Butter vs olive oil: which is healthier?

Olive oil is more nutrient-dense, scoring 13/100 against 4/100 for butter. 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

Olive oil

13/100Low nutrient density

884 kcal per 100 g. 1 tbsp: 14 g

Higher score

Which to pick for your goal

Fewer caloriesButter717 vs 884 kcal per 100 g
More proteinButter0.8 vs 0 g per 100 g
More fiberAbout even0 vs 0 g per 100 g
Less sugarAbout even<0.1 vs 0 g per 100 g
More potassiumButter24 vs 1 mg per 100 g
Less saturated fatOlive oil50 vs 14 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	Olive oil, 100 g	Butter, 14 g	Olive oil, 14 g
Calories	717 kcal	884 kcal	102 kcal	119 kcal
Protein	0.8 g	0 g	0.1 g	0 g
Carbohydrates	<0.1 g	0 g	<0.1 g	0 g
Sugars	<0.1 g	0 g	<0.1 g	0 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g	0 g	0 g
Fat	81 g	100 g	12 g	14 g
Saturated fat	50 g	14 g	7.2 g	1.9 g
Vitamin C	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Vitamin A	684 µg	0 µg	97 µg	0 µg
Potassium	24 mg	1 mg	3.4 mg	0.1 mg
Iron	<0.1 mg	0.6 mg	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg
Calcium	24 mg	1 mg	3.4 mg	0.1 mg
Magnesium	2 mg	0 mg	0.3 mg	0 mg
Sodium	11 mg	2 mg	1.6 mg	0.3 mg

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

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