Vegetable Oil Spread

Vegetable oil spreads — commonly known as margarine — are soft, spreadable products made by emulsifying refined vegetable oils with water. They range from light spreads with around 40% fat to full-fat margarines, and are sold in tubs or blocks.

In Australian kitchens, these spreads are used on toast, sandwiches, and crumpets, and in baking where a dairy-free or lower-cost alternative to butter is wanted. Tub-style spreads are formulated to be soft straight from the fridge, making them convenient for everyday use.

The market for vegetable oil spreads in Australia is well-established, with products available in a wide range of fat contents and oil blends. Some are enriched with plant sterols or omega-3 fatty acids. Flavour and performance in baking vary by brand and formulation — block-style margarines generally perform more like butter in pastry and cakes.

Produced
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Refined vegetable oils are blended with water, emulsifiers (such as lecithin), salt, and sometimes added vitamins or flavourings. The mixture is processed through a series of chilling and mixing stages — called a votator or scraped-surface heat exchanger — which rapidly cools the emulsion while working it into a smooth, spreadable consistency. The finished spread is filled into tubs or formed into blocks and packaged.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 402kcal
Protein 0.3g
Carbs 0g
Fat 44.5g
Fibre 0g Sugar 0g
Mass Distribution

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈3.8kg
Freshwater ≈600L
Land ≈12

≈ Estimated from its category — typical for vegetable oils, not measured for this item yet. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

everyday spreading fat

Goes well with
bread toast corn vegetables egg
Classic dishes
  • Buttered toast
  • Grilled corn
  • Pan-fried egg

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

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