The Best Butter Substitute, Plus 5 Other Healthy Fat Swaps

So, how can you lower your butter consumption? Consider the following substitutions. What you choose will depend on how you plan to use it, your flavor preferences, and whether you’re dealing with food allergies.

You can reduce the amount of butter in almost any baked good with one of the following substitutes. Just remember, a butter alternative doesn’t necessarily have fewer calories, less added sugar, or less fat. “Pie made with applesauce is still pie,” says Maya Feller, RD, a New York City-based registered dietitian and medical reviewer for Everyday Health.

Unsweetened Applesauce

Because applesauce is mostly water, you may need to reduce the amount of other liquids in the recipe, Feller said. Too much moisture can make your muffins soggy inside.

Plain Greek Yogurt

Full-fat Greek yogurt has a consistency similar to butter, and its natural acidity helps keep baked goods soft and delicate in texture. And yes, go for the full-fat version versus low-fat, says Kristen Smith, RDN, an Atlanta-based registered dietitian-nutritionist and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “You’ll have a better texture and flavor profile.”

Don’t replace all the butter in a recipe with Greek yogurt — you’ll get the best results if you swap out half. And be aware, the pronounced flavor of Greek yogurt may be noticeable.

Vegan Butter

The butter section of most supermarkets offer dairy-free butter spreads. These products can be swapped for butter at a 1:1 ratio, and often replicate the flavor, too. Reach for one when you want the finished product’s flavor and texture to be as close as possible to its buttery cousin.

“If you’re doing real baking and it needs consistency, I suggest using a non-hydrogenated plant-based spread,” Feller says. Let’s say you signed up to bake dozens of cookies for a bake sale. A product that looks and feels like butter will help ensure each batch comes out the same.

Instead of using stick butter or whipped butter on bread or crackers, try these options. Many are lower in saturated fat and calories, while providing vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy fats.

Mashed Avocado

“One of my personal favorites, and a very nutrient-dense option, is to spread some mashed avocado on toast and top with either an egg, some chopped nuts, or dried fruit like cranberries,” Smith says.

Nut Butter

Depending on the nut, you can swap in tons of nutrients and flavor with a nut butter. “That can really up the protein of a meal or snack and provide healthy fats,” Smith says.

Hummus

There are other common sources of saturated fat in the diet. Consider replacing them with healthier options when cooking, baking, or topping meals.

• Instead of Mayonnaise Choose options such as Greek yogurt, mashed avocado, and hummus, which provide a creamy texture similar to mayonnaise. The flavor of Greek yogurt is most similar to mayo, making it ideal for chicken salad. Meanwhile, avocado and hummus can be used as a spread in sandwiches and wraps. “With avocado and hummus, you’re not necessarily going to get a lower-calorie spread, but it will have more nutritional value by offering more fiber than mayo,” says Joan Salge Blake, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist and clinical professor at Boston University.
• Instead of Sour Cream Greek yogurt or pureed cottage cheese each can give you that creamy mouthfeel with far less saturated fat. Two tbsp of sour cream have 1 g of protein and 3.5 g of saturated fat.

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   The same amount of full-fat Greek yogurt has triple the protein and less than 1 g of saturated fat.

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   That holds true for low-fat cottage cheese, too.

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• Instead of Heavy Cream Substitute heavy cream for the same amount of evaporated skim milk. Evaporated skim milk offers a similar consistency for around 200 calories and less than 1 g of fat per cup.

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   Meanwhile, 1 cup of heavy cream packs more than 800 calories and 85 g of fat (49 g from saturated).

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  Blake uses evaporated skim milk in casseroles and soups, and to make sauce for fettuccine alfredo. Just don’t expect it to whip up into a fluffy topping.
• Instead of Cream Cheese Neufchâtel cheese is made the same way as cream cheese so it ticks all the cream-cheesy boxes. But while full-fat cream cheese must have a minimum of 33 percent milkfat content by weight, Neufchâtel can have a maximum of 33 percent milkfat.

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   As a result, Neufchâtel has fewer calories and saturated fat and more protein than cream cheese. One ounce (oz) of Neufchâtel provides 71.7 calories, 3.6 g of saturated fat, and 2.6 g of protein per oz.

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   Meanwhile, 1 oz of cream cheese contains 100 calories, 5.7 g of saturated fat, and 1.7 g of protein.

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• Instead of Coconut Oil This tropical oil contains a significant amount of saturated fat — more than 20 g per 2 tbsp.

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  “If you’re trying to produce a heart-healthier product, coconut oil might not be your best choice,” Smith notes. For cooking, use avocado oil or canola oil instead.

• Butter is high in saturated fat, which may increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Butter substitutes like unsweetened applesauce, plain Greek yogurt, and mashed avocado can reduce saturated fat and calories while also adding nutrients.
• Replace other common sources of saturated fat in the diet, such as cream cheese, coconut oil, and heavy cream, for additional benefits.