Replacing Butter with Plant Oils Linked to Lower Mortality Risk, Harvard Study Finds

A 33-year study of over 220,000 participants shows a significant reduction in death risk by substituting butter with plant-based oils like olive, soybean, and canola.

Higher butter consumption was associated with a 15% increased risk of death, while plant-based oils reduced mortality risk by 16%.
Replacing just two teaspoons of butter daily with plant oils was linked to a 17% lower overall death risk, including reduced cancer and heart disease mortality.
Olive, soybean, and canola oils were the most beneficial, while corn and safflower oils showed little impact on mortality.
Butter used in baking or cooking was not significantly linked to higher mortality, unlike butter spread directly on foods.
The study emphasizes the importance of dietary substitutions, recommending small reductions in butter intake for long-term health benefits.