lowers the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. When we ingest large amounts of butter, the same effects are reversed. We talk about excessive consumption in the section below (7) (8) (9).

                                                                  Negative effects of butter

                                                                  Daily use of butter has been associated with higher LDL levels, which raises the risk of cardiovascular disease (10). Because butter is abundant in calories, it will cause weight gain and other metabolic issues if consumed in an unregulated and unmoderated manner. As a result, it is critical to maintain your calorie consumption.

                                                                  Does vegetable oil have positive and negative effects on health?

                                                                  Positive effects of vegetable oil

                                                                  Olive oil

                                                                  Olive oil, used as an alternative to other vegetable oils, reduces cardiovascular disease risks. Even in the section below, we discuss other oils having negative effects on cardiovascular diseases (11).

                                                                  Corn oil

                                                                  Corn oil consumption is a good alternative to vegetable oils since it is a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids (12).

                                                                  Even so, corn oil decreases LDL levels more than olive oil (13).

                                                                  Peanut oil

                                                                  There is a slow increase in triglyceride levels and LDL levels with peanut oil consumption as there are lower risks of developing atherosclerosis than in seed oils (14).

                                                                  Negative effects of vegetable oil

                                                                  Most vegetable oils, specifically the ones derived from seeds, increase LDL levels in the blood, a marker for increased risks of atherosclerosis (15).

                                                                  Overall, heating and frying with vegetable oils increase fat oxidation, and these oxidized fats can have adverse effects as it increases metabolic disorders (16).

                                                                  Peanut oil

                                                                  Peanut allergy can induce allergic and anaphylactic shocks.

                                                                  Corn oil

                                                                  High consumption of corn oil increases breast cancer cell proliferation (17).

                                                                  Health impact summary

                                                                  We can see that low to moderate butter consumption is beneficial for overall health. High consumption of butter is causing most problems. However, vegetable oil has its pros and cons, and it is versatile. It is essential to know which cooking process oil is better. In oils, we must keep LDL and triglyceride levels in control.

                                                                  References

                                                                  1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15795434/
                                                                  2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15674307/
                                                                  3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26968277/
                                                                  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4027835/
                                                                  5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16225487/
                                                                  6. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19366864/
                                                                  7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22810464/
                                                                  8. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16267503/
                                                                  9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19457271/
                                                                  10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29511019/
                                                                  11. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26148920/
                                                                  12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2258533/
                                                                  13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27677368/
                                                                  14. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20546405/
                                                                  15. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6196963/
                                                                  16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26148922/
                                                                  17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26091908/
                                                                  Article author photo Jack Yacoubian
                                                                  Education: Haigazian Medical University
                                                                  Last updated: June 27, 2023
                                                                  Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

                                                                  Infographic

                                                                  Butter vs Vegetable oil infographic
                                                                  Infographic link

                                                                  All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                                                                  Nutrient Butter Vegetable oil DV% diff.
                                                                  Polyunsaturated fat 3.01g 33.033g 200%
                                                                  Saturated fat 50.489g 14.367g 164%
                                                                  Vitamin E 2.32mg 14.78mg 83%
                                                                  Vitamin A 684µg 0µg 76%
                                                                  Cholesterol 215mg 0mg 72%
                                                                  Monounsaturated fat 23.43g 48.033g 62%
                                                                  Fats 81.11g 100g 29%
                                                                  Vitamin K 7µg 21µg 12%
                                                                  Calories 717kcal 884kcal 8%
                                                                  Vitamin B12 0.17µg 0µg 7%
                                                                  Choline 18.8mg 0.2mg 3%
                                                                  Phosphorus 24mg 0mg 3%
                                                                  Vitamin B2 0.034mg 0mg 3%
                                                                  Selenium 1µg 0µg 2%
                                                                  Copper 0.016mg 0mg 2%
                                                                  Vitamin B5 0.11mg 0mg 2%
                                                                  Calcium 24mg 0mg 2%
                                                                  Protein 0.85g 0g 2%
                                                                  Iron 0.02mg 0.13mg 1%
                                                                  Folate 3µg 0µg 1%
                                                                  Potassium 24mg 0mg 1%
                                                                  Zinc 0.09mg 0.02mg 1%
                                                                  Carbs 0.06g 0g 0%
                                                                  Net carbs 0.06g 0g N/A
                                                                  Magnesium 2mg 0mg 0%
                                                                  Sugar 0.06g 0g N/A
                                                                  Sodium 11mg 0mg 0%
                                                                  Manganese 0.004mg 0mg 0%
                                                                  Vitamin B1 0.005mg 0mg 0%
                                                                  Vitamin B3 0.042mg 0mg 0%
                                                                  Vitamin B6 0.003mg 0mg 0%
                                                                  Tryptophan 0.012mg 0%
                                                                  Threonine 0.038mg 0%
                                                                  Isoleucine 0.051mg 0%
                                                                  Leucine 0.083mg 0%
                                                                  Lysine 0.067mg 0%
                                                                  Methionine 0.021mg 0%
                                                                  Phenylalanine 0.041mg 0%
                                                                  Valine 0.057mg 0%
                                                                  Histidine 0.023mg 0%
                                                                  Omega-3 - ALA 0.315g N/A
                                                                  Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 2.166g N/A

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                                                                  References

                                                                  All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                                                                  1. Butter - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/173430/nutrients
                                                                  2. Vegetable oil - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/167737/nutrients

                                                                  All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                                                                  Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.