The healthiest plant-based butters are typically made from unsaturated oils like olive, avocado, or canola oil.
Grocery store coolers now hold an entire section of plant-based butters — some in tubs, some in sticks, some labeled “vegan,” others “dairy free,” and more than a few calling themselves “heart healthy.” It’s easy to grab the first one that looks familiar, which is often the original margarine you remember from childhood.
The honest answer is that there isn’t a single “healthiest” brand stamped by a medical board. The healthiest choice depends on what the spread is actually made of — specifically, which oils dominate the ingredient list and how much processing the final product undergoes.
What Makes a Plant-Based Butter Healthy
The nutritional gap between dairy butter and plant-based options comes down to fat composition. Butter is mostly saturated fat — about 7 grams per tablespoon — with very little polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fat. Most plant-based butters flip that ratio.
Products made from olive, avocado, canola, or soybean oil are rich in unsaturated fats. Those fats are associated with lower cholesterol levels and less chronic inflammation, according to Harvard Health. Saturated fat, on the other hand, can nudge cholesterol upward when eaten in large amounts over time.
But not every plant butter is created equal. Some brands add palm oil or coconut oil, which are naturally higher in saturated fat than olive or avocado oil. Others include hydrogenated oils, which introduce trans fats that most health experts advise limiting.
Why “Healthiest” Depends on the Ingredient List
Most of us think of butter as a simple food — cream, salt, maybe nothing else. Plant-based butters can have a dozen ingredients, including emulsifiers, preservatives, and flavorings. The presence of those extras doesn’t automatically make a product unhealthy, but they do change the equation.
What to look for when comparing plant butters:
- Primary oil type: Olive, avocado, or canola oil as the first ingredient signals mostly unsaturated fat. Coconut and palm oil as first ingredients mean higher saturated fat.
- Saturated fat content per serving: Aim for 2 grams or less per tablespoon — dairy butter has about 7 grams, so any number significantly lower is a step in the right direction.
- Zero partially hydrogenated oils: Even small amounts of trans fat are best avoided. Most major brands have phased them out, but it’s still worth checking.
- Processing level: Some plant butters are more highly processed than others. A shorter ingredient list with recognizable oils is generally a good sign.
These guidelines come from looking at how different products stack up against butter nutritionally, not from a specific ranking of brands. The Mayo Clinic notes that margarine (a plant-oil-based spread) is generally recommended over butter for heart health because it’s mostly unsaturated fat.
The 2025 Research on Butter vs. Plant Oils
In 2025, a large Harvard study followed over 221,000 people for 30 years. The data showed that substituting plant-based oils for butter was linked to lower total mortality, including fewer deaths from cardiovascular disease and cancer. That doesn’t prove cause and effect, but the pattern is consistent with what nutrition scientists have suspected for years.
One reason is that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fats helps improve blood pressure and cholesterol profiles over time. The same JAMA study cites research showing that swapping saturated fat for walnuts or vegetable oils improves central blood pressure. Plant oils tend to reduce inflammation markers as well, which plant oils lower cholesterol inflammation studies have measured directly.
| Spread Type | Saturated Fat (per Tbsp) | Unsaturated Fat (per Tbsp) |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy butter | ~7 g | ~0.5 g |
| Olive oil based spread | ~1.5 g | ~8 g |
| Avocado oil based spread | ~1.5 g | ~8 g |
| Coconut oil based spread | ~6 g | ~1 g |
| Canola oil based margarine | ~1 g | ~10 g |
These numbers are approximate and vary by brand, but the pattern is clear: spreads that use liquid vegetable oils as the first ingredient deliver far more unsaturated fat and far less saturated fat than dairy butter or coconut-heavy alternatives.
How to Choose the Best Plant Butter for Your Needs
Start by reading the nutrition facts panel rather than the front-of-package claims. The words “plant-based” or “vegan” don’t guarantee a heart-healthy fat profile.
- Check the oil source first. If olive or avocado oil appears in the first two ingredients, you’re in good territory. If palm oil or coconut oil is first, the saturated fat content will be higher.
- Compare saturated fat to butter. Any plant butter with more than 3 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon isn’t a meaningful upgrade over dairy butter.
- Skip brands that list hydrogenated oil. Even if the label says “0 g trans fat,” partial hydrogenation can still produce small amounts that add up.
- Consider taste and cooking use. For spreading on toast, a softer tub butter works. For baking, a stick-style plant butter (like Earth Balance or Violife) holds up better in recipes. Some popular vegan butter brands for baking include Earth Balance, Violife Plant Butter, and Miyoko’s — though ingredient quality varies, so check the label.
If you’re cooking at higher temperatures (sautéing, roasting), olive oil or avocado oil alone is often a simpler and healthier choice than any butter substitute. Plant butters are best reserved for recipes where butter’s flavor or texture is essential.
What the Mayo Clinic Says About Butter Alternatives
The Mayo Clinic has a clear stance on this topic: margarine (which includes many plant-based butters) is better for heart health than dairy butter. Their reasoning is straightforward — butter is mostly saturated fat, while plant-oil spreads are mostly unsaturated fat. The Mayo Clinic butter vs margarine comparison explains that even soft margarine with no trans fats is a reasonable swap.
That said, not all plant butters qualify as “margarine” in the traditional sense. Some newer brands use coconut oil or nut butters as a base, which changes the nutritional picture. A spread made primarily from almond milk and coconut oil may taste great, but it won’t deliver the same unsaturated fat profile as one made from canola or olive oil.
| Spread Example | Primary Oil | Saturated Fat per Tbsp |
|---|---|---|
| Country Crock Plant Butter (original) | Canola + palm | ~2 g |
| Miyoko’s European-Style Cultured | Coconut + cashew | ~6 g |
| Earth Balance Buttery Sticks | Palm fruit + canola | ~3.5 g |
| ForA Plant Butter | Avocado oil | ~2 g |
Notice the range. ForA avocado oil butter is quite low in saturated fat, while Miyoko’s coconut-based butter is nearly as high as dairy butter. The healthiest choice among these would be the one with the lowest saturated fat and the highest unsaturated fat per serving.
The Bottom Line
The healthiest plant-based butter is the one made primarily from unsaturated liquid oils — olive, avocado, canola, or soybean — with minimal added saturated fat from palm or coconut oil, and zero partially hydrogenated oils. There is no single brand that wins for everyone, but the ingredient list tells you everything you need to know.
If you’re concerned about heart health or managing cholesterol, a registered dietitian can help you figure out how much saturated fat to aim for in your overall diet, and whether swapping to a certain plant butter fits that target. Your blood work and personal health history matter more than any brand name.
References & Sources
- Harvard Health. “Substituting Plant Oils for Butter Can Lead to Better Health” Plant-based oils have more heart-healthy unsaturated fats, which help lower cholesterol levels and are linked to less chronic inflammation.
- Mayo Clinic. “Butter vs Margarine” The Mayo Clinic recommends margarine (a plant-oil-based spread) over butter for heart health because margarine is a blend of mostly unsaturated fats.