BestLife Buttery Spread
I saw this in the store today, and it's so very close to vegan and about half the price of Earth Balance.
http://www.thebestlife.com/nonmember_BL-foods-B-spread.php?st=bl
But alas, it's not 100% vegan. Here's my correspondence with the manufacturer:
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I came across the Bestlife Buttery Spread in the store today and wondered if it is a vegan-friendly product. The ingredients suggest it might be, but I'm concerned with the vitamin D3--is it animal-derived?
Thanks,
Andy
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Hi Andy, thanks for your email, this is an interesting question. When I contacted the manufacturing plant about your question I learned that the sourcing for vitamin D3 is variable and does include animal sources, and there is no way to determine if your Best Life spread included animal-sourced vitamin D3.
Please let me know if you have additional questions.
Sincerely,
Tracy, Best Life Nutritionist
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Any way we can get them to make that one tiny change?
Nice, that's so funny. It's their product and they don't know what goes in it ???
As far as companies not knowing their own ingredients goes I had to call Lance Foods (Archway) in March. They do not list eggs or milk as ingredients in their Old Fashioned Molasses cookies but I noticed the 2% Cholesterol after I got home. When I called them and asked about the 5mg of Cholesterol they said it was because of the eggs. They don't list eggs but only mention that they are, "Manufactured in a facility that processes products containing peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk and soy."
They assured me someone would get back to me. I waited a few weeks and sent an e-mail via their online 'contact us' but got no response. Guess it's time to call them again and get the truth. (Aren't some people deathly allergic to chicken eggs?)
They assured me someone would get back to me. I waited a few weeks and sent an e-mail via their online 'contact us' but got no response. Guess it's time to call them again and get the truth. (Aren't some people deathly allergic to chicken eggs?)
Yeah, this is precisely why one of my friends only made her own cookies at home. She doesn't trust the store bought kind.
As far as companies not knowing their own ingredients goes I had to call Lance Foods (Archway) in March. They do not list eggs or milk as ingredients in their Old Fashioned Molasses cookies but I noticed the 2% Cholesterol after I got home. When I called them and asked about the 5mg of Cholesterol they said it was because of the eggs. They don't list eggs but only mention that they are, "Manufactured in a facility that processes products containing peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk and soy."
They assured me someone would get back to me. I waited a few weeks and sent an e-mail via their online 'contact us' but got no response. Guess it's time to call them again and get the truth. (Aren't some people deathly allergic to chicken eggs?)
That is so interesting that it adds cholesterol from the processing plant. People are disgusting. It's like eating off a dirty dish.
Too bad the BestLife spread has D3 -
I use Smart Balance Light -
It is sold with the mainstream margarines and is also half the cost of Earth Balance. It is marked Vegan on the label.
I think it may also be made by the same company as Earth Balance.
I make a garlic bread spread out of it using about equal parts of the margaine and nutritional yeast as well as some granulated garlic.
I spread it on bread and put it in the toaster oven.
The FDA (they are in charge of these things I think) should really look into Lance's misrepresentation of their products.
Thank you for posting this. We were vacationing on Cape Cod and couldn't find Earth Balance or Smart Balance Light, our usuals. We saw bestLife and hoped it was actually vegan. It didn't have the certified Vegan seal and wasn't labeled as vegetarian or anything, so I was skeptical. Bummer about the Vit D3... this would have been my favorite of the spreads we've found. Oh, well. My fave remains EB's with olive oil for cooking, spreading (regular for baking). What are all of your favorites??
Peace!
I think Soy Garden butter is good.