Diet Food Reviews
Smart Beat Super Light Trans Fat Free Margarine
What do you get when you take 80 calories and 9 grams of fat out of margarine? That's what I wanted to know when I picked up a two-pack of Smart Beat Super Light Margarine for $2.49 (for a total of 16 ounces). This spread is advertised as having 75% less fat and calories than butter and margarine. It also contains "essential fatty acids" (2 grams of fat), no saturated or trans fat, no lactose and no cholesterol. With all of this, I was intrigued to see if the taste lived up to the nutritional claims.
This "light margarine" tastes like, well, nothing. It isn't necessarily that it tastes bad, but it's just incredibly bland. It lacks that buttery, somewhat salty flavor that makes margarine and butter products so wonderful. I definitely wouldn't use this as a spread, and it can't be used in baking either as there is a disclaimer at the bottom that says: SMART BEAT is best used as a spread or topping. Use Regular Smart Balance for baking and frying. This means, this product is pretty much useless.
Although each tablespoon provides only 22 calories, my advice is to skip this spread altogether. It may be low in calories, but in this case it's not worth it. I would rather go with Brummel and Brown Spread, Earth Balance Natural Spread or even I Cant Believe Its Not Butter Fat Free Spread.
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Is this the same as Smart Balance?
The ICBINB Fat Free still gives me nightmares. D:
Insofar, the lowest in calories I've found a butter substitute can have that still tastes good is 45.
Emily - this is NOT the same as Smart Balance, which is much better than this stuff! I'd go for that or ICBINB light :)
Ellen,
Where can I find the Smart Beat spread. I live in Sherma Oaks ,Ca 91403?
Where can I find Smart Beat spread. I live in Ventura, CA 93003?
I, too, would like to
find out where I can
get Smart Beat. I don't mind the taste at all and it is the
least caloric of all the butter-type spreads. In the Minneapolis area, I had gotten it at Jerry's Grocery, and
Byerles. They tell me
that they can't get it
any longer. However,
that could mean that
they didn't sell enough of it to make
it worthwhile. I don't think I ever saw
it advertised, so that
is probably the reason
it didn't sell too well. I think Super-
valu Corp. used to
distribute it. I called them, but they
can't look it up with-
out a bar code which
is on the paper carton
that I threw away as
soon as I bought the
product. If anyone
has the paper carton,
could you let me know.
Then the distributor
at Supervalu could
probably look it up.
Where in New Jersey can I purchase Smart Beat spread?
Can anyone help?
I loved Smartbeat but can't find it in my area....Framingham, MA. Would like to use it again....Bottomline gives it a good rating too....