What is healthier, butter or olive spread?

November 22, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a JAMA Internal Medicine study, substituting butter with plant-based oils was associated with a lower risk of premature death. But what about comparing a natural product like butter to a processed alternative? When considering what is healthier, butter or olive spread, the choice depends heavily on fat composition, ingredients, and how you plan to use it in your cooking.

Quick Summary

A nutritional comparison of butter and olive spread shows significant differences in fat composition and overall health effects. While butter is rich in saturated fats, olive spreads often contain more beneficial monounsaturated fats. The healthier choice largely depends on the product's specific ingredients and the individual's dietary needs.

Key Points

Fat Composition is Key: Olive spread is based on plant oils and has more monounsaturated fats, while butter is a dairy product high in saturated fat.
Heart Health Favors Olive Spreads: Replacing saturated fats from butter with the monounsaturated fats in olive spread can improve cholesterol levels and lower heart disease risk.
Watch for Processing: Not all olive spreads are equal. Check the ingredients for less healthy processed oils (like palm) and additives.
Cooking Applications Differ: Butter excels in baking that requires solid fat, while olive spread is best for spreading. Pure olive oil is superior for sautéing and dressings.
Moderation is Essential: Both are calorie-dense. Even the healthier option should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
EVOO is the Purest Choice: High-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil provides the most health benefits from antioxidants and beneficial fats.

A Tale of Two Spreads: Butter vs. Olive Spread

For many years, the debate over healthy fats has led consumers to question their staple kitchen ingredients. Butter, a traditional dairy product, has been a rich and flavorful fat source for centuries. Olive spread, a modern alternative, is designed to mimic butter's texture but with a focus on plant-based ingredients. Understanding the core components and nutritional differences between the two is key to making an informed choice for your health.

Deconstructing Butter and Olive Spread

What is Butter?

Butter is a dairy product made by churning cream to separate the milk fat from the buttermilk. It is predominantly fat (about 80%), with the remainder being mostly water and milk solids. The fat in butter is primarily saturated fat, and it also contains cholesterol. While it offers small amounts of vitamins A, D, and E, its nutrient density is low relative to its high calorie and saturated fat content.

What is Olive Spread?

Olive spread, unlike pure olive oil, is a processed product formulated to be a spreadable butter substitute. Its primary ingredients are vegetable oils, including a percentage of olive oil, blended with water, emulsifiers, and flavorings. While it contains heart-healthy monounsaturated fats from the olive oil component, it's essential to check the ingredient list. Many olive spreads contain other vegetable oils (like rapeseed or palm oil) and food additives, which can detract from their overall healthfulness.

Nutritional Comparison: The Numbers Tell the Story

The most significant distinction between butter and olive spread lies in their fat composition. Here is a simplified comparison, using average values for a typical butter and a widely available olive spread based on nutritional information:


Feature	Butter (per tbsp)	Olive Spread (per 10g serving)
Calories	~102 kcal	~38 kcal
Total Fat	~11.5 g	~4.2 g
Saturated Fat	~7.3 g (High)	~1.1 g (Lower)
Monounsaturated Fat	~3 g (Lower)	Present, but amount varies
Antioxidants	Minimal (fat-soluble vitamins)	Present (Polyphenols)
Cholesterol	Yes	No (Plant-based)
Processing Level	Low to moderate	Moderate to high

Health Implications for Heart and More

The health impact of each spread is a direct consequence of its fat type and processing. Olive oil, and by extension quality olive spreads, contain high levels of monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. These components are linked to improved cholesterol levels, reduced inflammation, and a lower risk of heart disease.

Butter's high saturated fat and cholesterol content, however, have long been associated with raising LDL ('bad') cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease when consumed excessively. While some studies suggest butter has a neutral effect in moderation, the American Heart Association still recommends limiting saturated fat intake.

The Cooking and Flavor Factor

Beyond nutrition, practical use in the kitchen is a key consideration. Butter is prized for its rich, creamy flavor and is a staple for baking where a solid fat is required, like in cookies or flaky pastries. It also lends a distinct richness to sauces and sautéed dishes.

Olive spread's flavor can vary greatly depending on the brand and ingredients. Some offer a buttery taste with a hint of olive, while others have a more neutral profile. They are ideal for spreading on toast or sandwiches. For cooking, olive spreads can work for lower-temperature sautéing. However, for high-heat cooking, a pure, high-quality extra virgin olive oil is often a better choice due to its stability. One area where olive oil is not an ideal substitute is in baking recipes that require creaming solid butter.

Making the Right Choice for Your Diet

When faced with the decision, the most health-conscious approach involves moderation and careful consideration of your needs. For those looking to reduce saturated fat and boost heart health, an olive-based spread is likely the superior choice, especially if made with quality ingredients and minimal additives. High-quality olive oil itself remains the best option for liquid applications like dressings and sautéing.

For flavor and specific baking applications, a small amount of butter can be used. The key is to consume it in moderation within a balanced diet. Ultimately, the healthiest option isn't always the one with the fewest calories, but the one that offers the most beneficial nutrients while being mindful of overall consumption.

Here are some healthy tips for choosing fats:

Read the label carefully for olive spreads. Look for spreads with a high percentage of olive oil and a short, recognizable ingredient list. Avoid those with high amounts of less-healthy, processed fats like palm oil.
Opt for pure, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). For cooking, salad dressings, and finishing dishes, EVOO provides the most health benefits, including potent antioxidants.
Consider the cooking method. Use EVOO for low to medium-heat applications. For high-heat cooking, some refined oils or pure ghee (clarified butter) might be more suitable.
Think beyond the spread. Healthier alternatives for toast include mashed avocado or hummus.
Practice moderation. Even healthy fats are calorie-dense. A balanced diet should focus on healthy fat sources like nuts, seeds, and avocados in addition to high-quality oils.

Conclusion: The Health-Focused Verdict

When viewed through a nutritional lens, particularly for heart health, olive spreads generally offer a healthier fatty acid profile than traditional butter. They provide a better balance of fats, trading saturated fat for heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. However, the health benefits of olive spread are contingent on the product's quality; a highly processed, additive-filled spread may not be as healthy as a high-quality butter used sparingly. The purest and most beneficial fat from this group is extra virgin olive oil itself, especially when replacing other fats in your diet. Ultimately, limiting your overall intake of highly processed foods and prioritizing whole, plant-based fats will provide the greatest health advantages.

An excellent source for further reading on healthy fats and heart health can be found on the American Heart Association's website.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, not always. The healthfulness of olive spread depends on its ingredients. Highly processed spreads with less-healthy vegetable oils and additives may not be superior to high-quality butter used in moderation.

Olive spread is generally better for heart health. It is higher in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and lacks the high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol found in butter, which can raise LDL ('bad') cholesterol.

In some recipes, yes, but not all. Olive oil can replace melted butter in a 3:4 ratio. However, for recipes that require solid, creamed butter (like cookies), the liquid nature of oil will negatively affect the texture.

No. Since olive spreads are plant-based, they do not contain dietary cholesterol. Butter, being a dairy product, does contain cholesterol.

The main health benefit is the presence of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants from olive oil, which can help lower bad cholesterol and reduce inflammation.

Yes, high-quality extra virgin olive oil is generally healthier than processed olive spreads. EVOO contains the highest concentration of beneficial antioxidants and is less processed.

When purchasing olive spread, look at the ingredients list. Opt for a brand with a high percentage of olive oil and minimal additives. Check for healthy fat claims and avoid products loaded with hydrogenated oils.

Drawbacks include potential for high processing, the presence of less healthy fats and additives depending on the brand, and a different flavor profile that may not be suitable for all dishes compared to butter.