Margarine, regular, 80% fat, composite, tub, with salt
Whole food · Fats and Oils
Photo: Wikipedia
Margarine is a smooth, buttery spread made from refined vegetable oils, designed to mimic the texture and function of butter. It has a mild, neutral flavor and a soft, spreadable consistency straight from the tub. Nutritionally, it is almost pure fat, providing a concentrated source of calories with negligible protein or carbohydrates.
💚 Why it's loved
People love margarine for its convenience, affordability, and neutral flavor that doesn't overpower other ingredients. It's a staple for spreading on toast, baking cakes, and sautéing vegetables, especially in households avoiding dairy.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
As a highly processed food, it can be high in sodium and may contain trace trans fats from partial hydrogenation, which are best limited. To counteract the high fat and sodium, use it sparingly, balance meals with fresh vegetables and lean proteins, and choose tub margarines labeled 'trans fat free'.
Key benefits
- Dairy-free and lactose-free alternative to butter
- Typically contains no cholesterol
- Often fortified with vitamins A and D
- Provides a source of essential fatty acids
- Cost-effective for baking and frying
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Margarine was invented in 1869 by a French chemist in response to Emperor Napoleon III's prize for a butter substitute to feed the military and working classes.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 17.1 g |
| Energy | 713 kcal |
| Energy | 2981 kj |
| Protein | 0.22 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 80.2 g |
| Ash | 1.8 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 0.75 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 3.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.00 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 1.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 5.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 17.0 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 657 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.00 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.00 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.00 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.10 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.00 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.00 mg |
| Niacin | 0.00 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.09 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.00 mg |
| Folate, total | 1.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 1.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 1.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 12.4 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.08 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 819 ug |
| Retinol | 768 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 610 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 3571 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 15.4 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.16 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 27.0 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 6.7 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.04 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.05 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 91.7 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 53.6 ug |
| Vitamin K (Menaquinone-4) | 0.00 ug |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 14.2 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.43 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.24 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 7.1 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.06 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 5.8 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.36 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.10 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.09 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 36.4 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.09 g |
| MUFA 16:1 c | 0.09 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 35.5 g |
| MUFA 18:1 c | 30.3 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.68 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 22:1 c | 0.03 g |
| MUFA 24:1 c | 0.06 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 26.7 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 21.7 g |
| PUFA 18:2 n-6 c,c | 21.0 g |
| PUFA 18:2 CLAs | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 5.0 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 4.7 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.35 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:3 n-6 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 5.8 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 5.2 g |
| TFA 16:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 5.2 g |
| TFA 22:1 t | 0.00 g |
| TFA 18:2 t not further defined | 0.58 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-polyenoic | 0.58 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
| Phytosterols | 210 mg |
| Stigmasterol | 37.0 mg |
| Campesterol | 48.0 mg |
| Beta-sitosterol | 112 mg |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
Is margarine healthier than butter?
It depends. Margarine is cholesterol-free and can be lower in saturated fat, but it's a highly processed product. Some tub varieties contain heart-healthier unsaturated fats, while stick margarines may have more saturated or trans fats. Always check the nutrition label.
Can I use margarine for all baking?
It works well in many recipes like muffins and cookies, but it has a higher water content than butter. This can affect the texture, making baked goods slightly less tender or causing them to spread more. For flaky pastries, butter is usually preferred.
Why does margarine have so many ingredients?
The list includes emulsifiers to blend oil and water, preservatives to prevent spoilage, colorants to mimic butter's yellow hue, and often added vitamins. The base is typically a blend of refined vegetable oils like soybean, canola, or palm oil.