is smart balance plant based

Smart Balance Buttery Spreads Really are Dairy-Free and Plant-Based

• Original. ...
• Organic. ...
• Low Sodium Whipped. ...
• with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. ...
• Light with Flaxseed Oil. ...
• Light Omega 3 (not vegan) Nutrition (per tablespoon): 50 calories, 5g fat, 0g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars (includes 0g added sugars), 0g protein.*
• Light with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. ...

Full Answer

Is Smart Balance Made in a factory?

A frankenfood as complex as Smart Balance or any of the many other “spreads” on the market requires synthesis in a factory in all its high tech, food denaturing glory. Smart Balance and margarine spreads like it is chemistry experiments, not food! It’s funny how these margarine manufacturers always talk about “using it” and “loving it” like butter.

Is smart balance “Smart”?

This includes other pseudo-foods like Egg Beaters too. A loud, obnoxious, ear piercing, wine glass shattering SCREAM! You see, there is nothing remotely “smart” about Smart Balance unless of course, you happen to be a shareholder of the company.

Is Smart Balance healthy to use?

All in all, Smart Balance has improved from a grade of “F” to a “D-” in seven years. Is it healthy to use? Nope. It’s still frankenfood and not a good choice for those who understand the critical importance of natural, healthy fats in the diet. Butter is Always Best!

Is Smart Balance vegan?

Original Smart Balance – Contains vitamin D, most likely not vegan. Light with flaxseed oil – Vegan (But contains palm oil). Light Omega 3 – Contains vitamin D, most likely not vegan. Omega 3 – Contains fish oil and vitamin D, not vegan. EVOO – Contains vitamin D, most likely not vegan.

Is Smart Balance a plant based butter?

Summary: All Smart Balance Butters are dairy-free. Most flavors have vitamin D added, which comes from lanolin (sheep's wool oil) The “Organic” and “Light with flaxseed oil” flavors are both technically vegan, but have palm oil, which many strict vegans avoid.May 29, 2021

Is Smart Balance Original vegan?

Is It Vegan or Not? Smart Balance is not vegan. Smart Balance Light with flaxseed oil and Smart Balance Organic are considered vegan by some, but you will find palm oil in their vegetable oil blend if you examine the ingredients thoroughly.

Does Smart Balance have animal products?

All of their products are free of milk, eggs, gluten, and nuts. Yet only two flavours can be considered vegan: Smart Balance Organic and Smart Balance Light With Flaxseed Oil. That is if you're a traditional vegan who cares about your food being completely free of animal-derived products.May 20, 2021

Is Smart Balance margarine plant based?

Smart Balance is not vegan. The D3 that is in it is derived from sheep. If you are looking for a vegan butter, look for Earth Balance and Miyoko's.May 23, 2019

Does Smart Balance have dairy or soy?

Smart Balance uses natural saturates (palm fruit oil) and balances it with polyunsaturates from soy and canola oils. This comprises the patented Smart Balance blend that we believe to be superior to other methods of avoiding trans fatty acids.

Is Smart Balance fake butter?

Smart Balance: Spread the Goodness Everywhere. Imitation butter (because it's dairy free). It's dairy free butter.

What is the healthiest butter substitute?

Best Health-Conscious Butter AlternativesGhee. Ghee is butter that goes through a clarification process to eliminate all the water which, we should note, creates a higher smoke point while cooking. ... Greek Yogurt. ... Pumpkin Puree. ... Earth Balance Pressed Avocado Oil. ... Pureed Coconut. ... Olive Oil. ... Avocado. ... Mashed Bananas.Jun 21, 2020

What is plant butter?

Plant-based butter, also referred to as vegan butter, is a nondairy butter substitute that's typically made by combining water with a plant-derived oil, such as olive, avocado, coconut, palm kernel oil, or a combination of oils.Sep 28, 2020

What are the ingredients in Smart Balance?

Ingredients Oil Blend (Canola, Palm, Soybean, Olive Oils), Water, Less than 2 Percent of Salt, Whey, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sunflower Lecithin, Lactic Acid, Vitamin A Palmitate, Beta-Carotene Color, Vitamin D, Monoglycerides of Vegetable Fatty Acids (Emulsifier), Potassium Sorbate, Calcium Disodium EDTA (to ...

Is Smart Balance margarine dairy free?

We're Dairy Free And while other spreads have increased the water they contain, we've taken water out—because a spread with less water performs better for cooking, baking, and spreading. An independent panel of chefs and bakers agree that dairy-free Smart Balance performs just like butter in the kitchen.

Which is better Smart Balance or Earth Balance?

Smart Balance and Earth Balance are arguably the 2 most popular non-dairy “butter” spreads....Nutrition Comparison.Smart BalanceEarth BalanceCalories80100Fat9 g11 gSaturated Fat2.5 g3 gTrans Fat0 g0 g3 more rows•May 26, 2021

Is Smart Balance Organic dairy free?

Smart Balance® organic spread is free of GMO and dairy and contains less fat and fewer calories than organic butter. Oh, and the foods you love taste really good.

All About Smart Balance

Smart Balance butter spreads became known to the public because of their rich buttery taste without the risk of consuming manufactured trans fat. The ingredients have no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils.

Is It Vegan or Not?

Smart Balance is not vegan. Smart Balance Light with flaxseed oil and Smart Balance Organic are considered vegan by some, but you will find palm oil in their vegetable oil blend if you examine the ingredients thoroughly.

What are the Prime Ingredients?

Although some flavors do not contain all enumerated ingredients, these are the common ingredients found on Smart Balance buttery spread.

Which Smart Balance Flavors are Vegan?

As mentioned, all the plant-derived ingredients are on most Smart Balance Butters except for the two listed below. These are technically vegan since the contents are typically derived from plants, and it does not contain Vitamin D.

5 Potential Non-Vegan Ingredients

The type of Vitamin D used for Smart Balance spreads is only found in animal-based products such as egg yolks and fish liver oil or the most common in the food industry: sheep’s wool. This vitamin D source is not only animal-based but is also believed to be practicing animal cruelty.

Some Smart Balance Alternatives

Miyokos Creamery Butter is a vegan butter available in the market - claiming to be absolutely dairy-free and non-GMO. Miyoko’s manufacturers claim that they are using plant-derived ingredients, including artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin content.

Key Takeaways

Is Smart Balance butter vegan? Veganism is a lifestyle, so the answer is no. Smart Balance plant-based spreads contain palm oil among soybean oil, canola, and olive oil. This product is not soy-free; therefore, the taste is rich, and with the addition of extra virgin olive oil, the flavor is even richer.

About Smart Balance

Smart Balance is a company that produces peanut butter, microwave popcorns, and butter and margarine substitutes. Their goal is to connect nutrition and good flavor.

Can Vegans Eat It?

Vegans can eat Smart Balance buttery spread. However, their choice is minimal. The company currently offers seven flavors.

Why Are Some Flavors Non-Vegan?

The main reason is the ingredients, and here are some that make certain flavors non-vegan. Besides those, there are a couple of controversial ingredients, as well.

2 Smart Balance Vegan Flavors

Only two Smart Balance flavors are vegan — Smart Balance Light and Smart Balance Organic. Let’s see their ingredients:

5 Non-Vegan Flavors

The rest of the flavors aren't vegan, and I'll mention the ingredients that make this non-vegan butter.

Smart Balance Alternatives

Now, if you're ok with palm tree oil, go on and enjoy this product line. I want to be 100% sure what I'm eating is vegan, so I choose alternatives, such as Earth Balance.

Is Smart Balance Vegan? The Final Verdict

To sum it up in one customer review, Smart Balance brings “Good taste, quality and value.”

Is lanolin vegan?

It’s typically derived from lanolin (from sheep’s wool). Natural and artificial flavors – While natural flavors aren’t always vegan, it’s pretty safe to assume they are considering the spreads are all “dairy-free.”. Lactic acid – While “lactic” makes it sound like it’s from milk, most lactic acid is in fact vegan friendly.

Is Smart Balance butter vegan?

Verdict: Most Smart Balance Butter is not vegan. The “Organic” and “Light with flaxseed oil” flavors are both technically vegan, but have palm oil, which many strict vegans avoid. All Smart Balance butter spreads are now dairy-free. That’s a step in the right direction, but it doesn’t necessarily make them vegan.

Is GFA the same as Smart Balance?

Early on, a company called GFA Brands produced Earth Balance and Smart Balance. Yes, they are made by the same company, and reportedly in the same facility. GFA was eventually bought by Boulder Brands, which has since been swallowed up by Conagra Foods.

Is Smart Balance butter plant based?

Then one day, Smart Balance, as a brand, went completely dairy-free and plant-based. For a while, their packaging even said “dairy free butter” on the front.

Is Smart Balance buttery spread dairy free?

So now, all of the Smart Balance Buttery Spreads are dairy-free, but they do have a dairy butter blend line of spreads. Whew! Fortunately, the two lines look quite different. The butter blends are small oval containers, while the buttery spreads are full-size, square-ish tubs.

Some Varieties Contain Palm Oil

Earth Balance Organic and Smart Balance Light with Flaxseed Oil are two varieties that don’t contain vitamin D3, but contain palm oil, an ingredient that is avoided by some vegans.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a piece of information I found by searching Smart Balance’s official website:

Conclusion

The Smart Balance buttery spread doesn’t contain flagrant animal ingredients like milk-derivatives, but it contains vitamin D3, which is an ingredient that is typically derived from lanolin.

Our Recommendation For Vegans

Future Kind’s Essential Vitamins: This is our favorite multivitamin. It’s not the typical multivitamin because it was formulated to specifically address potential shortcomings in the vegan diet.

What is a smart balance buttery spread?

Great-tasting Smart Balance Buttery Spreads are the first and only spreads with 0 g trans fat naturally . Unlike many spreads and margarines, we use absolutely no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Instead, we use our unique natural oil blend that can help support healthy cholesterol levels already within the normal range. 1

Is Smart Balance oil hydrogenated?

Hydrogenated and Partially Hydrogenated Oils. Smart Balance products are completely free of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Learn more about why you should avoid these chemically modified fats.

What is Smart Balance?

SmartBalance is a company that expertise in manufacturing margarine substitutes, flavored microwave popcorn, and peanut butter (check vegan status ). As their name suggests, SmartBalance aims to bridge the gap between nutrition and taste. They claim that their SmartBalance Butter spreads are the first and the only products to have 0 g trans-fat naturally.

What are the ingredients in Smart Balance?

Breaking down the ingredients of SmartBalance, we have a Vegetable oil blend (canola, palm, olive), water, salt, pea protein, natural and artificial flavors, sunflower lecithin, vitamin palmitate, beta-carotene, vitamin D, monoglycerides as emulsifiers (vegetable), potassium sorbate, lactic acid, and calcium disodium EDTA as preservatives and for adding freshness. Considering the 7 flavors of SmartBalance, some enlisted ingredients can be deemed as non-friendly among strict vegans.

What Exactly is in Smart Balance?

Let’s take a look at the ingredients in Stupid, er – I mean, Smart Balance:

Little Improvement in Smart Balance Ingredients

First, the GMO soybean oil has been removed. While this is a positive, unfortunately, GMO canola oil is still in there as the primary vegetable oil.

Butter is Always Best!

Nothing manufactured in a factory can ever beat the simple, natural, whole nutrition of plain BUTTER and other whole traditional fats. No genetically modified, artificial flavors or organic pollutant preservatives needed.

What if You Have a Dairy Allergy?

For those with dairy allergies, natural and truly healthy butter substitute spreads made with unrefined traditional oils are now becoming available. This one is my favorite which blends virgin coconut oil and that anti-oxidant powerhouse, red palm oil without any additives, fillers, GMOs or destructive processing.