Butter vs. oil

HM2206
HM2206 Posts: 174 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
So I know it is supposedly "common knowledge" that (olive, rapeseed) oil is better than butter, in the sense that the type of fat is healthier.

I usually prefer to use butter when I cook. I don't use large amounts, just measure up a dot on my food scale. I have noticed that calorie-wise it really isn't worse than using a tbsp of oil.

Given that I am not very overweight and don't have bad cholesterol, is this something I should worry about? Are there any other benefits of using oil vs. butter?

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    edited June 2015
    They're different fats? I'm of the opinion that too much of anything can be bad, so getting fat from a variety of sources is a good idea. I use butter, coconut oil, nuts, avo, olive oil and oily fish as my main fat sources...

    I don't use olive oil to cook with, I think it is healthier used cold.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Butter just makes everything taste better :D I'm not sure re the nutritional /health differences.
    If I had to guess, olive oil may be a healthier option??
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Some oils, like extra virgin olive oil, have properties beneficial to your health, but calorie-wise, it is the same.
  • heyeyeya
    heyeyeya Posts: 16 Member
    There's no point in cooking with olive oil, it loses it's good qualities at a relatively low temperature. That said, I often use it if it's all I've got in. If you like cooking with a little butter and it's not getting in the way of your goals, carry on! Food is to be enjoyed after all!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    heyeyeya wrote: »
    There's no point in cooking with olive oil, it loses it's good qualities at a relatively low temperature. [/b]That said, I often use it if it's all I've got in. If you like cooking with a little butter and it's not getting in the way of your goals, carry on! Food is to be enjoyed after all!
    Not true. Not unless you get above smoking point, which should not happen in cooking anyway.
  • red_90
    red_90 Posts: 28 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    heyeyeya wrote: »
    There's no point in cooking with olive oil, it loses it's good qualities at a relatively low temperature. [/b]That said, I often use it if it's all I've got in. If you like cooking with a little butter and it's not getting in the way of your goals, carry on! Food is to be enjoyed after all!
    Not true. Not unless you get above smoking point, which should not happen in cooking anyway.
    My trainer/nutritionist told me this too. Olive oil has a relatively low temperature where it starts to create toxins. I'm no scientist so can't quote any studies (but then neither did the person above) so this is hearsay. She told me you could gently fry and egg, but not a steak which needs high heat. She recommended coconut oil - which has lots of health benefits.
  • CandiceMcD
    CandiceMcD Posts: 115 Member
    I use olive oil or coconut oil when I cook, but that may just be what I am used to. I mean, if you are measuring and tracking your butter - I think you should be A okay. If it makes your food taste better and you are staying within your limits of whatever you are tracking, its all good.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    I generally use oil for cooking (except eggs which need either butter or bacon fat) and butter for eating. Both are equally "healthy" in moderation.
  • JohnBarth
    JohnBarth Posts: 672 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Some oils, like extra virgin olive oil, have properties beneficial to your health, but calorie-wise, it is the same.

    Actually, olive oil and butter are not the same in calories. Per 15ml serving (~15g/0.5oz), olive oil is typically 120 calories, and butter is 100.

    I use both regularly. Typically olive oil for cooking and butter for flavor.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    JohnBarth wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    Some oils, like extra virgin olive oil, have properties beneficial to your health, but calorie-wise, it is the same.

    Actually, olive oil and butter are not the same in calories. Per 15ml serving (~15g/0.5oz), olive oil is typically 120 calories, and butter is 100.

    I use both regularly. Typically olive oil for cooking and butter for flavor.

    The difference is because of the small amount of water and milk solids in butter (unless you are using clarified butter or ghee) but when measuring out a serving, it will make a difference if you use a lot.

  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    There is no reason you can't use the one you like.
    Don't fall into the nutritionism trap.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/EvgeniZyntx/view/is-food-x-healthy-the-nutritionism-trap-751977
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
    There is no reason you can't use the one you like.
    Don't fall into the nutritionism trap.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/EvgeniZyntx/view/is-food-x-healthy-the-nutritionism-trap-751977

    I really like that.

    I would add that I hate the this vs. that question because it often seems to presume that it's best to identify the "best" foods and just eat them. My main reason for opposing that is that I think it would be boring and lead to more stress when you can't control choices, but also I think to think there may be a positive benefit to variety and positive elements to foods that we can't precisely quantify anyway (as you said).

    I mean, some people necessarily must eat less varied diets and humans are resilient enough that that seems fine too, but my answer is generally both and more! If you like both, that is.

    If you prefer cooking with butter, as described by OP, I'd say use butter. (For me it depends on what I'm cooking.)
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    NO, it is definitely not something you should worry about it. Cook with the one you prefer.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    red_90 wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    heyeyeya wrote: »
    There's no point in cooking with olive oil, it loses it's good qualities at a relatively low temperature. [/b]That said, I often use it if it's all I've got in. If you like cooking with a little butter and it's not getting in the way of your goals, carry on! Food is to be enjoyed after all!
    Not true. Not unless you get above smoking point, which should not happen in cooking anyway.
    My trainer/nutritionist told me this too. Olive oil has a relatively low temperature where it starts to create toxins. I'm no scientist so can't quote any studies (but then neither did the person above) so this is hearsay. She told me you could gently fry and egg, but not a steak which needs high heat. She recommended coconut oil - which has lots of health benefits.

    Any time the words "nutritionist" and "toxins" appear in the same paragraph, I'm usually quite certain the truth is nowhere to be found.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2015
    Here's an interesting piece on cooking with olive oil/olive oil and high heat:

    http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/03/cooking-with-olive-oil-faq-safety-flavor.html
  • red_90
    red_90 Posts: 28 Member
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    red_90 wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    heyeyeya wrote: »
    There's no point in cooking with olive oil, it loses it's good qualities at a relatively low temperature. [/b]That said, I often use it if it's all I've got in. If you like cooking with a little butter and it's not getting in the way of your goals, carry on! Food is to be enjoyed after all!
    Not true. Not unless you get above smoking point, which should not happen in cooking anyway.
    My trainer/nutritionist told me this too. Olive oil has a relatively low temperature where it starts to create toxins. I'm no scientist so can't quote any studies (but then neither did the person above) so this is hearsay. She told me you could gently fry and egg, but not a steak which needs high heat. She recommended coconut oil - which has lots of health benefits.

    Any time the words "nutritionist" and "toxins" appear in the same paragraph, I'm usually quite certain the truth is nowhere to be found.

    Well, it's certainly true that she told me. As to whether what she told me is true, I have no idea, she certainly reads more scientific studies than I do (studying for some sort of masters in biology). It hasn't stopped me using olive oil, but it has made me try coconut oil, and I'm glad it has. It's tasty.
  • discretekim
    discretekim Posts: 314 Member
    Best to fry in rather butter or coconut oil. Olive is good for low heat or adding oil to a recipe. It turns in to trans fat at a lower point than more stable fats. Lard is also good for that reason.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    I use margarine on toast and bread, and either liquid or spray canola on the things that need it during cooking.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Butter is a saturated fat (as is coconut oil), and EVOO is unsaturated. Neither are trans fats, which are the ones we really want to keep from our diet.

    http://www.scienceofcooking.com/types_of_fats.htm
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    discretekim wrote: »
    Best to fry in rather butter or coconut oil. Olive is good for low heat or adding oil to a recipe. It turns in to trans fat at a lower point than more stable fats.

    See my link above.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,117 Member
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    red_90 wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    heyeyeya wrote: »
    There's no point in cooking with olive oil, it loses it's good qualities at a relatively low temperature. [/b]That said, I often use it if it's all I've got in. If you like cooking with a little butter and it's not getting in the way of your goals, carry on! Food is to be enjoyed after all!
    Not true. Not unless you get above smoking point, which should not happen in cooking anyway.
    My trainer/nutritionist told me this too. Olive oil has a relatively low temperature where it starts to create toxins. I'm no scientist so can't quote any studies (but then neither did the person above) so this is hearsay. She told me you could gently fry and egg, but not a steak which needs high heat. She recommended coconut oil - which has lots of health benefits.

    Any time the words "nutritionist" and "toxins" appear in the same paragraph, I'm usually quite certain the truth is nowhere to be found.

    Also, be suspicious of nutritionist who says "use coconut oil instead of olive oil to cook a steak." That's just wrong. Heat pan very hot. Do not put any oil or other fat in that pan. Place steak directly in pan to sear. Fat melts out of steak. Steak "releases" from pan. Turn. Sear. Reduce heat or place in oven to finish to desire level of doneness.

    Obviously, you don't use fats to cook at temperatures that are higher than their smoking points. Don't use expensive EVOO to cook at all, since all the tasty chemicals that give it its wonderful aroma/flavor evaporate at relatively low cooking temperatures (below smoking point), unless you don't go through olive oil fast enough to keep both EVOO and a later-pressing olive oil on hand without their going rancid before you use them.
  • worstcaster
    worstcaster Posts: 217 Member
    I use water to cook my meat a lot. Just a little in the bottom of the pan. The food cooks and will not burn. If you start to run out of water just add a little more at the sink. It's a lot cheaper than oil too.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    ceoverturf wrote: »
    red_90 wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    heyeyeya wrote: »
    There's no point in cooking with olive oil, it loses it's good qualities at a relatively low temperature. [/b]That said, I often use it if it's all I've got in. If you like cooking with a little butter and it's not getting in the way of your goals, carry on! Food is to be enjoyed after all!
    Not true. Not unless you get above smoking point, which should not happen in cooking anyway.
    My trainer/nutritionist told me this too. Olive oil has a relatively low temperature where it starts to create toxins. I'm no scientist so can't quote any studies (but then neither did the person above) so this is hearsay. She told me you could gently fry and egg, but not a steak which needs high heat. She recommended coconut oil - which has lots of health benefits.

    Any time the words "nutritionist" and "toxins" appear in the same paragraph, I'm usually quite certain the truth is nowhere to be found.

    Also, be suspicious of nutritionist who says "use coconut oil instead of olive oil to cook a steak." That's just wrong. Heat pan very hot. Do not put any oil or other fat in that pan. Place steak directly in pan to sear. Fat melts out of steak. Steak "releases" from pan. Turn. Sear. Reduce heat or place in oven to finish to desire level of doneness.

    Obviously, you don't use fats to cook at temperatures that are higher than their smoking points. Don't use expensive EVOO to cook at all, since all the tasty chemicals that give it its wonderful aroma/flavor evaporate at relatively low cooking temperatures (below smoking point), unless you don't go through olive oil fast enough to keep both EVOO and a later-pressing olive oil on hand without their going rancid before you use them.

    +1
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