Margarine

I don't eat butter or margarine, so I don't usually pay attention to what's available in the shops.  However, my husband had a container of something he calls margarine in the fridge that was getting moldy, so I went to the shop to replace it. On looking at the label, I saw that it actually wasn't what I consider margarine, but a concoction of 50% butter and 50% vegetable oil.  I then looked through the entire section of buttery-type foods, and saw that there weren't any dairy-free products. Everything contained either butter or cream.  The shelves were full, so it wasn't a matter of the shop not having got a shipment in.

Is it very difficult to find real (vegetable only) margarine in the UK?  What do people eat if they are vegan or can't tolerate dairy foods (or just don't want to eat food that's high in animal fat)?

Or does the word "margarine" mean different things to Brits and Americans?

I wont be much help, cos i only eat real butter.
'Margarine' to me, has always meant 'fake butter'... but i never paid any attention to whether or not it had any traces of dairy products in it.

To get a marg/spread with NO dairy in it, you'd probably have to go to a health food or speciality shop.   Vegans unfortunately have to go to those shops quite often (so says a vegan friend of mine, anyway.).
I have heard of  a marg/spread called 'Pure', though, which is completely non-dairy, and im pretty sure ive seen it in regular supermarkets.

I always prefer real butter, but keep both butter and marge in the fridge at all times in the hope that once in a while I'll make the healthier choice. Anyway, yes, there are plenty of butter substitutes that don't contain dairy. At the moment I have Tesco's olive spread (made with veg oil and olive oil). No dairy in it. I think Olivio is the same deal. Look on the packaging -- it should say "Suitable for vegetarians."

I was sent a email once from a friend that worked in the FDA...it said that the hype that marg is healthier for you is bull.

Marg is one molecule away from being plastic..

Butter in moderation is much healthier for you than eating all the preservatives...

I wish I could find it I would post it on here...

I love butter, and agree that butter is healthier for you than fake plastic marg.... but i think Sweetpeach would say that her point is that some people cant eat anything dairy. 

Butter in moderation is much healthier for you than eating all the preservatives...

True. But "butter in moderation"??! That's the part I have a problem with!! LOL! Real butter is so good that I can't eat it in moderation!

However, for vegans, butter is not an option, healthy or otherwise.

Sainsbury's had the Pure spread. If you do a search, there are quite a few vegan spreads available here.

sorry I swept over that bit....me bad  


It must be difficult to find things like this when you decide to have a different life style...We have a execellent health food store here I'll ask the manager he is a vegen....

my SIL in a Veggie and I know she uses something i think it is Pure.....

I always prefer real butter, but keep both butter and marge in the fridge at all times in the hope that once in a while I'll make the healthier choice. Anyway, yes, there are plenty of butter substitutes that don't contain dairy. At the moment I have Tesco's olive spread (made with veg oil and olive oil). No dairy in it. I think Olivio is the same deal. Look on the packaging -- it should say "Suitable for vegetarians."

Just peeked at my tub of Olivio and it has buttermilk listed in the ingredients, so that won't help the vegans. 

another all butter fan here.  i love to bake, so always keep plenty of butter around.  also, aillidh is a skinny minny, she needs every calorie she can get.

i hate fake foods, so does Andrew, so we're in agreement there.

Just peeked at my tub of Olivio and it has buttermilk listed in the ingredients, so that won't help the vegans. 

Ooops. I could have sworn it was non-dairy. I have double-checked my Tesco's brand olive spread, however, and there's no buttermilk in it ... however, it does have whey powder and lactic acids.

Most supermarkets will do non-dairy spreads now, it is just a question of checking the label.  They also have a wide variety of non-dairy drinks (ie soya milk), non-dairy yoghurts....it's just a question of looking, but Sainsbury's are pretty good.



Victoria

I was sent a email once from a friend that worked in the FDA...it said that the hype that marg is healthier for you is bull.

Marg is one molecule away from being plastic..

Butter in moderation is much healthier for you than eating all the preservatives...

I wish I could find it I would post it on here...

I found mine, not too pretty I'm afraid!


DO YOU KNOW..the difference between margarine and butter?
Read on to the end...gets very interesting!

Both have the same amount of calories. Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams. Eating margarine can increase heart disease in women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study. Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.

Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added! Butter tastes much better than margarine and it can enhance the flavours of other foods. Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

And now, for Margarine..

Very high in trans fatty acids...

Triple risk of coronary heart disease.
Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol)
Lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol) ...
Increases the risk of cancers by up to five fold...
Lowers quality of breast milk...
Decreases immune response...
Decreases insulin response.


And here are the most disturbing facts....

HERE IS THE PART THAT IS VERY INTERESTING!

Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC.......And margarine is initially BLACK, but it is DYED YELLOW to look like butter. These facts alone were enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance)..

YOU can try this yourself: purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things: no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something) . it does not rot or smell differently because it has no nutritional value, nothing will grow on it...even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not find a home to grow.

Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

Share This With Your Friends.....(Butter them up)

Oooh, sounds tasty!

In which case...I believe that Holland and Barratt do soya spread, which is suitable for vegans and much less nasty than marg!


Victoria

THATS IT!!!!

Way to go Stac!

makes it very appetizing don't it!

After reading that I haven't ate any Marg what so ever.............