margarine

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.

Who doesn't love the taste of melted butter on a freshly baked muffin? Although that creamy taste is unforgettable, we all know that butter isn't exactly healthy for us because it contains artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol.

Margarine is in no way a better option because most of them are made with hydrogenated oils that are high in trans fat. Why are trans fats so bad? They actually raise the bad cholesterol in our bodies and lower the good cholesterol.

I've got a better choice. Have you ever tried Earth Balance? It comes in a tub like other butter alternatives, but it contains no trans-fat whatsoever. It's not made with hydrogenated oils, but rather is a blend of natural vegetable oils including canola and olive.

Ok, so it's healthier for you, but does it taste good? Yes!! It really does. It has a light buttery flavor, that melts just like butter on warm bread. Plus Earth Balance is dairy-free, so it's a great alternative if you are lactose intolerant. You can use it in place of butter when spreading, cooking, or even baking.

Fit's Tips: Look for it in the dairy section next to the butter and margarine. Most health food stores carry it, and I've also been happy to see it on the shelves of mainstream grocery stores.

Since I am a major health nut, I always read labels before I buy food. I often see the ingredient Annatto listed on packages, so what is it?

It's a natural food coloring made from the ground up seed pods of - surprise, surprise - the annatto tree, which grows in Central and South America. It is also called the Achiote tree. After this tree flowers, it produces hairy pods that turn blackish-brown when ripe.

Annatto adds color to cheese, butter, margarine, rice, smoked fish, and microwave popcorn. It is often used as a substitute for the expensive herb saffron.

It also has antioxidants. I guess that doesn't really matter since you only ingest a small amount, but hey, it's better than nothing.

Well now I feel much better knowing Annatto really is an all natural food coloring. Much better than Red 40.