Tag: Oil vs butter

A 2025 study in *JAMA Internal Medicine* found that replacing just 10 grams of butter daily with plant-based oils could significantly reduce total and cancer mortality. This groundbreaking research has many wondering, "Are vegetable oils an appropriate substitute for solid fats, and how do they compare nutritionally and functionally?"

According to the American Heart Association, replacing saturated fats with healthier unsaturated fats is crucial for heart health. The perennial question for home cooks is, 'is it healthier to use oil or butter to cook?' as these are two of the most common cooking fats available.

Over 60% of people are unsure of the best way to cook eggs without them sticking, which begs the common kitchen conundrum: are you supposed to add oil to eggs? The answer isn't a simple yes or no, as it depends heavily on your cooking method, pan type, and desired outcome.

Gram for gram, cooking oil contains more total fat than butter because it is a liquid with nearly 100% lipid content, while butter contains water and milk solids. Understanding these fundamental differences is key to knowing which is more fatty, oil or butter, and how each impacts your health and cooking.

According to nutritional experts, butter is composed of roughly 63% saturated fat, while many plant-based oils contain a significantly lower percentage. This fundamental nutritional difference is key to answering the critical question: Is using oil healthier than butter?

Butter is comprised of about 80% fat and 20% water and milk solids, whereas oil is 100% fat. This fundamental difference is key to understanding whether it is better to use oil or butter in baking for your specific recipe, as each provides distinct results in flavor, texture, and structure.

Refined sunflower oil boasts a high smoke point of up to 450°F (232°C), which is suitable for high-temperature baking. This means that, yes, is sunflower oil fine for baking, and it can be an excellent choice for achieving moist, tender baked goods.

According to nutritional data, a standard 100g serving of sauteed potatoes prepared with oil contains approximately 126 to 167 calories, but this number can vary significantly. The precise amount depends on key factors, such as the type and quantity of cooking fat used, the preparation method, and whether the potato skin is included.

According to the Popcorn Board, Americans consume around 13 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually, and much of it is cooked in oil, not butter. This demonstrates that you can put oil on popcorn instead of butter and achieve delicious, perfectly popped results. In fact, many popcorn enthusiasts and commercial producers favor oil for its superior popping performance and flavor customization.

While both oil and butter are calorie-dense fats, they have significantly different impacts on weight management due to their fatty acid composition. A diet rich in healthy fats, like those found in olive oil, can support weight loss, while excessive saturated fat from butter may hinder progress.