You Asked About...Smart Balance (2024)

FAQs

Is Smart Balance really healthier than butter? ›

There are a variety of Smart Balance options - ranging from Original, to Light, to Whipped, to Olive Oil, to "Heart Right". All contain less saturated fat (1.5-2.5 grams) than whipped butter does (3.5-4.5 grams), but about the same number of calories per tablespoon. This is a perfectly fine choice for spreads.

Clinical studies have shown 1,300 mg of plant sterol esters per day helps reduce cholesterol when consumed as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Smart Balance HeartRight^® Buttery Spreads contain 400 mg of plant sterol esters per serving.

This comprises the patented Smart Balance blend that we believe to be superior to other methods of avoiding trans fatty acids. How long can I keep my Smart Balance spreads out of the refrigerator? Smart Balance Buttery Spreads can remain at room temperature up to five hours.

Business Insider reported the company switched the ingredients on Smart Balance from 64% vegetable oil to 39% ”“ a company spokesperson claimed this was “to make [it] easier to spread.” However, consumers were not pleased with the change and responded on the Smart Balance with a wave of one-star reviews about the ...

"However, we need to step back and decide if there's something even better." Nut and seed butters, such as almond or sunflower, are naturally rich in heart-healthy fats and also contain fiber and protein, which are not found in butter substitutes. You can also try mashed avocado, hummus, or extra virgin olive oil.

You can help reduce your risk of high cholesterol by substituting foods for regular butter that are lower in saturated fat or have been shown to have less impact on heart disease risk, such as: grass-fed butter. Earth Balance spread, a vegan, soy-free, non-hydrogenated option.

The main difference between the two products seems to be one of marketing, rather than flavor or texture: Earth Balance announces itself proudly as being vegan, while Smart Balance is sold as a healthful butter alternative.

Reduce saturated fats.

Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can reduce your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol.

And count on Smart Balance® products to be completely free of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Of all the leading brands, Smart Balance is the only buttery spread that uses only natural fats. We make it easy—and delicious—to avoid chemically modified fats.

Is Land O Lakes spread real butter? ›

Since the concept of squeeze spread isn't new, we found a way to make LAND O LAKES^® Soft Squeeze^™ butter spread stand out: It contains real butter.

When it comes to healthy margarine, Smart Balance may come to mind. With no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, Smart Balance may be one of the best cholesterol-reducing margarine brands on the market. Additionally, it contains zero trans fat.

Conagra Brands tinkered with the ingredients of the dairy-free spread over the summer — and now water is listed as the first ingredient on the revamped tubs instead of as the second, according to a side-by-side comparison by ConsumerWorld.org, an education website.

While Smart Balance may be better than most margarine – if you adhere to the specified “balance” of fats in the rest of your diet – my views about margarine remain unchanged. It is still fat, mostly unhealthy fat, and a highly processed food. The less processed food you eat, the better.

In terms of flavor, Smart Balance had a great butter-like taste at first. But then, as it melted in my mouth, it left an aftertaste I didn't love.

Bottom line: Olive, canola and safflower oils are healthier choices overall than butter and most margarines. Use them as replacements for butter and margarine in most of your cooking, but watch the amounts – those fat calories can add up fast.

"Margarine has the better nutrient profile in terms of being lower in saturated fat than butter, and both should be considered in the context of the whole diet," she says. "But emerging evidence suggests that there's an association between poor health and ultra-processed diets above and beyond nutrients."

Nicole Short, MS, RDN, eats peanut butter every day to reach her protein requirements. She told TODAY that her favorite brand is Smart Balance which she considers to be a great source of healthy fats. "Omega-3's ALA are beneficial for brain function and even assisting in regular blood sugar levels," said Short.

When it comes to healthy margarine, Smart Balance may come to mind. With no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, Smart Balance may be one of the best cholesterol-reducing margarine brands on the market. Additionally, it contains zero trans fat.