The present invention relates to the use of water-soluble or water-dispersible polymers as additives in mineral building materials. The novel polymers are obtainable by polymerizing alkoxylated derivatives of 3-allyloxy-1,2-propanediol with ethylenically unsaturated mono- or dicarboxylic acids or the anhydrides, esters or mixtures thereof and, if appropriate, with one or more further ethylenically unsaturated monomers C.