Butter replacement: what swapping out butter does to LDL cholesterol

A network meta-analysis of 54 randomized trials, each at least 3 weeks long, found that nine plant oils and beef fat lowered LDL cholesterol by 8.9 to 16 mg/dL (0.23 to 0.42 mmol/L) more than butter when they replaced 10 percent of energy. Those were oils, and the outcome was blood lipids rather than heart attacks. A ready-made spread tested directly points the same way. In 83 adults aged 21 to 70 with raised LDL, a diet built on oil-based margarine lowered LDL by 12 mg/dL (95% CI 5.8 to 18; metric: 0.31 mmol/L, 0.15 to 0.47) over 6 weeks, while a butter diet raised it by 12 mg/dL (95% CI 7 to 18; metric: 0.32 mmol/L, 0.18 to 0.47). The margarine arm changed the whole fat side of the diet. The benefit was smaller in obese people, 2.3 percent against 10.4 percent in those of normal weight. Check which product you are holding, because US survey tables list two foods under this name. The liquid kind is fat, with 533 calories and 59.8 g fat per 3.5 oz (100 g). The powder is mostly carbohydrate, 89 g per 3.5 oz (100 g) with 1 g fat.

The numbers, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

As people eat it, per 3.5 oz (100 g)

How much is actually in it

• In a 4-week trial in 96 adults eating 1.8 oz (50 g) a day of butter, olive oil or coconut oil, butter raised blood odd-chain saturated and trans fatty acids while olive oil raised oleic acid by about 1 mol%. — 96 healthy adults, 50 g/d fat, 4 weeks (n = 96) Evidence B source
  Olive oil raised oleic acid about 1 mol%; butter increased odd-chain SFAs and trans-FAs; changes mostly unrelated to metabolic markers

What a real portion looks like

• Liquid butter replacement has 533 calories, 59.8 g fat and 615 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), so one tablespoon (14 g) gives about 75 calories, 8.4 g fat and 86 mg sodium. — US survey food codes Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 533 calories, fat 59.81 g, saturated fat 12.086 g, sodium 615 mg, vitamin A 819 ug RAE; per 14 g tablespoon: 74.6 calories, 8.4 g fat, 1.7 g saturated fat, 86.1 mg sodium

What cooking and storage change

• In a crossover trial in 50 adults, a meal with 50 g fat from an interesterified palm spread gave the same 8-hour blood fat and vascular response as a non-interesterified spread or spreadable butter. — 25 men and 25 women aged 35-75, single test meals (n = 50) Evidence B source
  No differences in postprandial triacylglycerol, lipoprotein subclasses, FMD, oxidative stress or inflammation between interesterified spread and other spreads

What people believe that the data does not support

• A network meta-analysis of 54 randomized trials found that nine plant oils and beef fat lowered LDL cholesterol by 8.9 to 16 mg/dL (0.23 to 0.42 mmol/L) more than butter. — 54 randomized trials of at least 3 weeks (n = 54 trials) Evidence A source
  LDL -16 to -8.9 mg/dL (-0.42 to -0.23 mmol/L) vs butter (per 10% isocaloric exchange)
• US rules allow a heart-disease claim only on foods that supply at least 0.65 g plant sterol esters per serving, eaten twice a day for at least 1.3 g a day. — US food labeling regulation Evidence E source
  Authorized health claim with dose condition, no effect size

Who this works differently for

• In a 6-week trial in 83 adults with raised LDL, a diet with oil-based margarine lowered LDL cholesterol by 12 mg/dL (0.31 mmol/L) while a butter diet raised it by 12 mg/dL (0.32 mmol/L), with smaller benefit in obese people. — 83 men and women aged 21-70 with elevated LDL cholesterol, 6 weeks (n = 83) Evidence B source
  LDL -12 mg/dL (95% CI -18 to -5.8; metric: -0.31 mmol/L, -0.47 to -0.15) margarine vs +12 mg/dL (95% CI 7 to 18; metric: 0.32 mmol/L, 0.18 to 0.47) butter, P < 0.001; LDL change -10.4% normal weight vs -2.3% obese on margarine

What is still unknown

• Powdered butter replacement is mostly carbohydrate, with 89 g carbohydrate, 1 g fat and 1200 mg sodium per 3.5 oz (100 g), so a 5 g tablespoon adds about 19 calories and 60 mg sodium. — US survey food codes Evidence E source
  Per 100 g: 373 calories, carbohydrate 89 g, fat 1 g, saturated fat 0.589 g, sodium 1200 mg, vitamin A 0; per 5 g tablespoon: 18.6 calories, 60 mg sodium

The bottom line

A tablespoon of the liquid replacement, 14 g, gives about 75 calories, 8.4 g fat and 86 mg sodium. Brands are not broken down, and a spray delivers only about 0.2 g per press. A 5 g tablespoon of the powder adds about 19 calories and 60 mg sodium. We found no study of powdered replacements at all. One kind of fat processing, interesterification, made no measurable difference over a single meal. In 50 adults aged 35 to 75, a meal with 50 g fat from an interesterified palm spread gave the same 8-hour blood fat and blood vessel response as a non-interesterified spread or spreadable butter. In a 4-week trial in 96 adults eating 1.8 oz (50 g) a day of butter, olive oil or coconut oil, butter raised odd-chain saturated and trans fatty acids in the blood, and olive oil raised oleic acid by about 1 mol%. Those are blood markers, and the changes were mostly unrelated to metabolic measures. Some spreads carry plant sterols. US rules allow a heart disease claim only on foods with at least 0.65 g plant sterol esters per serving, eaten twice a day for at least 1.3 g a day. An ordinary butter replacement carries no such claim. We found no study on side effects, allergy or drug interactions for butter replacements, so this page has no caution section. We also found nothing on how these products affect absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

Sources

1. brp-daily-r7-06 · randomized controlled trial
   three dietary interventions: 50 g/d of extra-virgin coconut oil (n = 30), extra-virgin olive oil (n = 33), or unsalted butter (n = 33). ... Olive oil increased oleic acid (OA) approximately by 1 mol%, while coconut oil and butter had little effect on OA. Butter increased odd-chain SFAs and trans-FAs while olive oil and coconut oil decreased them.
   J Lipid Res, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29
2. brp-daily-r7-01 · food composition dataset
   Butter replacement, liquid | Energy 533 KCAL per 100 g | Total lipid (fat) 59.81 G | Fatty acids, total saturated 12.086 G | Sodium, Na 615 MG | Vitamin A, RAE 819 UG | 1 tablespoon 14 g 74.6 KCAL, 8.4 G fat, 86.1 MG sodium
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Butter replacement, liquid (fdc_id 2710161, FNDDS code 81103090) · checked 2026-09-29
3. brp-daily-r7-05 · randomized crossover trial
   A randomised, controlled, 4-armed crossover, double-blind study (25 men, 25 women; 35-75 years; healthy; mean BMI 24.5, SD 3.8), compared effects of mixed nutrient meals containing 50 g fat from functionally equivalent products [IE spread, non-IE spread and spreadable butter (SB), with rapeseed oil (RO) as a reference treatment: with 16.7%, 27.9%, 19.3% and 4% palmitic acid, respectively] on 8 h postprandial changes in plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) and endothelial dysfunction (flow-mediated dilatation; FMD). ... There were no differences following IE compared to the other spreads.
   Food Funct, 2024 · checked 2026-09-29
4. brp-daily-r7-04 · network meta-analysis of RCTs
   Fifty-four trials were included in the NMA. ... Safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, flaxseed, corn, olive, soybean, palm, and coconut oil as well beef fat were more effective in reducing LDL-C (-0.42 to -0.23 mmol/l) as compared with butter.
   J Lipid Res, 2018 · checked 2026-09-29
5. brp-daily-r7-07 · regulatory decision
   Foods containing at least 0.65 g per serving of plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 1.3 g, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.
   21 CFR 101.83, Health claims: plant sterol/stanol esters and risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) · checked 2026-09-29
6. brp-daily-r7-03 · randomized controlled trial
   We randomly assigned 83 men and women (aged 21-70 y) stratified by BMI (normal: n = 44; obese: n = 39) and elevated LDL cholesterol (mean ± SD, normal weight 4.6 ± 0.9 mmol/L; obese 4.4 ± 0.8 mmol/L) to either a PUFA diet enriched with oil-based margarine ( n = 42) or an SFA diet enriched with butter (n = 41) for 6 wk. ... In the total study population, the PUFA diet compared with the SFA diet lowered LDL cholesterol (-0.31 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.47, -0.15 mmol/L, compared with 0.32 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.47 mmol/L; P < 0.001) and apoB (-0.08 g/L; 95% CI: -0.11, -0.05 g/L, compared with 0.07 g/L; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.10 g/L; P < 0.001).
   Am J Clin Nutr, 2019 · checked 2026-09-29
7. brp-daily-r7-02 · food composition dataset
   Butter replacement, powder | Energy 373 KCAL per 100 g | Carbohydrate, by difference 89 G | Total lipid (fat) 1 G | Fatty acids, total saturated 0.589 G | Sodium, Na 1200 MG | Vitamin A, RAE 0 UG | 1 tablespoon 5 g 18.6 KCAL, 60.0 MG sodium
   USDA FNDDS 2021-2023, Butter replacement, powder (fdc_id 2710163, FNDDS code 81106010) · checked 2026-09-29