Is it healthier to fry things in butter or oil?

October 21, 2025 •

4 min read

Butter is high in saturated fat and contains milk solids that cause it to have a lower smoke point, making oil a better option for high-heat frying. Choosing between butter and oil for frying depends on understanding their different fat compositions, smoke points, and how they react to high temperatures. So, is it healthier to fry things in butter or oil? It’s a common question with an important answer for your culinary and health considerations.

Quick Summary

This guide compares the nutritional content and smoke points of butter and various oils to clarify which fat is the superior and healthier choice for high-temperature frying, while also outlining appropriate uses for both in cooking.

Key Points

Oil is Healthier for High-Heat Frying: Most cooking oils have higher smoke points and contain healthier unsaturated fats, making them safer and better for frying than butter.
Butter Contains Saturated Fat: Butter is high in saturated fat, which can raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol levels and is less favorable for heart health, especially when consumed in excess.
Smoke Point is Crucial: Cooking a fat beyond its smoke point can produce harmful compounds; butter's low smoke point means it burns easily and should not be used for high-temperature frying.
Use Clarified Butter for Flavor: If you want a buttery flavor for high-heat cooking, use clarified butter (ghee), which has a higher smoke point since the milk solids have been removed.
Choose the Right Oil: For high-heat frying, opt for oils like canola, avocado, or refined olive oil, which are more stable. For flavor and low-to-medium heat, regular olive oil is a healthy option.

The Nutritional Breakdown: Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fats

The fundamental difference between butter and most vegetable oils lies in their fat composition. Butter is an animal-based fat, primarily composed of saturated fats. While saturated fats are necessary for bodily functions, excessive intake is linked to higher levels of LDL ('bad') cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease. A single tablespoon of butter can contain a significant portion of the recommended daily saturated fat intake.

Conversely, most liquid vegetable oils, such as olive, canola, and sunflower, are high in unsaturated fats—specifically monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These 'good' fats can help improve heart health by lowering LDL cholesterol levels. Substituting saturated fats with unsaturated fats is a widely recommended dietary strategy to reduce cardiovascular risk. Not all oils are created equal, however; tropical oils like coconut oil are high in saturated fat and should be used with the same moderation as butter.

The Smoke Point Factor: Why Heat Matters

When frying, the heat of the pan is a critical consideration. The smoke point is the temperature at which a fat begins to break down and smoke, releasing free radicals and toxic compounds that can negatively affect health.

Butter's Low Smoke Point: Whole butter has a relatively low smoke point, around 300-350°F (150-175°C), due to the presence of water and milk solids. At high temperatures, these solids burn quickly, imparting a bitter, burnt taste to your food and producing potentially harmful substances like acrolein. This makes standard butter unsuitable for high-heat frying.
Oil's Higher Smoke Point: Most cooking oils, especially refined versions, have higher smoke points, making them more stable and safer for frying. For example, avocado oil boasts a smoke point of over 500°F, while refined canola and peanut oils typically range from 400-450°F. This stability prevents the oil from breaking down and affecting the food's flavor and health profile.

When to Choose Oil for Frying

For most frying applications, especially those requiring high heat, a neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point is the best and healthiest choice. This includes stir-frying, deep-frying, and searing.

Deep-Frying: For dishes like crispy french fries or battered fish, oils such as canola, peanut, or sunflower are ideal. Their high smoke points ensure the oil remains stable, resulting in a crispy texture and reduced oil absorption.
Sautéing and Pan-Frying: Everyday cooking methods like sautéing vegetables or pan-frying chicken work well with oils that have moderate-to-high smoke points. Olive oil is a great choice for shallow frying due to its high monounsaturated fat content and flavor, though extra-virgin olive oil is better suited for low-to-medium heat to preserve its antioxidants.

Here are some healthy, high-heat oil options:

Avocado oil
Canola oil
Peanut oil
Refined olive oil
Sunflower oil

When to Choose Butter (and How to Do It Safely)

Despite its limitations, butter has a place in cooking, especially for its distinctive rich flavor. It is best reserved for low-to-medium heat applications where flavor is the priority.

Low-Heat Cooking: Butter can be used for gently sautéing delicate foods like shrimp or for making sauces. The key is to keep the temperature low enough to prevent the milk solids from burning.
Clarified Butter (Ghee): To get the buttery flavor at higher temperatures, use clarified butter or ghee. By removing the milk solids, these products have a much higher smoke point, making them suitable for frying.
Finishing: A pat of butter can be added at the end of cooking to add flavor without exposure to high heat, a common technique for finishing steaks or vegetables.

Frying Comparison: Butter vs. Common Cooking Oils


Feature	Butter	Olive Oil (Refined)	Canola Oil	Avocado Oil
Primary Fat Type	Saturated	Monounsaturated	Monounsaturated/Polyunsaturated	Monounsaturated
Smoke Point	~302°F (150°C)	~410°F (210°C)	~400°F (204°C)	~520°F (271°C)
Best For Frying	Not for high-heat; low-heat sautéing only (or clarified)	Pan-frying, sautéing	Deep-frying, sautéing	Deep-frying, high-heat searing
Flavor	Rich, milky	Mild, fruity	Neutral	Neutral, subtle
Heart Health	Less healthy due to saturated fat	Generally healthy; can lower LDL	Generally healthy; balanced fats	Very healthy; high in oleic acid
Other Considerations	Easily burns; makes food greasy at low temps	Retains nutritional value when heated properly	Good for budget-conscious cooking	Excellent high-heat stability

Health Implications: Heart Health and Beyond

When considering health, the type of fat is just as important as the frying process itself. The American Heart Association recommends prioritizing vegetable oils high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats over solid fats like butter and shortening, which are high in saturated fats. Consuming unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

However, it's also important to remember that frying itself, regardless of the fat used, adds significant calories to food. Frying at an excessively low temperature can cause food to absorb more oil and become greasy. Conversely, frying above the smoke point can produce toxic compounds. A balanced approach emphasizes moderation and choosing the right fat for the cooking method. Many common vegetable oils, including canola, olive, and avocado, have well-documented health benefits, including positive effects on cholesterol levels, when used appropriately. For more on the health impacts of different fat types, you can consult sources like the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Conclusion: Making the Healthier Choice

In most frying scenarios, particularly those involving high heat, oil is the healthier choice over butter. Oils high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, like olive, canola, and avocado oil, have higher smoke points and are more stable during cooking. This reduces the risk of creating harmful byproducts and offers better cardiovascular benefits. Butter, with its high saturated fat content and low smoke point, is best reserved for lower-heat cooking where its flavor is desired. For a balanced diet, it is wise to limit total intake of saturated fats and select the cooking fat that is most suitable for the temperature and technique required, prioritizing unsaturated vegetable oils for frying and high-heat cooking whenever possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Butter has a low smoke point due to the milk solids and water it contains. When heated to a high temperature, these solids burn, leading to a bitter taste and potential production of harmful compounds.

Yes, it is acceptable for low-to-medium heat cooking, such as gently sautéing vegetables. For high-heat applications, it's best to use clarified butter (ghee) or add butter at the end of the cooking process for flavor.

Oils high in monounsaturated fats like avocado and olive oil are often considered among the healthiest for frying. Canola and peanut oil are also good options due to their high smoke points and balanced fat profiles.

Yes, regardless of the type, both butter and oil are very calorie-dense. While healthier oils offer better fat profiles, frying still adds significant calories, so moderation is key for a healthy diet.

Clarified butter, or ghee, is made by heating butter and removing the milk solids and water. This process removes the components that cause burning at high heat, giving it a much higher smoke point.

While some studies have linked high consumption of certain omega-6 rich oils to inflammation, this is often a concern of imbalance. Healthy diets typically include a balance of fats. Many health studies show positive outcomes for chronic diseases when replacing saturated fats with vegetable oils.

Yes, some cooks use a combination to get the flavor of butter with the higher smoke point of oil. A good method is to fry with oil and add butter towards the end of cooking for flavor, or to use a smaller amount of butter mixed with oil for gentle sautéing.