NUT BUTTERS—THE BETTER & THE BADDER
I love almonds, as I mentioned in a post back in March, Almonds—The Close-to-Perfect Nut. So, a couple of months ago I decided to try out Trader Joe’s raw almond butter. I spread it on a piece of toast and found it delicious. But I haven’t given up peanut butter either. Many days I have peanut butter and carrots or celery as a snack. Now I wondered which is healthier? Also, what about the other “nut” butters out there—how do they compare?
Here’s what I found:
“Regular” Peanut Butter
Traditional, full-fat, peanut butter like many of us have been eating since we were kids, is higher in sugar than other nut butters. It also includes hydrogenated oil, which food manufactures add during processing to give it a creamy texture and to keep the oil from separating. Hydrogenated oil is a hidden source of trans fats, which increase your risk for many chronic diseases.
Natural Peanut Butter
Pure peanut butter—with nothing but peanuts (read the label) is a better choice than regular peanut butter. Avoid the popular brands with added sugar, fat, salt and preservatives. Natural peanut butter spreads have about half as much sugar (which is natural) than traditional peanut butter and the healthy monosaturated fat (also natural) helps you feel satisfied and full.
Almond Butter
Almond butter not only tastes great but also is similar in texture to peanut butter. Plus almond butter has about 3 grams more of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat per serving (2 tablespoons) than peanut butter. And, unlike processed regular peanut butter, almond butter is lower in sugar and has no hydrogenated oil, meaning no unhealthy trans fat. Look for a single ingredient—just almonds either raw or roasted.
Other Healthy Nut Butters
Soy nut butter—is a good option if you have a tree nut or peanut allergy. It’s similar to peanut butter in taste and texture but has less total and saturated fat.
Sunflower seed butter—another alternative if you have a tree nut allergy—is a great source of protein but has more sugar and fat than peanut butter.
Walnut butter—is a valuable source of omega-3 fatty acids. But it’s lower in protein and higher in fat than other nut butters.
Not so Healthy Nut Butters
Coconut butter—has a high fat content and lower amounts of protein than the better butters.
Hazelnut butter—this popular spread can contain an abundance of sugar and possibly hydrogenated oil as well.
There you have it, short and simple. You may want to try one or more of the healthier nut butters and stay away from those not so healthy. As for me, I’m going to “stick” to natural peanut butter and raw almond butter.