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Social media trend -

For the past few years, social media has been awash with influencers claiming that butter is a healthy fat.

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Health food? -

For example, in an Instagram post from May 2023, Dr. Paul Saladino claimed that butter is a "health food with amazing nutrients."

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"Healthier than seed oils" -

Often, people who promote butter and animal fats claim that they are much healthier than seed oils.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. -

Indeed, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said on Instagram that seed oils are "one of the unhealthiest ingredients we have in foods."

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New study -

According to a recent study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, however, there is no real evidence to support these claims.

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Risks of eating more butter -

In fact, the latest research revealed that higher butter consumption was associated with a 15% higher risk of mortality.

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Compared with plant-based oils -

By contrast, a higher intake of plant-based oils, such as soybean, canola, and olive oil, was linked with a 16% reduction in total mortality.

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Collecting the data -

The study that yielded these results was very comprehensive. It looked at 33 years of dietary data from more than 221,000 participants.

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Regular reporting -

The participants reported their dietary habits to the research group every four years. This allowed the researchers to track changes over time and calculate averages.

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Adjusted for variables -

The findings were then adjusted to account for variables such as age, body mass index (BMI), and overall calorie intake.

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Correlation vs. causation -

According to the study’s authors, it is important to note that the study's results are correlational. This means that they show association, but not necessarily causation.

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Decades of evidence -

Nonetheless, the findings are consistent with decades of existing evidence that links saturated fats (such as those found in butter or ghee) with health risks.

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Demonstrable health benefits -

Moreover, they also demonstrate quite significant health benefits of substituting animal fats for plant oils (including seed oils).

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Best oils -

Olive oil, canola oil, and soybean oil in particular were associated with a lower risk of dying.

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Corroborating evidence -

These findings corroborate a large body of existing evidence that demonstrates the health benefits of these plant oils.

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Should we eliminate butter? -

However, the study’s authors do emphasize that this doesn’t mean that we must eliminate butter altogether.

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Considering the options -

In fact, the choice as to whether or not to use butter may come down to the alternative options that are available.

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Butter vs. trans fats? -

For instance, if the choice is between butter and a partially hydrogenated plant oil that is high in trans fats, butter may be the better option.

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Ban on trans fats -

In 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed a ban on trans fats. However, you can still find them on the market.

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On the market -

This is because manufacturers are still allowed to use up to half a gram of trans fats per serving in their products.

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Butter vs. plant seed oils -

However, if the choice is between butter and a plant seed oil, such as canola or soybean oil, the latter is generally the healthier choice.

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What about beef tallow? -

Another option that was not included in the recent study is beef tallow–an animal fat that has grown in popularity in recent years due to its touted health benefits.

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Similarities with butter -

According to the study’s authors, the composition of beef tallow is such that it cannot be expected to be any better than butter.

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Marginally worse -

Indeed, one previous study showed that fat from red meat, such as tallow, is marginally worse than dairy fat when it comes to mortality and cardiovascular disease.

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Limiting use of butter -

As previously mentioned, there is no need to cut out butter completely. However, it may be better to use butter only when its specific taste is important.

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Finding a balance -

When deciding which plant oil to use instead, it is a question of finding the right balance of nutrients for your body.

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High in omega-3s -

According to the study, olive, canola, and soybean oils had the most health benefits due to their high levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.

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Importance of omega-3s -

Maintaining the right level of omega-3s in the body is important for providing energy, maintaining immune defense, and reducing inflammation.

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Omega-6s -

Other seed oils such as corn, peanut, and sunflower contain higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids. These are also necessary to maintain good health.

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Striking the right balance -

However, just like with omega-3s, it is possible to consume too many omega-6s. It is therefore important to find the right balance.

Sources: (CNN)

See also: Haven't tried castor oil? Here's why you should

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