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Vegetable oil vs. Butter — 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
Vegetable oil
vs
Butter

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.

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

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
15% 50% 35%
Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 14.367 g
Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 48.033 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 33.033 g
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
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.
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%
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%
Contains more IronIron +550%
Contains less SodiumSodium -100%
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 +∞%

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.
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%
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% 150% 46% 0% 1.3% 7.8% 0.79% 6.6% 0.69% 21% 18% 2.3% 10%
Contains more Vitamin E Vitamin E +537.1%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +200%
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%
~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.

Article author photo Jack  Yacoubian
Education: Haigazian Medical University
Last updated: June 27, 2023
Medically reviewed by Ani Harutyunyan

Infographic

Vegetable oil vs Butter infographic
Infographic link

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Vegetable oil Butter
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated Fat ok
Lower in price ok
Rich in minerals ok
Rich in vitamins ok
Lower in Glycemic Index Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Vegetable oil Butter Opinion
Calories 884kcal 717kcal Vegetable oil
Protein 0g 0.85g Butter
Fats 100g 81.11g Vegetable oil
Net carbs 0g 0.06g Butter
Carbs 0g 0.06g Butter
Cholesterol 0mg 215mg Vegetable oil
Magnesium 0mg 2mg Butter
Calcium 0mg 24mg Butter
Potassium 0mg 24mg Butter
Iron 0.13mg 0.02mg Vegetable oil
Sugar 0g 0.06g Vegetable oil
Copper 0mg 0.016mg Butter
Zinc 0.02mg 0.09mg Butter
Phosphorus 0mg 24mg Butter
Sodium 0mg 11mg Vegetable oil
Vitamin A 0IU 2499IU Butter
Vitamin A RAE 0µg 684µg Butter
Vitamin E 14.78mg 2.32mg Vegetable oil
Manganese 0mg 0.004mg Butter
Selenium 0µg 1µg Butter
Vitamin B1 0mg 0.005mg Butter
Vitamin B2 0mg 0.034mg Butter
Vitamin B3 0mg 0.042mg Butter
Vitamin B5 0mg 0.11mg Butter
Vitamin B6 0mg 0.003mg Butter
Vitamin B12 0µg 0.17µg Butter
Vitamin K 21µg 7µg Vegetable oil
Folate 0µg 3µg Butter
Choline 0.2mg 18.8mg Butter
Saturated Fat 14.367g 50.489g Vegetable oil
Monounsaturated Fat 48.033g 23.43g Vegetable oil
Polyunsaturated fat 33.033g 3.01g Vegetable oil
Tryptophan 0.012mg Butter
Threonine 0.038mg Butter
Isoleucine 0.051mg Butter
Leucine 0.083mg Butter
Lysine 0.067mg Butter
Methionine 0.021mg Butter
Phenylalanine 0.041mg Butter
Valine 0.057mg Butter
Histidine 0.023mg Butter
Omega-3 - ALA 0.315g Butter
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 2.166g Butter

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Vegetable oil Butter
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet Equal

People also compare

Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
27%
Vegetable oil
20%
Butter
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
1%
Vegetable oil
4%
Butter

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 215mg)
Which food is lower in Sugar?
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is lower in Sugar (difference - 0.06g)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil contains less Sodium (difference - 11mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 36.122g)
Which food is cheaper?
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is cheaper (difference - $0.3)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Butter
Butter is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is richer in vitamins?
Butter
Butter is relatively richer in vitamins
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
?
The foods have equal glycemic indexes (0)

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