by POPSUGAR Fitness 35

As if the war between butter and margarine weren't enough to think about, now I have to choose between kinds of margarine. Have you ever wondered what the difference is between these two? They're both organic, dairy free, and made without hydrogenated oils, but what else sets them apart besides their names?

Serving Size	1 tbsp	1 tbsp	1 tbsp
Calories	100	80	102
Total Fat	11g	9g	11.5g
Saturated Fat	3.5g	2.5g	7.3g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	31mg
Sodium	120mg	100mg	82mg
Carbs	0g	0g	0g
Fiber	0g	0g	0g
Sugar	0g	0g	0g
Protein	0g	0g	.1g

Both Earth Balance and Smart Balance are made with an expeller pressed natural oil blend, but here's the difference: In the Earth Balance, the blend is soybean, palm fruit, canola, and olive, and in the Smart Balance, the blend is palm fruit, soybean, canola, and olive. Not a huge difference, but still worth noting.

As far as taste goes, they both have a mild buttery flavor, which I prefer over other margarines that are made with hydrogenated oil. Not only is it healthier, but it also tastes lighter and doesn't make your mouth feel waxy or greasy. Both Earth and Smart Balance spreads have a smooth, spreadable consistency, and they melt well on warm bread. Since I can't tell the difference in taste or texture, I'd definitely choose Smart Balance over Earth Balance, since it has less fat and less sodium. I'd also choose it over butter since it has less saturated fat. If you've never tried Smart Balance, I'd give it a try. It tastes great on food, but you can also cook and bake with it.