Olive oil melts risk of death by butter

Swapping butter for olive or canola oil could help to cut the risk of premature death, according to new research

A higher intake of butter was associated with 12 per cent higher risk of dying of cancer, the study found. Picture: Supplied.

Dipping your bread in olive oil instead of slathering on butter could add years to your life, research suggests.

Experts examined data from more than 221,000 adults, who were followed for 30 to 50 years, and found that those who ate the most butter had a 15 per cent higher risk of dying early.

The opposite was true for those who ate plant-based oils such as corn, olive and canola, who had a 16 per cent reduced risk.

The research, led by a team at Harvard Medical School in the United States, used data from American adults, who were in their 50s when they signed up and recorded their diets every four years. Over time, 50,932 people in the group died, including 12,241 from cancer and 11,240 from heart disease. Deaths from all causes were highest in those who ate the most butter.

Writing in JAMA Internal Medicine, the authors concluded that “higher intake of butter was associated with increased mortality, while higher plant-based oils intake was associated with lower mortality”.

Every 10g-a-day increase in plant-based oil intake was associated with an 11 per cent lower risk of cancer death and a 6 per cent lower risk of heart disease death, whereas a higher intake of butter was associated with 12 per cent higher risk of dying of cancer.

The data for the research was drawn from the US Nurses’ Health Study, the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. The findings were adjusted for other factors, such as social background and obesity.

Experts said that butter raised cholesterol, which increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Professor Tom Sanders, a nutrition expert at King’s College London, said: “This is an important study that shows that people who choose to eat butter don’t live as long as those who choose to eat vegetable oils.

“Butter is high in saturated fat, contains some trans fatty acids but is very low in polyunsaturated fats whereas unhydrogenated soybean, canola and olive oils are low in saturated fatty acids but high in unsaturated fats. Replacement of butter with these vegetable oils is well documented to lower blood cholesterol, particularly that associated with low-density lipoprotein.

Parveen Yaqoob, professor of nutritional science at the University of Reading, said: “This latest research provides strong additional data to support the ‘healthier fats’ theory ... Recent dietary fads have suggested a re-examination of evidence on dietary fat.

“People who are confused about these conflicting messages about their diet should focus on broader, well-established advice, which can be summarised as: eat more fresh vegetables.”

The Times