Butter vs maple syrup: which is healthier?

They are about equally nutrient-dense: butter scores 4/100 and maple syrup 3/100, so pick by your goal. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Butter

4/100Low nutrient density

717 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp: 14 g

Maple syrup

3/100Low nutrient density

260 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp: 20 g

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesMaple syrup717 vs 260 kcal per 100 g
More proteinButter0.8 vs <0.1 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
Less sugarButter<0.1 vs 60 g per 100 g
More potassiumMaple syrup24 vs 212 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatMaple syrup50 vs <0.1 g per 100 g

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g and per typical portion. Bold marks the better value for each row.
Nutrient	Butter, 100 g	Maple syrup, 100 g	Butter, 14 g	Maple syrup, 20 g
Calories	717 kcal	260 kcal	102 kcal	52 kcal
Protein	0.8 g	<0.1 g	0.1 g	<0.1 g
Carbohydrates	<0.1 g	67 g	<0.1 g	13 g
Sugars	<0.1 g	60 g	<0.1 g	12 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Fat	81 g	<0.1 g	12 g	<0.1 g
Saturated fat	50 g	<0.1 g	7.2 g	<0.1 g
Vitamin C	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	684 µg	0 µg	97 µg	0 µg
Potassium	24 mg	212 mg	3.4 mg	42 mg
Iron	<0.1 mg	0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg
Calcium	24 mg	102 mg	3.4 mg	20 mg
Magnesium	2 mg	21 mg	0.3 mg	4.2 mg
Sodium	11 mg	12 mg	1.6 mg	2.4 mg

Last updated October 8, 2026. Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.

All about butter All about maple syrup Open in compare tool