Diet Food Reviews
Earth Balance Natural Spread
By: | Nov 25, 2008
For many trying to avoid butter for health or personal reasons, finding a decent alternative may be a tricky task. Trying to do without the creamy delicious taste of butter is even trickier. Don't even try to go cold turkey. It's impossible! But don't despair. All you need is Earth Balance "Natural" Buttery Spread. This VEGAN butter alternative is made from expeller pressed naturals oils, making it trans fat and cholesterol free. Not to mention it packs in a good dose of healthy omega-3's.
Earth Balance is a MUST HAVE staple in my house. My mom has to watch her cholesterol, one brother is vegan, and the other is a health nut. I am in the middle - I appreciate this healthy alternative to butter and you really can't beat the taste! It is creamy with just the right amount of saltiness, and not the slightest bit fake or oily looking. This stuff spreads just like real butter. At room temp is goes on bread (or anything) really smooth. Somehow, this manages to imitate butter to a tee.
This is not the product to use if you're trying to cut as many calories as you can. Each 1 tablespoon serving provides 100 calories, 11 grams of fat with 3.5 grams being saturated (both are 18% of the daily recommended amount), 120 mg of sodium (5% of the RDA), no carbohydrates or protein. The ingredient list is actually readable, meaning I can pronounce and understand all of what is in this! It reads: Expeller pressed natural oil blend (soybean, palm fruit, canola, and olive), filtered water, pure salt, natural flavor(derived from corn, no msg, no alcohol, no gluten), soy protein, soy lecithin, lactic acid (non-dairy, derived from sugar beets), and naturally extracted anatto for color).
Each 1 pound container has 30 delicious servings and costs around $3.50 at Trader Joe's, but this can also be found at many health food stores. I know some of you are have a mini heart attack just from looking at the nutrition stats for 1 tablespoon of this stuff. This is "all natural" with heart-healthy oils, but let's face it, if you're watching calories and trying to cut them out where you can, then don't even inhale this stuff. If you are vegan or on a gluten free diet, and more into eating natural foods, then definitely try this.
See more on: Condiments
, Natural Foods
, Vegetarian
, spread
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Our Walmart now carries it... same size for 2.97. :)
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Descent? Imposable? On't? Where is the quality control that I've come to expect from this blog?
@GrammarCheck - dang it's totally my fault being the editor and all. What can I say - late night! Thanks for keeping us on our tippy toes :-)
i love earth balance - it amazes me how closely it resembles butter - no aftertaste like most other alternatives ...
It is the most amazing tasting thing compared to butter I've EVER tasted. Are there any coupons for this "floating around" out there?
Love Earth Balance!
Same calories as butter, and is a good fat. We do need fat! High Density Lipids, that is. Our brains need those EFAs (essential fatty acids--essential nutrient means one we can't make ourselves, and must take in). And HDLs actually help prevent heart disease! If you get a low cal margarine, you've got bad fats, low density lipids (LDL). That does not help health, leads to heart disease! So, calories ok, efa's/hdl ok, ldl bad!
Thanks for the great blog, cheers!