Q. Settle an argument, please! Which is better for you: mayonnaise or butter? (2024)

FAQs

Q. Settle an argument, please! Which is better for you: mayonnaise or butter? ›

Which is better for you: mayonnaise or butter? Both are calorie-and fat-dense spreads that should be used in moderation, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, of the American Dietetic Association. But your better bet is mayonnaise, which contains less saturated fat than butter (1.5 g per tablespoon versus 7.3 g in butter).

Before making a decision about which fat is healthiest for you, it's best to have a conversation with your doctor about your recommended levels of saturated fat. Mayonnaise does have lower levels of saturated fat, but the type of saturated fat found in butter may not be as unhealthy as we once thought.

The overall verdict? If you want a low effort, high reward grilled cheese, use mayo. But if you want to make an extra special sandwich, use a mayo-butter combo.

Since margarine has a variable but high trans fat level, the consumption of margarine may lead to an increased incidence of heart disease, cancer, and other diseases when compared with butter. Hence, butter is considered healthier than margarines.

Consuming mayonnaise in excess can increase the risk of heart disease. About 1.6 grams of saturated fat is found in one tablespoon of mayonnaise. In this case, if you eat more mayonnaise, it can increase cholesterol. High cholesterol in the body increases the risk of heart disease.

"Margarine has the better nutrient profile in terms of being lower in saturated fat than butter, and both should be considered in the context of the whole diet," she says. "But emerging evidence suggests that there's an association between poor health and ultra-processed diets above and beyond nutrients."

Butter goes in the pan not on the bread. To ensure golden (not burned) toastiness, the exterior of the sandwich should be slicked with mayonnaise, which has a higher smoke point and possesses the combined browning power of oil and egg yolks.

MAYONNAISE

The eggs and oil in mayonnaise can add moisture and richness to both sweet and savory dishes. Use it for decadent chocolate cakes or to bring a creamy texture to doughs. Next time you make a grilled cheese, spread the outside of the bread with mayo instead of butter to achieve a golden brown, crisp sandwich.

Toast is usually buttered, but it's not considered to be a sandwich in and of itself in the United States. Now, a sandwich can be made with toasted bread, certainly, but in that role it's normally slathered with mayonnaise, mustard, or something of that nature rather than being buttered.

Grass-fed butter offers some health benefits to counteract the health risks it poses. It appears to have lower levels of saturated fats and more unsaturated fats than standard butter. This is because grass-fed butter is made from the milk of cows that are allowed to graze instead of being fed high-grain diets.

Is butter bad for cholesterol? ›

Scientists around the world simultaneously showed that saturated fat—the kind in butter and lard—increases both “bad” LDL cholesterol and “good” HDL cholesterol, making it similar to carbohydrates overall but not as beneficial to health as polyunsaturated fats from nuts and vegetables.

Because we use plant-based oils, all our Country Crock® products contain less saturated fat than dairy butter, as well as zero cholesterol. Are Country Crock^® products gluten-free? None of our products contain gluten ingredients. All Country Crock® products are tested as gluten-free.

Avoid mayonnaise that has mold growing on it. You can also tell it has spoiled if it is yellow or brown in color. Even if your mayo looks okay, check for any acidic, sour, or bitter tastes and smells to be sure it has not gone bad. Unopened mayonnaise is likely to last for up to three months after its "best by" date.

Which is better for you: mayonnaise or butter? Both are calorie-and fat-dense spreads that should be used in moderation, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, of the American Dietetic Association. But your better bet is mayonnaise, which contains less saturated fat than butter (1.5 g per tablespoon versus 7.3 g in butter).

Oatmeal, oat bran and high-fiber foods

Oatmeal has soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.

Mayonnaise's nutritional profile is a mix of both healthy and not-so-healthy aspects. While it contains healthy fats from oil and essential nutrients from egg yolks, it can also be high in calories and saturated fats. Moderation is key when consuming mayonnaise to avoid negative health impacts.

The fact is, just because something is “real” does not necessarily make it good for you. The “real” ingredients that “I Can't Believe It's Not Butter” is touting are oils and salt. The ingredient list of “I Can't Believe It's Not Butter” reveals unhealthy ingredients like tropical oils and salt.