All DietsWhat You Should Know
Smart Balance manufactures a number of “heart-healthy” food products including spreads, oils, milk, cheese and peanut butter. Smart Balance products are formulated to reduce cholesterol and saturated fat content.
Smart Balance’s original spread contains a blend of vegetable oils and does not contain hydrogenated oil or trans-fatty acids, which have been implicated in high cholesterol and heart disease. The spread also provides a balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are required to provide protection and fluidity to cell membranes. Current research supports the assertion that the proportion of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in relation to each other is important.
Ingredients
Depends on specific product.
Product Features
Smart Balance Milk is lower in fat than regular milk and contains added omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, calcium and protein. Currently, the Smart Balance milk is being sold in only a few states but the company expects to expand in the near future. The Smart Balance processed cheese comes in several forms but the most popular appears to be the Creamy Cheddar-Flavored Slices. The butterfat in the milk used to make the cheese has been replaced by a blend of vegetable oils.
Flax oil is one of the main ingredients in the Smart Balance Peanut Butter. Flax oil is high in omega-3 fatty acids and scientific study is beginning to support other health benefits. The refined corn sugar found in most commercial peanut butters is replaced by molasses in the Smart Balance peanut butter. The Smart Balance website is thorough and informative. It provides full nutritional information on each of its products. The specific oils in the blends found in each product are listed but not the percentages. The website has a section to print off coupons for the products but there were no coupons listed at the time of this review. We were unable to locate any reference to product samples. Product samples are a useful way to allow consumers to try out a new or different product before buying.
Advantages
- Products have reduced levels of saturated fats.
- Products are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
- The line of Smart Balance products is increasing.
Disadvantages
- Total fat content may still be similar to other products.
- Frequently more expensive than competitive products.
- More of a health food than a weight loss aid.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why consumers may wish to limit saturated fat in their diets or increase omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Limiting saturated fats can help those who wish to lose weight as well as those managing heart conditions. Smart Balance products seem tailor-made for these purposes and they can be a useful addition to specialized diets. When comparing Smart Balance products to their competitors, keep in mind that total fat levels may be similar.
50/50 Butter Blend bought at Giant Eagle, exp. date June 13, 10 was a terrible disappointment. It has a rancid taste I ended up throwing it away! We like the regular Smart Balance a lot and will stick to it in the future!
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really love your margarine, but tried both your mayo and sour cream product. None of the family would eat anything I made with them, so tossed them. They said, and I agree, they just had an “off” taste to them no matter what I used them with.
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The milk is fantastic. Very creamy. Great in coffee instead of cream.
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In the us we have a commercial of smart balance buttery spread can it be founf in sweden? My friend lived there and said no
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my ? is …what vegetable oils do you really use specifically. is canola oil a product you use?
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can smart balance be frozen
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when was smart balance margarine but in the grocery stores?
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I just purchased Smart Balance creamy peanut butter which I’ve been using for @ last 2 yrs.This time, however, it tasted too sweet so I ckd. ingredients and lo and behold,there was cane juice, 2nd ingredient,I think, and molasses.I was very disappointed and will not buy it again unless there is another variety w/out sugar
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I think smart balance is the best. It is the next thing to butter. I am so glad that I have found it. Thanks
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when will the milk be available in Houston, Texas?????
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I have used your peanut butter for a couple of years and loved it. I am not happy with the addition of cane juice and the reduction of omega 3’s by 70%. There is also additional sodium. Why the changes?
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Is SmartBalance technically a margarine? Is it produced like margarine, (which is disgusting), and now we know how bad margerine is for us. I just want to be sure that it is an entirely different product than margerine, and is truly healthy.
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just started using your product and am very pleased with all the butters and margarines plan on trying the sour cream and mayo next
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