Mostly used as a substitution for butter, margarine is recognized as plant-based and vegan friendly. Margarine is preferable to butter for many people not only due to price, but also because margarine doesn’t contain any form of animal products. In fact, it is commonly made of vegetable oils, replacing the dairy products. But is margarine gluten-free?
Margarine is considered gluten-free. It is made of vegetable oil and doesn’t typically contain any wheat or gluten-based products. It is always safer to check the ingredients label and look for the gluten-free certification. The best gluten-free and healthier alternative to margarine is Miyoko’s European Style Cultured Vegan Butter, Kite Hill Plant-Based Butter, and Nutiva Vegan Ghee.
In this article, we will examine the difference between butter and margarine, the nutritional value of margarine, as well as healthy alternatives. Let’s dig in!
Contents
What is the Difference Between Butter and Margarine?
The main difference between butter and margarine is in its ingredients list. They widely have the same type of use, which is why they make perfect replacements for each other. Butter is made of a high amount of dairy and salt, while margarine is mostly made of different vegetable oils, ranging from olive to avocado. Unlike butter, margarine is vegan-friendly. Both are oil-based and widely regarded as gluten-free.
Looking at butter versus margarine in a nutritional sense, they actually aren’t that different and your choice should vary based on your nutritional needs. If a lack of artificial flavoring matters more to you than a higher level of saturated fat, then you should look at butter rather than margarine. By looking at the Land O’Lakes example, we can see that two commercially available options offer different benefits.
Land O’Lakes Salted Butter
Land O’Lakes Salted Butter is made of whole ingredients with a satisfying flavor that the entire family will enjoy. At a price of $3.76 at Walmart, this salted butter has about 32 servings of product for the consumer to enjoy. While this has a higher saturated fat count than margarine, people who love whole food will recognize the importance of the limited number of ingredients on the box.
Nutrition Facts (per tablespoon):
- 100 Calories
- 11g Total Fat
- 7g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 30mg Cholesterol
- 90mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Proteins
Ingredients:
- Sweet Cream
- Salt
Land O’Lakes Margarine
Land O’Lakes margarine boasts 80% of its product is made of vegetable oils and has a significantly lower saturated fat count than its butter counterpart. It also has 3 grams of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, giving it a healthy boost to your energy and keeping you full throughout the day. This does have additives and emulsifiers as well, while butter doesn’t contain these on a regular basis.
Nutrition Facts (per tablespoon):
- 100 Calories
- 11g Total Fat
- 5g Saturated Fat
- 3g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3g Monounsaturated Fat
- 100mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Vegetable Oil Blend
- Soy Lecithin
- Mono and Diglycerides
- Lactic Acid
- Natural and Artificial Flavor
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Beta-Carotene
Margarine Nutritional Information
Smart Balance Buttery Spread
Smart Balance buttery spread is not only gluten-free but stays away from those hydrogenated oils that margarine usually contains, pledging to steer clear of GMOs and trans fat. It is substantially cheaper than a pack of butter, racking in at $2.99 at Kroger’s. It does contain milk, however, making it not suitable for vegan consumers
Nutrition Facts (per tablespoon):
- 80 Calories
- 9g Total Fat
- 2.5g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 1.5g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 90mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Vegetable Oil Blend
- Water
- Salt
- Pea Protein
- Natural and Artificial Flavors
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Beta-carotene
- Vitamin D
- Monoglycerides (Vegetable Fatty Acids)
- Potassium Sorbate
- Lactic Acid
- Calcium Disodium Edta
Country Crock Plant Butter
Country Crocks plant butter is a great replacement for traditional butter. This margarine is certified plant-based, dairy-free, Dairy Butter Production, and gluten-free to boot. It’s available in most grocery stores and is a dollar or two cheaper than a traditional butter brand.
Nutrition Facts (per tablespoon):
- 100 Calories
- 11g Total Fat
- 4g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 4g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3g Monounsaturated Fat
- 105mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Blend of Plant-Based Oils
- Water
- Salt
- Faba Bean Protein
- Soy Lecithin
- Lactic Acid
- Natural Flavor
- Calcium Disodium EDTA
- Vitamin E Acetate
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Beta-carotene
Earth Balance Soy Free Buttery Spread
Earth Balances Soy Free Buttery Spread is a vegan, non-dairy, gluten-free, and non-GMO alternative to butter that has an extremely similar taste to full-fat butter, making it great for cooking, spreading, and baking. This price is very similar to regular, full-fat butter as well.
Nutrition Facts (per 14g):
- 100 Calories
- 11g Total Fat
- 3g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 3.5g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4.5g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 110mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Oil Blend
- Water
- Salt
- Pea Protein
- Natural Flavor
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Lactic Acid
- Natural Extracted Annatto
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Light
I can’t believe it’s not butter is one of the most well-renowned margarine brands out there, but it often is extremely similar nutritionally to butter. The light version is very similar in taste to the original, but with significantly fewer calories and saturated fat. It is a dollar or two cheaper than traditional butter.
Nutritional Facts (Per 14g):
- 35 Calories
- 4g Total Fat
- 1g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 2g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 85mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Sugars
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Purified Water
- Soybean Oil
- Palm Kernel
- Palm Oil
- Salt
- Lecithin
- Mono and Diglycerides
- Vinegar
- Natural Flavors
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Beta-Carotene
Olivio Ultimate Spread
Olivio sells a lot of vegan alternatives to dairy butter, and this alternative is made of California police oil. This margarine is gluten-free and kosher but does contain milk, making it not suitable for vegan consumers. It is rich in ALA omega-3s, which are amazing for heart health and will overall be more nutritionally beneficial than most butter.
Nutrition Facts (1 tablespoon):
- 80 Calories
- 8g Total Fat
- 1.5g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 2g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4.5g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 95mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Vegetable Oil Blend
- Water
- Buttermilk
- Vegetable Mono & Diglyceride
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural & Artificial Flavor
- Potassium Sorbate
- Lactic Acid
- DL-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Beta-Carotene
- Vitamin D3
- Citric Acid
Benecol Buttery Spread
Benecol’s Buttery Spread is only one of the products that Benecol offer, with many of them being plant-based and gluten-free. These products are high in plant stanols, which have been seen to lower cholesterol after regular consumption. These plant-based ingredients also mean that when cooking, you don’t have the same chemical aftertaste that you would with chemically based margarine.
Nutrition Facts (per tablespoons):
- 70 Calories
- 8g Total Fat
- 1g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 2g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4.5g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 105mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Canola Oil
- Water
- Palm
- Palm Kernel
- Plant Stanol Ester
- Salt
- Buttermilk
- Vegetable Monoglycerides
- Artificial Flavor
- DL-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate
- Vitamin A Palmitate
- Beta-carotene
Healthier Alternatives to Margarine
Miyoko’s European Style Cultured Vegan Butter
This butter alternative is perfectly suited for cooking and sautéing, a place where many butter alternatives lack due to an unfortunate chemically taste that it picks up in the pan. This butter alternative is perfect for all of your cooking needs, and it goes the extra mile by being vegan, lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, palm oil-free, and kosher.
Nutrition Facts (Per 1 Tablespoon):
- 90 Calories
- 10g Total Fat
- 8g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 0g Dietary Fiber
- 0g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Organic Coconut Oil
- Organic Cultured Cashew Milk
- Filtered Water
- Organic Sunflower Oil
- Organic Sunflower Lecithin
- Sea Salt
Kite Hill Plant-Based European Style Butter
Kite Hills Plant-Based European Style Butter takes a different approach to butter alternatives by using almonds rather than vegetables to create the same soft texture of butter. Using almonds, sunflower, and coconut, this is able to mimic the same savory flavor of dairy butter while not containing as much saturated fat. This product is dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, non-GMOs, vegan, no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors, kosher, and doesn’t contain any palm oil.
Nutritional Facts (Per 1 Tablespoon):
- 90 Calories
- 10g Total Fat
- 4g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 60mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Fiber
- 0g Total Sugars
- 0g Added Sugars
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- High Oleic Sunflower Oil
- Cultured Almond Milk
- Coconut Oil
- Natural Flavor
- Cocoa Butter
- Cultured Dextrose
- Sea Salt
- Sunflower Lecithin
- Lactic Acid
- Beta-Carotene
Nutiva Vegan Ghee
Nutivas ghee is a vegan friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, and keto certified. Ghee is often used as a replacement for butter in cooking and baking, but this type of ghee is perfectly fine for spreading on your morning toast as well. Made from a mix of avocado and coconut oil, this ghee focuses on a zero waste philosophy, with 1% of their sales going to regenerative agriculture.
Nutritional Facts (Per 1 Tablespoon):
- 120 Calories
- 14g Total Fat
- 9g Saturated Fat
- 0g Trans Fat
- 1g Polyunsaturated Fat
- 5g Monounsaturated Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 0mg Sodium
- 0g Total Carbohydrates
- 0g Protein
Ingredients:
- Organic Refined Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil
- Organic Avocado Oil
- Organic Vegan Natural Flavor
- Organic Turmeric Extract
- Organic Annatto Extract
Related Questions
Is Margarine Healthier Than Butter?
Margarine is a great alternative to butter if you’re looking for less saturated fat, but it doesn’t contain as many whole ingredients like butter. Looking at the ingredients, the butter will have about 2 or 3 while margarine does contain quite a bit of preservatives. It all depends on your personal preference.
Is Butter or Margarine Better for Baking?
While margarine does contain fewer calories than traditional butter, butter is widely regarded as better to bake, cook, and sauté with. This is because of the preservatives in margarine. Margarine is made from vegetable oils, which don’t last long when kept in refrigerators.