As someone on a dairy-free diet, I really miss the taste of butter on certain foods. I mean, who doesn't love a slice of warm bread with melted butter? Over the years I've tried several substitutions, like coconut oil butter, but none of them have come as close to real butter as Smart Balance. Its vegetable oil base makes it a spreadable and cookable dairy-free alternative. Not only does Smart Balance taste delicious, it has several convenient varieties, such as the low sodium, omega-3 or organic versions.
The Product
This particular type of Smart Balance dairy-free butter is made with extra virgin olive oil to give it a distinct taste and make it lighter in calories. Each of their butter products comes in a 15 oz butter container that you can find at your local grocery store.
There are several other types of their dairy-free butter in case you don't enjoy the taste of olive oil. Vegetable oils are the main ingredient that make this product completely dairy-free yet still creamy, but there is a flaxseed oil option as well. Whether you want your butter to be light in calories, low in sodium, or organic, Smart Balance has options for every preference.
Texture
It's texture is smooth and easy to spread, and it even looks just like real butter. The only difference is that it melts slightly faster than real butter because of its oil base, making it more runny on warm foods, like a toasted bagel. However, this butter bakes and cooks really well regardless of its substitutions.
Cooking
In my experience, this butter's salty taste cooks perfectly in things like mashed potatoes, vegetables and meats. The only thing that I would recommend is freezing it before baking certain foods, like scones or cookies. Because these dessert foods are chunky and soft, you don't want the oil to make them too runny. This is because of the butter's oil base which softens at room temperature. When baking foods like scones, the best butter to use is one that is hard and cuttable. Freezing this product would still allow it to be the perfect dairy alternative.
Another caution about baked goods is to avoid using the olive oil based products because the flavoring probably won't mix well. Olive oil has a more savory taste, so baking sweet desserts would taste best with the Smart Balance flaxseed oil spread.
Nutrition
The top of the package is really helpful for nutritional purposes because it compares Smart Balance to regular butter. Smart Balance dairy-free spreads have 50% less fat and calories than regular butter. This not only makes the Smart Balance butter a delicious dairy-free option, but also a healthier one. Since its made from plant-based products, this butter helps regulate healthy cholesterol levels and lower your fat intake.
You can now enjoy butter without the cholesterol, fat, and calories that usually come with dairy-based butter. If you are looking to eliminate dairy from your diet for personal or health reasons, Smart Balance butter spreads are the way to go.