5 swaps for butter that can improve cholesterol, lower disease risks

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Replacing butter with a mix of olive oil and a high-quality plant oil can improve cholesterol levels and contribute to long-term heart health, as shown by blood analyses conducted by researchers in Sweden and Germany.

Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology and the German Institute of Human Nutrition were able to measure diet-related fat changes in blood accurately and correlate them with risks for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.

“Our study further confirms the health benefits of a diet rich in unsaturated plant fats, such as the Mediterranean diet,” said senior study author and Chalmers assistant professor Clemens Wittenbecher.

In a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, the team compared the effects of replacing butter with a mix of olive oil and rapeseed oil and replacing it with just safflower oil.

Wittenbecher explained to The Post that they found similar health benefits with both substitutions.

Olive oil is known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Rapeseed and safflower oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids, which play a role in regulating metabolism, promoting skin and hair growth, maintaining bone health, and supporting the reproductive system.

Good sources of omega-6 fatty acids include vegetable oils, nuts like walnuts and almonds, and seeds such as sunflower and pumpkin seeds.

While most Americans consume enough omega-6 fatty acids from their diet, some experts have raised concerns about an imbalance in the diet that favors omega-6s over heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory properties and can help lower blood pressure.

“Omega-6 fatty acids are essential and important fats for health,” said Anthony Hulbert, author of “Omega Balance” and an emeritus professor at the University of Wollongong in Australia. “However, excessive intake of omega-6s can reduce the omega-3 content in cell membranes, leading to chronic inflammation.”

Butter has long been criticized for being high in calories and saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease.

Wittenbecher suggested that other oils that can replace butter include:

• Rapeseed
• Safflower
• Sunflower
• Avocado

“Among these plant oils with beneficial fat content, olive oil and avocado oil are the most heat-stable and should be preferred for cooking and frying at moderate temperatures,” Wittenbecher told The Post.

He also mentioned that unrefined extra-virgin olive oil, which is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, and tree nut and linseed oils, which are high in omega-3s, may also offer health benefits.