Is it ultra-processed?
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Is Smart Balance Buttery Spread ultra-processed?

15 oz Margarines Sold in the United States

Pack of Smart Balance Buttery Spread

Yes, it's ultra-processed

  1. 1 Unprocessed
  2. 2 Kitchen staple
  3. 3 Processed
  4. 4 Ultra-processed

Signs of ultra-processing in its ingredients:

  • 23 ingredients
  • 2 additives
  • Nutri-Score D

Less processed margarines

Less processed isn't automatically healthier, so compare the labels for what matters to you, such as sugar or salt.

Ingredients

Ultra-processing Processing signs are highlighted

vegetable oil blend (palm oil, canola oil), water, olive oil, salt, PEA, protein isolate, NATURAL and ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, sunflower lecithin, vitamin a palmitate, beta, carotene (color), vitamin d3 (cholecalciferol), monoglycerides, flaxseed oil, with potassium, sorbate, lactic acid, calcium disodium, edta

Additives: E322 Lecithins , E322i Lecithin

As written on the pack

VEGETABLE OIL BLEND (PALM OIL, CANOLA OIL), WATER, OLIVE OIL, SALT, PEA, PROTEIN ISOLATE, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, SUNFLOWER LECITHIN, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, BETA, CAROTENE (COLOR), VITAMIN D3 (CHOLECALCIFEROL), MONOGLYCERIDES, FLAXSEED OIL, WITH POTASSIUM, SORBATE, LACTIC ACID AND CALCIUM DISODIUM, EDTA

What makes it ultra-processed

Cosmetic additives

Added to change how the food looks, feels or tastes, not to keep it safe. A hallmark of ultra-processed food.

  • E322 Lecithins Lecithins are fatty substances extracted mostly from soybeans, sunflower seeds or eggs, used as emulsifiers to keep fat and water mixed, for example in chocolate.
  • Colour Colours are added to restore colour lost in processing or to make a product look more appealing.
  • Flavouring Flavourings are concentrated aroma preparations that add or intensify a taste.

How the NOVA groups work

Among 184 margarines

From least to most processed, this one ranks 88th. 85% of the margarines here are ultra-processed.

Ranked by NOVA group, then by the number of ultra-processing signs, additives and ingredients. Our ordering, not part of NOVA.

All 184 margarines, least processed first

About this information

  • Data from this product on Open Food Facts (barcode 0033776011000, last edited 17 July 2026), available under the Open Database License. If something is wrong or the recipe has changed, you can correct it there.
  • Photo: Open Food Facts contributors, CC BY-SA 3.0.
  • The NOVA group is an automated estimate from crowdsourced data: a missing or mistyped ingredient can change it.
  • NOVA measures processing, not nutrition. For nutrition, Open Food Facts gives this product a Nutri-Score of D (from A, best, to E).
  • General information, not medical or dietary advice. Check the pack if you have an allergy.