I was at my doctor today and was horrified when she told me that Smart Balance is margarine. I eat very healthy (or so I thought), and I thought that Smart Balance Lite was healthy and was NOT margarine. It does have a lot of ingredients, which isn't good. Is my doctor right? Is it really margarine? Thank you.
Yes, it's margarine. If it doesn't say butter, and if it has hydrogenated anything or oils...it's margarine.
PS.
Any doctor that will say a chemically created "food" like margarine is more healthy then butter...is a quack.
Anything with "a lot of ingredients" is not something I would consider healthy. Why aren't you buying real butter, does someone in your family have high cholesterol? Unless you're slathering it on everything like frosting I would think butter to be a healthier choice than a chemical laden spread.
Oh, and I think the term margarine is just a generic word meaning fake butter, so yes, I would agree with your doc.
You're really asking two different questions and considering them to be the same.
Is it margarine? Yes.
Is it healthy? Yes.
Where do people get the idea that butter is healthy? It is loaded with fats and calories and cholesterol and all things unhealthy. It may be the closest thing to "natural," but natural does not equal healthy. It's just not the simple.
Most doctors will tell you that margarine is overall way healthier than butter.
I think it is margarine. I used to used i cant believe its not butter the spray, until i sprayed it in the pan and it literally turned to plastic. I now use real butter, just in a very small amout, It works out great because u will find that u dont need much. Good luck!
Any butter type spread that is not butter is margarine.
My opinion on butter is this: It's made from the cow, the ingredients are simple, if you are a milk drinker and a meat eater, why wouldnt you use butter rather than a different product made of chemicals?
um yeah, doc is right, Smart Balance is made up of engineered oils (although healthier oils), to form a 'buttery' spread (not healthy). I was a Smart Balance eater too, until I found out the bad news, then switched to real, all natural butter, about a year ago. It's been a great switch, I love my REAL butter! All in moderation, of course ;) Check this link out for more info on the "truth about Smart Balance"
http://nutritionwonderland.com/2009/03/smart-balance-vers...
If it has a lot of ingredients, then it's probably margarine. Butter doesn't have a lot of ingredients. Next time you're at the store, look at the ingredients for Smart Balance and for "margarine" and compare ingredients.
It depends which specific variety you have. Smart Balance makes a lite butter that is real butter. They also make a lite "buttery spread" that is margarine. Read your package carefully. If it's buttery spread, then it's not real butter.
Technically, margarine is made from plant oils, while butter is made from milk. And most of the Smart Balance products are made with healthy oils. But to just dismiss Smart Balance as margarine is incomplete, I think. Many margarines are made from some pretty awful stuff and have trans fats and a lot of saturated fat and artificial ingredients. Smart Balance doesn't have trans fats and unhealthy fats. I too use just real butter but when I cook for my mother-in-law who's lactose intolerant I use the Smart Balance lactose-free version. It's nowhere near as bad as those old-fashioned sticks of margarine that contain the trans fats.
I thought Smart Balance was nothing more than man made stuff and was worse for you than regular margarine...........I use butter and I use it in moderation when cooking.
S.
drs don't get nutritional training but margarine is a processed food that is really just garbage. If you'd like to spread something on bread or to put in foods, first cold pressed olive oil would be better. Rice bran oil is really healthy too.
Anything with lots of ingredients is questionable. Processed foods are garbage.
Earlier this year my Cardiologist ran some tests on me one was for my Cholestrol levels. Unfortunately I had strayed from my diet more seriously than I thought. The nurse called to tell me and said to cut out as much fat as I could. My triglicerides were over 700, ouch. Within 8 weeks I brought that down to 256. I got rid of regular butter and am now using Smart Balance, got rid of cheese, and peanut butter. I eat alot of salads and fruit. For dressing I now use Good Seasons and make it with Olive Oil.
When I told my doctor what changes I had made she said I had done exactly what she recommends.
Smart Balance is recommended by many Cardiologists. It is even available as a cooking spray and cooking oil. There are several versions of Smart Balance Spread and if you check the ingredients they are also listed as being good for people like me on a cardiac diet.
