Olive oil and butter are two cooking fats often used for preparing meals, but which of these cooking fats is healthier for you?
Butter and olive oil content 100% fat. Sometimes it’s a bit difficult to choose between butter and olive oil. How do you choose the best option that is healthier for cooking?
In this article, we will be discussing when it’s best to use olive oil or butter. Types of olive oil and butter, and we will also be looking at which cooking fat is healthier.
Let’s explore olive oil vs butter, which is better to use for cooking.
When to Use Olive Oil
Olive oil is excellent for cooking and can be used in the absence of butter. It’s the perfect oil for roasting both vegetables and beef. Olive oil is best used for roasting meat and vegetables because of its high smoke point.
Olive oil can be used in almost every scenario. Where you may need butter, olive oil can be used. It’s also a great oil for baking, especially in any recipe where melted butter is needed.
Flavored olive oil adds a pleasant flavor to your dishes and at the same time retains its health properties.
Choosing olive oil when baking adds a better taste. It’s a good oil for cooking, as it also adds a better taste to your meal.
Also Read: Essential Oils vs Carrier Oils: Differences and Comparison
Types of Olive Oil
Olive oil is healthy for cooking and baking. Extracted from the fruits of the olive tree, it contains rich flavours and healthy properties.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO): Extra virgin olive oil is the least processed form of olive oil and it’s healthy. This type of olive oil is extracted through cold pressing and there is no chemical refining during the process.
Extra virgin olive oil still retains its high level of monounsaturated fats and antioxidants, which makes it a healthy oil to use.
- Refined Olive Oil: Refined olive oil is a type of olive oil that undergoes processing like filtering and refining. This is done to extract impurities from the refined olive oil and neutralize flavours.
- Virgin Olive Oil: Virgin olive oil is obtained by extracting oil from the fruit of the olive tree. This type of olive oil is similar to extract virgin olive oil but has a bit higher acidity level than an extract virgin olive oil. It’s a good and healthy oil that contains monounsaturated fats.
When to Use Butter
Olive oil is a healthy oil that can be for both cooking and baking. But, you should not use olive oil in place of butter when you need to cream softened.
When you use a liquid product like melted butter or olive oil, it results in a batter that is thinner and will cook faster than what you need. This will affect the texture of the final bake and may burn the batter if it’s left for too long in the oven.
Types of Butter
Butter is an ingredient popular for its rich texture and creamy taste, and it’s available in different forms.
Let’s look at the two most common types of butter;
- Salted Butter: Just as its name implies, this type of butter contains additional salt. This type of butter contains excess sodium, which is not healthy, especially for people with high blood pressure. There are also other health concerns associated with excessive intake of sodium.
- Unsalted Butter: This type of butter is a better option for baking and cooking, as it contains no added salt and gives a neutral flavour. Unsalted butter contains high levels of saturated fats. This can lead to high cholesterol levels, which can cause cardiovascular diseases or stroke.
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Olive Oil vs Butter: Which Is Better, Olive Oil or Butter?
Olive oil and butter are considered two of the most popular cooking fats. In the culinary world, one of the most debated topics is focused on olive oil and butter.
Between butter and olive oil, which is better and healthier for cooking and baking. Many people prefer creamy butter and there are those who stand on olive oil being the best option.
Olive Oil vs Butter: Which Is Heart Healthier?
Butter and olive oil both come with their unique flavour. However, butter consists of 63% of saturated fat, while olive oil on the other hand contains about 14% fat.
Olive oil contains antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, which is good for health. Butter has a high saturated fat content, which is likely to cause health issues like heart disease, stroke, or cardiovascular diseases.
If you want to enjoy healthy meals without fear of any health issues like heart disease or cardiovascular diseases, the best option for you is olive oil.
There are several types of olive oil you can choose from. Extract virgin olive oil or EVOO is a type of olive oil that contains a high amount of polyphenols.
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Olive Oil vs Butter: Difference between Olive Oil and Butter
While olive oil is a healthy plant base extracted from olives, butter is a soft, fatty foodstuff made by churning the cream of milk, generally cow’s milk.
Olive oil is great for cooking and can be used in the absence of butter. It’s the perfect oil for roasting both vegetables and beef. It’s extracted through pressing or centrifugation and it generally gives a golden liquid.
On the other hand, butter will be hard solid at room temperature.
Olive Oil vs Butter: Nutritional Breakdown of Olive Oil and Butter
| Nutrients | Olive Oil (1 teaspoon) | Unsalted Butter (1 teaspoon) |
| Total fat | 13.5g | 11.5g |
| Saturated fat | 1.86g | 7.17g |
| Monounsaturated fat | 9.86g | 3.32g |
| Calories | 119 kcal | 102 kcal |
| Cholesterol | 0mg | 31 mg |
| Vitamin E | 1.9 mg (10% DV) | 0.33 mg (2% DV) |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.42 g | 0.43 g |
Also Read: TSP vs TBSP: Difference and Comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few frequently asked questions on which is better, olive oil vs butter.
Should I substitute butter with olive oil?
If you intend to reduce saturated fat, it’s highly recommended you replace butter with olive oil.
Is olive oil better than butter on toast?
Olive oil contains antioxidants and monounsaturated fats, which is good for health. It has lower saturated fat and also has a unique flavour that is good for baking and cooking.
It’s better to use olive oil on toast than butter.
Is it healthier to cook with butter or olive oil?
Olive oil is a healthy oil that can be for both cooking and baking. Olive oil contains more monounsaturated fats, which makes it the best option than butter.
Conclusion
Olive oil can be used in almost every scenario. Where you may need butter, olive oil can be used. It’s also a great oil for baking, especially in any recipe where melted butter is needed.
While olive oil is a healthy plant base extracted from olives, butter is a soft, fatty foodstuff made by churning the cream of milk, generally cow’s milk.
If you want to enjoy healthy meals without fear of any health issues like heart disease or cardiovascular diseases, the best option for you is olive oil.
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References
- Thecoconutmama: Olive Oil vs Butter: The Ultimate Verdict
- Arlottafood: Which is Better: Butter or Olive Oil
- Brightland.co: Butter vs. Olive Oil: Which Is Better?
- Theheartdietitian: Butter vs. Olive Oil: Which is Heart Healthy?
- Luxofood: Butter VS Olive Oil – Everything You Need To Know
