Which One Should You Choose?
Peanut butter has long been a staple in most of our youths, and now in adulthood it and other nut butters are becoming a popular snack and meal addition again.
Nut butters contain a mix of nutrients including fiber, protein, B vitamins, phosphorus, zinc and vitamin E. They are also full of heart healthy fats that help increase HDL cholesterol, the good cholesterol, while also managing LDL levels in check. Although there are many nutritional benefits that nut butters can provide, it is also important to be mindful of portion size as they can contain about 80-100 calories per tablespoon.
Comparing the Butters
The most popular nut butters include almond, cashew, peanut, walnut, and sunflower. Although the nut butters are mostly similar nutritional content, there are slight differences and depending on what your nutritional priorities are will depend on which butter you will choose.
Protein
If you are looking to get more protein punch, peanut butter has the highest with about 8 grams per 2 tablespoons and sunflower seed butter coming in at the lowest with about 5.53 grams of protein.
Dietary Fiber
With about 3.3 grams per 2 tablespoons, almond butter has a slight advantage while cashew butter has the lowest amount with 0.6 grams.
Saturated Fat
Although nut butters are mostly unsaturated fats, they still contain some saturated fats. If you are looking to keep your saturated fat low, reach for almond butter more often which has about 1.32 grams per 2 tablespoons and consumes of smooth peanut butter which contains 3.23 grams per 2 tablespoons.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
With its earthy and butter taste, walnut butter has the highest amount of omega-3 fatty acids which provide anti-inflammatory benefits. If you are looking to improve inflammatory conditions such as arthritis or other auto-immune conditions, reach for walnut butter more often.
Magnesium
Magnesium is beneficial for metabolism, blood pressure control and blood glucose maintenance. If you are looking to add more of this mineral in your diet, including cashew butter could be helpful as it is one of the best sources of magnesium compared to the other butters.
Ways to Incorporate Nut Butters into your Meals
- Blueberry Coconut Energy Balls – Easy No Bake Blueberry Coconut Energy Balls Recipe – Make Healthy Easy – Jenna Braddock RD
- Almond Butter Balsamic Vinaigrette – 3-Ingredient Almond Butter Balsamic Vinaigrette – A Spicy Perspective
- Eggplant with Cashew Butter and Pickled Peppers – Roasted Eggplant with Cashew Butter Recipe | Bon Appétit
- Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Dip – Peanut Butter Greek Yogurt Dip
Want to make your own nut butter? Check out this website – Make your own nut butter | Green & Healthy Maine magazine – Happy, healthy, sustainable
Reference –
Vegan Peace
– Dana Gardner, Registered Dietitian, MS, LD/N
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