10 Healthiest Butter Brands, According to a Dietitian

Butter is one of those ingredients that can instantly transform any dish. Just thinking about warm bread fresh out of the oven and topped with a smear of butter can make a person's mouth water. And it is simply unheard of to skip the pat of butter when enjoying a hot baked potato or stack of pancakes. In other words, butter makes everything better—and knowing which brands offer the best healthy butter around is a surefire way to elevate any recipe.

In the U.S., all butter must contain at least 80% butterfat, typically made from cream and salt. However, ingredients can vary widely, affecting both nutrition and taste. While butter isn't necessarily a health food, it can certainly fit into a balanced diet—especially if you choose the right one.

As a dietitian, I'm here to help you make a smarter choice by sharing the healthiest butter brands available. I focused on key nutritional criteria like quality ingredients, balanced fat content, and low sodium levels. Here's what you need to know when selecting a better butter.

How We Chose the Healthiest Butter Brands

• Pasture-Raised and Organic Cream: We prioritized butters made from pasture-raised or organic dairy, as they often contain higher-quality ingredients. These practices also support ethical and sustainable farming, with a focus on environmentally friendly methods and animal welfare.
• Balanced Nutritional Profile: We considered options with a favorable balance of calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium.
• Options for Those With Lactose Sensitivity: Many people struggle with digesting lactose, but they don't need to avoid butter altogether. We included several lactose-free options, such as those made with added lactase, goat's milk, clarified butter (ghee), or cultured dairy, to accommodate those with lactose sensitivities.
• Free From Questionable Ingredients: Some butters contain fillers and unhealthy stabilizers that might not be the best choice if you're looking for high-quality options. We focused on brands that use simple, wholesome ingredients to ensure you're getting a pure and nutritious product.

Thankfully, there are many healthy butter brands on the store shelves. Among the many choices out there, here are 10 of the healthiest butters worth adding to your cart when you see them. Read on, and for more healthy options on grocery shelves, check out The 9 Best Dairy Milk Brands To Buy, According to a Nutritionist.

Vital Farms Pasture-Raised Butter

Made with cream that comes from 90% pasture-raised cows and sea salt, Vital Farms' Pasture-Raised Salted Butter is a dream come true for butter spreaders everywhere. The milk Vital Farms uses comes from dairy cows who are pasture-raised on family farms in Ireland for an average of 200 days a year. This salted butter is 83% butterfat with 85% in the brand's unsalted option.

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Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter

This 82% butterfat cultured butter made by Vermont Creamery is made with the expected cream and salt. But it also has the surprising addition of live bacterial cultures, allowing it to slightly ferment and result in a butter that is slightly tangy.

Green Valley Lactose-Free Cultured Butter

A lactose-free option made with high-quality ingredients is Green Valley Lactose-Free Butter. Green Valley cultures fresh cream and then uses added lactase to break down the lactose sugar. This process allows for better digestion for those who have lactose intolerance, making this a solid healthy butter option for those with stomach sensitivities. Not only is this butter Low-FODMAP—meaning it's suitable for those managing IBS—it's also lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium than every other cow's milk dairy butter on our list, cementing it on our list of healthiest butters.

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Maple Hill Salted Butter

Maple Hill's cows are Certified Grass-Fed Organic Dairy, meaning they eat only 100% grass, all year round, resulting in an organic cream that is packed with flavor. This healthy butter is made from cream combined with sea salt to create a divine high-quality butter that is worth checking out.

Organic Valley Butter

With a name that includes the word "organic," you can safely assume that Organic Valley offers a quality product. Made with pasture-raised organic milk and a pinch of salt, this churned butter is airy, tangy, and rich. As far as healthiest butters go, this one is slightly lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, and sodium than many other options on our list. Plus, you won't find any antibiotics, synthetic hormones, pesticides, or GMOs in this product, either.

Horizon Organic Unsalted Butter

This healthy butter is made with two ingredients: Grade-A pasteurized organic cream from pasture-raised cows and lactic acid, leaving no room for anything that is not healthy. Horizon Organic's pasture-raised cows graze outside 120 days or more each year and eat an all-organic, non-GMO diet. Bonus? This butter has a rich taste that is simply heavenly.

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Kerrygold Butter

A classic high-quality butter that is made from cows that graze outdoors on the green pastures of Ireland, Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter is made from pasteurized cream and salt.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Churn Butter

What is better than a spread of healthy butter? Healthy, flavored butter, of course! All flavored butters from Churn are made with grass-fed, hormone-free, non-GMO, high butterfat, European-style butter from California. And the flavorful ingredients include options like garlic confit, fresh shallots, and balsamic instead of anything artificial.

Meyenberg Goat Milk Butter

Not a cow's milk lover? No problem. Meyenberg Goat Milk Butter is a healthy butter option that is made from pasteurized goat milk cream and salt—that's it! Goat milk butter has a low melting point that makes it easy to spread and it is free from any preservatives or growth hormones.

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4th & Heart Ghee

If you live a lactose-free lifestyle, ghee from 4th & Heart can be a nice option for popcorn and toast. Made by distilling butter to remove water and lactose, ghee can be used just like traditional butter and fits into many dietary practices.

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