Plant-based butter still contains a large number of saturated fats which are bad for your body. As a result, plant-based butter isn't considered a healthy food and is only marginally healthier than typical dairy butter.
Margarine often tops butter when it comes to heart health. Margarine is a blend of oils that are mostly unsaturated fat. Butter is made from cream or milk. The type of fat found in animal products, such as cream, is mostly saturated fat.
Bottom Line: If You Have to Eat Butter, Choose Grass-Fed
“Grass-fed butter has the nutritional edge in that it offers more heart-healthy nutrients than regular butter in a less-processed product than margarine,” Malkani says. You can typically find grass-fed butter at the grocery store or natural foods market.
Plant-based butter is high in monounsaturated fats because they are prepared with plant-based oils instead of dairy. According to the American Heart Association, these fats are considered healthy fats that can help lower bad cholesterol and provide the body with essential minerals and antioxidants.
The Best Options
The most heart-healthy options are neither butter nor margarine, but olive oil, avocado oil, and other vegetable-based spreads. 7 In baked goods, consider substituting applesauce, nut butters, or squash purees for butter. Dip your crusty piece of bread into some olive oil.
Light butter has half the calories, saturated fat and cholesterol of butter. This blend of light butter and oil has heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (MUFAs and PUFAs).
Nuttelex is virtually free from trans fats at 0.4% or lower. Nuttelex also contains 65% or less saturated fat than butter. In addition, Nuttelex is made with vegetable oils. Vegetable oils contain higher content of the good fats (monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat) and are lower in saturated fat.
Nutiva Coconut Manna
Nutiva makes this spread with pureed coconut and nothing else. That's right, it has just the one ingredient! "This plant-based spread is sodium- and cholesterol-free, which makes it a great replacement for butter and cream cheese," says Palinski-Wade.
Plant-based butter still contains a large number of saturated fats which are bad for your body. As a result, plant-based butter isn't considered a healthy food and is only marginally healthier than typical dairy butter.
Olive oil is packed full of beneficial antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol while leaving your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched.
Pros: Can typically be used as a one-to-one ratio swap for butter, has a similar taste and consistency to butter, and can be used for baking and cooking and as a topping. Cons: Some plant-based butter substitutes (not WayFare's!) may have ingredients that can trigger allergies, like nuts, soy, or gluten.
Flora 100% Natural Ingredients is the ideal product for margarine lovers and is great for spreading, cooking and baking. We've decreased the fat level from 79% to 70%. Flora 100% Natural Ingredients remains certified vegan and dairy free.
In this study, plant-based butter contains higher heart-healthy monounsaturated fats compared to regular butter made from dairy. Plant-based butter is also lower in lower in saturated fats.
Scientists around the world simultaneously showed that saturated fat—the kind in butter and lard—increases both “bad” LDL cholesterol and “good” HDL cholesterol, making it similar to carbohydrates overall but not as beneficial to health as polyunsaturated fats from nuts and vegetables.
A good phrase to remember is that not all substitutes are created equal. While keeping that in mind, some of the most commonly used substitutes include coconut oil, coconut butter, olive oil, safflower oil, nut butter, applesauce, yogurt, and dairy free butter.
"However, we need to step back and decide if there's something even better." Nut and seed butters, such as almond or sunflower, are naturally rich in heart-healthy fats and also contain fiber and protein, which are not found in butter substitutes. You can also try mashed avocado, hummus, or extra virgin olive oil.
Flora has less saturated fat than butter. All around the world, health experts recommend that you should reduce your intake of saturated fats and eat more 'good fats' that is, Omega 3 and 6, which help to maintain normal cholesterol levels. Flora is made with nutritious seed oils that are packed with Omega 3 and 6.
DESSERTS & BAKED GOODs: Nuttelex works wonderfully in place of butter in frosting and most baked goods. For a milk substitute try rice milk rather than soy, because its' delicate texture and natural sweetness makes it perfect for desserts, baked goods, as well as curries and sauces.
Ingredient List (all from vegetable sources) Vegetable Oils (containing Sunflower Oil 10%), Water, Salt, Emulsifier (471, Sunflower Lecithin), Natural Flavour, Vitamins A, D, E, Natural Colour (Beta Carotene).
Whole Grain Toasts
There is no reason to throw carbs out of the window if you have high cholesterol; just be mindful of what you're eating. Whole wheat or whole grain bread is your best bet due to the high amounts of fiber compared with other bread.
Avocados. Avocados are a potent source of nutrients as well as monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). Research suggests that adding an avocado a day to a heart-healthy diet can help improve LDL cholesterol levels in people who are overweight or obese.
Using lower-fat cheeses – such as mozzarella, feta, cottage cheese or reduced-fat cheeses – will provide less saturated fat.