Using oil, including seed oils, instead of butter lowers health risk: study

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A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that swapping vegetable oils for butter in your diet could lead to longer and healthier lives. The study, conducted over more than 30 years and tracking the dietary and mortality data of 221,054 adults, found that higher butter intake was associated with a 15% higher risk of premature death, while higher plant-based oil intake was associated with a 16% lower risk.

Daniel Wang, the study’s corresponding author and an assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, emphasized the simplicity of the takeaway: replacing butter with plant-based oils can yield significant health benefits. Even replacing just 10 grams of butter a day with an equivalent amount of plant-based oils could lower overall mortality risk by 17% and reduce the risk of death from cancer by 17%.

The study’s findings challenge the conventional wisdom surrounding the health impacts of different fats. While some advocate avoiding seed oils like canola and soybean due to concerns over chronic disease, the study supports the idea that plant oils are generally preferable to animal fats for overall health.

Despite limitations such as the study’s observational nature and the predominantly white health professional participants, the results remain significant. The study found that olive oil, canola oil, and soybean oil were specifically associated with lower mortality risk. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, noted that the study revealed no evidence of harm or benefit from corn and safflower oils.

The debate over fats and health has implications for health equity, as more affordable options like canola and soybean oils can serve as accessible alternatives to pricier olive oil. Overall, the study adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the health benefits of plant-based oils over animal fats, emphasizing the importance of dietary choices in promoting longevity and well-being. Our financial supporters play a crucial role in sustaining our journalism, but it is important to note that they do not have any influence over the decisions we make regarding our content. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalistic integrity and independence, and our editorial decisions are driven solely by our dedication to providing accurate, unbiased, and insightful reporting.

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