Margarine is more environmentally friendly than animal fat, such as butter. Why? Margarine needs about half as much land as needed for the production of butter products, and the CO2 footprint is less than one-third of the footprint of butter. As part of a study published in March 2016, researchers at the Oxford Martin School discovered that a global change to a diet based more on the consumption of plant-based products could save 8 million human lives by the year 2050, would reduce greenhouse emissions by two-thirds, would lower health-related expenses, and could prevent damage to the climate amounting to US$ 1.5 trillion.

Palm oil, coconut oil, Soya bean oil and sunflower oils used in the production of margarine are plants which are cultivated and traded all over the world. Sustainable farming enables us to protect the natural resources of our planet and, at the same time, guarantees long-term food security.

The margarine industry guarantees the use of sustainable palm oil – i.e. palm oil certified according to the specific criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Satisfying these criteria can contribute towards the reduction in the negative influence of the cultivation of palm oil on the environment and on society. As an ingredient in itself, palm oil is neither good nor bad. The oil of the palm fruit contains 50% saturated and 50% unsaturated fatty acids and a relatively high proportion of anti-oxidants in unrefined palm oil. An important aspect which is frequently overlooked is the fact that palm oil represents an extremely important resource for fighting poverty. It is a fact that 40% of the global palm oil is produced by small-scale farmers in South-East Asia, Africa and South America.

The use of margarine as a spread and cooking fat is a simple way of ensuring a healthy, balanced diet and of improving the quality of the fats in your diet. Margarine is an excellent source of vitamins E, D and A. Over the past 20 years, the proportion of trans-fatty acids has been significantly reduced since the process of converting plant oils into margarine has changed. Hence, today’s margarines contain less than 2% trans-fatty acids in the total fat content – meaning that the frequently discussed “health risk” is absent. Moreover, margarines usually contain fewer saturated fatty acids than animal fats, thanks to the recipes which have experienced continual improvements over the decades. Since margarines are produced from vegetable oils, they contain polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats, the so-called “good” fats, also known as Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids.

Many consumers are not sufficiently aware that not only healthier eating is important but that both – healthy and sustainable food – go hand in hand. Minor changes such as substituting butter for margarine or restricting your meat consumption already make a big difference.