My diet:

Margarine

No E-numberFats & oilsOrigin: Plant or animal
Get a personal answer

Pick your family’s diets in the bar above.

Every diet

VeganDepends

Most margarine contains milk, a few brands are made only from plant oils.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalDepends

Milk and butter have to come from halal-slaughtered animals.

KosherYes

Dairy is kosher, though the equipment and the rest of the meal have to be as well.

KetoDepends

Plain margarine is mostly fat, but many brands add milk solids or sugar.

Low-FODMAPYes
The short answer
Margarine is a butter substitute, and the label decides what it is: plant oil, plant oil with milk, or a blend with butter. It is safe at normal amounts, but check for milk solids, because that changes the vegan and dairy-free answers.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant or animal
What it doesFats & oils
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledMargarine, Vegetable margarine

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Margarine is a food, not an additive, so it has no E-number and none of the three regulators has evaluated it as an additive. What the law does control is the name and the fat content. In the United States a product can only be called margarine if it is at least 80 percent vegetable oil, and any butter in it has to be declared on the label.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

A modern tub margarine is mostly a blend of soybean, canola, palm or sunflower oil with water and salt, and many brands add milk solids for the flavor and the color. A stick margarine is firmer because it is built with more saturated fat. The old worry was trans fat from hydrogenated oil, and partially hydrogenated oils are now effectively out of US food.

Where it comes from: A spread made to imitate butter. The old version was industrially hydrogenated vegetable oil; the modern version is usually a blend of plant oils, water and milk solids, and in some countries it is simply a different name for butter blended with vegetable oil.

Why it’s in food

  • Spreading on bread and toast
  • Baking and pastry fat
  • Laminating dough and puff pastry
  • A cheaper butter substitute

Often found in

Tub margarineBaked goodsPastriesMashed potatoesSandwich spread

Also listed as: Margarine, Vegetable margarine, Tub margarine, Soft margarine, Plant-based spread

Health & gut impact

Trans fatBenefit

Modern margarine no longer carries the partially hydrogenated oil that once made it a source of industrial trans fat. In 2015 the FDA ruled that partially hydrogenated oils could no longer be treated as generally recognized as safe, with the US removal deadline set for 2020.

FDA, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) determination for partially hydrogenated oils

Saturated fatUnder study

A soft tub margarine can sit around 2 to 3 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon, where salted butter runs nearer 7. It is not a low-fat food, it is a different kind of fat.

USDA FoodData Central, margarine

Milk solids and sugarUnder study

The dairy versions often add milk solids and a little sugar for the taste, and that is where the small amount of lactose comes from. It is the detail that matters for a vegan or a dairy-free shopper reading the pack.

USDA FoodData Central, margarine

What can I use instead?

Butter

Ratio: One for one on bread and in baking

Best for: The flavor and the short ingredient list

Olive oil

Ratio: Use it straight on bread rather than spreading

Best for: A plant fat with a high smoke point

Coconut oil

Ratio: One for one in a spread or a recipe

Best for: A firm plant fat that keeps its shape

Related

More fats & oils:

Algal oilAlgal oil is omega-3 from microalgae grown in a tank, and it is the plant-based stand-in for fish oil. It is safe, vegan and gluten-free, and it supplies the DHA that most plant omega-3 sources do not.Generally safeAvocado oilAvocado oil is usually pressed from the avocado pit, so it tastes neutral rather than like avocado. It is safe, high in monounsaturated fat, and its high smoke point makes it one of the better oils for hot cooking.Generally safeBeef tallowBeef tallow is cattle fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free and used for high-heat frying. Halal and kosher versions exist only when the animal and the plant are certified.Use in moderationButterButter is a dairy fat. It is not vegan. It is gluten-free, and a normal pat is low enough in lactose that many low-FODMAP plans allow it. Peanut butter and cocoa butter are not this food.Use in moderation

Common questions

Is margarine bad for you?

Not any more. The old trans fat problem came from hydrogenated oil and largely disappeared after partially hydrogenated oils were removed from US food. What is left to check is the saturated fat and whether the product contains milk.

Is margarine vegan?

Usually not. Most margarines contain milk solids, milk fat or whey, so a vegan shopper needs the label to say it is plant-based. A few brands are made only from vegetable oils.

Is margarine healthier than butter?

It depends on the product. A soft tub margarine made with unsaturated oils has clearly less saturated fat than butter, while a stick margarine sits in between. Read the saturated fat line rather than the front of the pack.

What is the difference between tub and stick margarine?

Tub margarine is softer and holds more water, so it needs to be in the fridge. Stick margarine is firmer, holds less water and is meant for cooking and baking, and it keeps longer in a cool cupboard.

Is Margarine safe?

Use in moderation (74/100). Margarine is a food, not an additive, so it has no E-number and none of the three regulators has evaluated it as an additive. What the law does control is the name and the fat content. In the United States a product can only be called margarine if it is at least 80 percent vegetable oil, and any butter in it has to be declared on the label.

Is Margarine vegan?

Depends. Most margarine contains milk, a few brands are made only from plant oils.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • FDA, Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) determination for partially hydrogenated oils
  • USDA FoodData Central, margarine