February 19, 2026

Butter, margarine or plant-based oil: which should you choose?

Traditional butter, margarine or butter-flavored plant oil? The choice can seem complicated. Yet when you look at ingredients, nutrition, cooking use and shelf life, the differences are clear. Here is a full comparison to help you see things clearly.

1. Ingredients: what are they made of?

Butter

Butter is made from cow's milk cream (and sometimes salt). It is an animal product, made up of 82% dairy fat. Its composition is simple (1 to 2 ingredients), but it consists essentially of saturated fats.

Margarine

Margarine is an industrial product made from a blend of vegetable oils, water and additives. The typical ingredient list often includes more than 10 items: emulsifiers (lecithin, mono- and diglycerides), preservatives, colorings (beta-carotene), acidifiers, flavorings, added vitamins... Some margarines contain palm oil.

Holéo (butter-flavored plant oil)

Holéo is made from only 3 natural ingredients: refined sunflower oil, refined rapeseed oil and natural flavor. No additives, no preservatives, no emulsifiers. It has the cleanest ingredient list on the market.

2. Nutrition: the numbers speak for themselves

Criterion (per 100 g/ml)	Butter	Margarine	Holéo
Energy	745 kcal	~540 kcal	828 kcal
Total fat	82 g	~60 g	92 g
Saturated fatty acids	51 g	~15-25 g	8.4 g
Monounsaturated fatty acids	21 g	~20-30 g	44 g
Polyunsaturated fatty acids	3 g	~10-20 g	40 g
Cholesterol	215 mg	0-5 mg	0 mg
Omega-3	Traces	Variable	Natural source
Number of ingredients	1-2	10+	3

Note: Holéo is higher in calories than butter by volume. But in baking, you use 40% less by volume (60 ml for 100 g of butter), which more than compensates. And most importantly: fewer saturates, more unsaturates, zero cholesterol.

3. Cooking uses

Frying and sautéing

• Butter: burns at 130°C (low smoke point). Clarified butter is needed for high-heat cooking.
• Margarine: variable smoke point depending on composition (150-180°C). Not ideal for high-temperature cooking.
• Holéo: handles up to 170°C without smoking. Perfect for pan-frying, roasting and air frying.

Baking

• Butter: the flavor benchmark. Must be melted, softened or diced depending on the recipe. 100 g per typical recipe.
• Margarine: 1:1 replacement for butter by volume. Flavor often disappointing.
• Holéo: 60 ml for 100 g of butter. Liquid, no need to melt. Authentic buttery flavor.

Spreading and dressing

• Butter: must be taken out of the fridge in advance. Too hard when cold, too soft when warm.
• Margarine: easy to spread, but flavor often artificial.
• Holéo: liquid, poured directly. Ideal over pasta, rice, vegetables, toast.

4. Shelf life

Criterion	Butter	Margarine	Holéo
Duration (sealed)	2-3 months	~6 months	12 months
Duration (opened)	2-3 weeks	~2 months	3 months
Refrigeration	Required	Required	Not needed

Holéo keeps for 12 months sealed and 3 months after opening, at room temperature. A considerable advantage over butter, which goes rancid quickly out of the fridge, and margarine, which also requires refrigeration.

5. Dietary requirements

Diet	Butter	Margarine	Holéo
Lactose-free	No	Variable	Yes
Gluten-free	Yes	Variable	Yes
Vegan	No	Variable	Yes
Palm oil-free	Yes	Often no	Yes
Preservative-free	Yes	Often no	Yes

The verdict

Butter has the flavor, but not the nutritional profile. Margarine has the plant-based angle, but too many additives. Holéo brings together the best of both worlds: authentic buttery flavor, an ultra-simple ingredient list (3 ingredients) and unbeatable convenience.

It is neither butter nor margarine. It is a third way — healthier, simpler, just as indulgent.