Is Olive Oil Healthier Than Butter?

Short answer: Yes. Olive oil is mostly unsaturated fat with 14 g of saturated fat per 100 g, while butter has about 53 g. Calories are similar per gram, so the swap improves the type of fat rather than the amount.

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g	Olive Oil	Butter
Calories	884 kcal	748 kcal
Protein	0 g	0.5 g
Fat	100 g	82 g
incl. saturated	14 g	53 g
Carbohydrates	0 g	0.8 g
incl. sugars	0 g	0.8 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Salt	0 g	0.1 g
Omega-3	760 mg ALA	—
Nutri-Score	E	E

Rounded averages from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) for the foods as eaten; brands and recipes vary.

Which wins, and when

Less energy: Butter — 136 kcal less per 100 g than olive oil.
Less saturated fat: Olive oil — 39 g less per 100 g than butter.
More omega-3: Olive oil.

In short: for fewer calories or less saturated fat, look at the “less” lines; for staying full longer, protein and fiber matter most. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.

Portion tips

Olive Oil: a typical serving (spoon, 10 g) is 88 kcal — about 29 min of easy walking for a 70 kg (154 lb) person.
Butter: a typical serving (on bread, 10 g) is 75 kcal — about 24 min of easy walking.

Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.

Log it and see your day

In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed.