What are Margarine and Spreads?

Types of margarine and spreads

There is a wide range of margarine and spreads, to suit every taste. What all of them have in common is that they contain vegetable oils, such as sunflower, olive or rapeseed oils. Each spread may contain different individual oils or blends of oil; some also contain buttermilk, butter or other dairy ingredients for a buttery flavour.

Health

These spreads are designed for today's healthier lifestyles and contain high levels of either monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids (good fats), plus vitamins.

These are:
Reduced fat spreads
Olive oil-based spreads
Cholesterol-lowering spreads
Low salt or salt free spreads
Dairy-free spreads

Taste

Great tasting spreads with the added benefit of spreading straight from the fridge. These also have the added benefit of containing at least half the level of saturated fat of butter but with a great buttery taste.

Functional

These are spreads with added benefits, such as Omega 3 or plant sterols and stanols which help to lower cholesterol.

Cooking

Spreads designed specially for cooking and baking - all the good points of butter but with the added health benefits of a spread. These can be specifically developed for pastry baking, cake baking, frying and roasting.