A delicious alternative to butter could also provide a significant health boost, according to new research.

The study, which spanned over three decades, revealed that swapping butter for plant-based oils such as olive oil, canola oil, and soybean oil - all high in unsaturated fats unlike butter - could be beneficial for your health.

The research, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, discovered that individuals who consumed more butter rather than these oil alternatives had a higher BMI.

This group was also more likely to smoke, less likely to engage in physical activity, and less likely to use multivitamins.

Those who consumed the most butter in the study had a 15% higher chance of death compared to those who ate the least amount of butter.

On the other hand, those who had more plant-based oils saw a 16% reduced risk of death compared to those who consumed fewer plant-based oils.

The risk of mortality decreased by 8% when consuming more plant oil compared to butter. Soybean oil and canola oil were found to have the strongest link to reduced mortality risk.

For every five grams of butter participants consumed per day, their mortality risk increased by 4%. Overall, the study concluded that replacing 10 grams of butter per day with 10 grams of plant-based oils resulted in a 17% reduction in mortality.

The study also showed a 6% reduction in death from cardiovascular disease and a notable 17% drop in deaths from cancer. People who consumed 10 grams of plant oil daily experienced an 11% decreased risk of dying from cancer and a 6% lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.

But it wasn't completely positive for those favouring plant-based oils, as their group displayed higher alcohol consumption rates.

Researchers concluded: "Substituting butter with plant-based oils may confer substantial benefits for preventing premature deaths."

The team suggested that the benefits observed are likely related to the high volumes of unsaturated fats in plant oils. They did, however, emphasise the importance of future research to delve deeper into and compare the metabolic impacts of choosing plant-based oils over butter.