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Fats and oils

Margarine

Margarine packs 533 kcal into 100 g (3.5 oz), so a typical 10 g (0.4 oz) serving already adds up to about 53 kcal.

USDA description: Margarine, tub, 60% fat, salted

  • High energy density

Estimated satietyHow it is calculated

Starting point+1
Very high energy density: 533 kcal/100 g−2
Protein: 0.0 g/100 kcal0
Fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal0
Solid food with 37.6 g of water, under 700
Sum−1
Raised to the minimum of 11

Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): this food was not measured.

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Sources
9 primary
Data
USDA FDC 2710160

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Nutrition facts

Calories
53 kcal per serving
533 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Protein
0 g per serving
0.2 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Carbohydrates
0.1 g per serving
0.9 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which sugars
0 g per serving
0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fiber
0 g per serving
0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Fat
6 g per serving
59.8 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
of which saturated
1.2 g per serving
12.1 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Water
3.8 g per serving
37.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Source: USDA FoodData Central (FNDDS 2021-2023): Margarine, tub (FDC ID 2710160), accessed September 24, 2026.

A typical 10 g (0.4 oz) serving provides about 53 kcal, 0 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.

The typical serving (10 g (0.4 oz)) is a common amount used for the math, not a recommendation. Ounces and cups are rounded US equivalents; the values come from the database entry cited in the sources.

What it is and how to eat it

Margarine is a spread made mostly from vegetable oils and water, sold in sticks or tubs. Stick margarine is about 80% fat, like butter; the tub margarine on this page is 60% fat, and light versions contain less. For decades the oils were hardened by partial hydrogenation, and those partially hydrogenated oils were the main source of artificial trans fat in the food supply, according to the FDA.

A 10 g serving (about 2 teaspoons) provides about 53 kcal and almost no protein, so it does not help you reach your daily protein. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy notes that fatty foods slow stomach emptying further and suggests avoiding very fatty foods in the first days. If you use it, a thin layer on bread or vegetables is enough for flavor.

What the evidence says

The margarine on this page has 12.1 g of saturated fat per 100 g, versus 50.5 g in butter, and the EU recognizes that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012). A 2020 Cochrane review of 15 trials found that cutting saturated fat for at least two years lowered combined cardiovascular events by 17%, with no clear effect on mortality. Industrial trans fat has been capped at 2 g per 100 g of fat in the EU since April 2021 (Regulation (EU) 2019/649); the U.S. stopped allowing partially hydrogenated oils to be added to foods in 2018, and Mexico banned them in 2023. The USDA entry on this page, from the FNDDS 2021-2023 survey, does not report trans fat, so check that the label lists no partially hydrogenated fats.

The sources for this section are listed under "Sources" at the end of the page.

Satiety

The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.

What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication

High energy density
It has more than 300 kcal per 100 g: a lot of energy in a small volume, so it is less filling per calorie. That does not make it a bad food; when your appetite is very low, a small serving can help you meet your needs.

Frequently asked questions about margarine

How many grams of protein are in a 10 g (0.4 oz) serving of margarine?

100 g (3.5 oz) of margarine has 0.2 g of protein. A typical 10 g (0.4 oz) serving has about 0 g of protein. That is 0 g of protein per 100 kcal.

How many kcal are in a 10 g (0.4 oz) serving of margarine?

100 g (3.5 oz) of margarine has 533 kcal. A typical 10 g (0.4 oz) serving has about 53 kcal. That is a very high energy density.

Does margarine keep you full?

Barely filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 1 out of 5. Calculation: 1 (base) − 2 (very high energy density: 533 kcal/100 g) + 0 (protein: 0.0 g/100 kcal) + 0 (fiber: 0.0 g/100 kcal) + 0 (solid food with 37.6 g of water, under 70) = −1; raised to the minimum of 1. It is an estimate based on its composition, not a measurement in people.

How does margarine fit into eating on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, or Zepbound?

Based on our tags, this is what matters about margarine on a GLP-1 medication. “High energy density”: a lot of energy in a small volume; when your appetite is very low, a small serving can help you meet your needs. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.

What is a typical serving of margarine?

We use 10 g (0.4 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 53 kcal, 0 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.

Compare with…

  • Butter vs margarineTwo fats for spreading and cooking. The margarine here is a tub margarine with 60% fat (USDA FNDDS, FDC ID 2710160).

See all comparisons

See all foods

Sources

Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.

  1. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central (FNDDS 2021-2023): Margarine, tub (FDC ID 2710160).accessed .
  2. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central (FNDDS 2021-2023): Margarine, stick (FDC ID 2710159).accessed .
  3. Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Butter, without salt (FDC ID 173430).accessed .
  4. Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
  5. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .
  6. Meta-analysisCochrane Library.Hooper L, et al. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020;8:CD011737. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3.accessed .
  7. RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/649 as regards trans fat, other than trans fat naturally occurring in fat of animal origin.accessed .
  8. RegulatorDiario Oficial de la Federación (México).Decreto por el que se adiciona un artículo 216 Bis a la Ley General de Salud (grasas trans). Diario Oficial de la Federación, 24 de marzo de 2023.accessed .
  9. RegulatorU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Trans Fat.accessed .