"Butter is often associated with unhealthier dietary patterns, while plant-based oils are more commonly linked to healthier patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet and plant-based diets," an editorial co-written by Dr. Young-Moon Mark Park, an assistant professor of epidemiology with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, said.

New research questions a popular social media trend that favours butter over seed oils for health. A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that higher butter consumption was linked to a 15 per cent increased risk of death.