Lard vs Butter
Butter wins on seed oil PUFA: about 3% of its fat versus roughly 11% for Lard, around 4x less per spoonful.
Per tablespoon that is an estimated 0.4g of PUFA against 1.5g. Values from USDA oil composition data, method on the methodology page.
| Lard | Butter | |
|---|---|---|
| PUFA share of fat | ~11% | ~3% |
| Est. PUFA per tablespoon | ~1.5g | ~0.4g |
| Type | animal fat | dairy fat |
| Seed oil? | no | no |
Lard
Rendered pork fat, roughly 11% PUFA (higher than tallow because pigs store more of the fats they eat). Traditional for pastry and Mexican cooking.
Traditional tamale and carnitas kitchens. See the tamales answer page.
Butter
Dairy fat, about 3% PUFA. The steakhouse standard for finishing, and what a few breakfast chains still use on the griddle.
Common as a finishing fat; rare as a fryer. See chains cooking in butter or olive oil.
Restaurants that cook with butter
79 restaurant chains we track name butter in their cooking oil information.
Frequently asked
Which has less PUFA, lard or butter?
Butter carries less polyunsaturated fat: an estimated 3% of its fat versus about 11% for lard, per USDA oil composition data.
How much PUFA is in a tablespoon of lard?
Roughly 1.5g of PUFA per tablespoon, since a tablespoon of oil carries about 14g of fat and lard runs about 11% PUFA.
Which is more stable for frying, lard or butter?
Butter is more stable: about 3% of its fat is polyunsaturated, against about 11% for lard, and polyunsaturated fat is the part that breaks down fastest under heat.
Is lard or butter a seed oil?
Lard is not a seed oil. Butter is not a seed oil.
More matchups
Or work out any amount with the PUFA calculator.