While peanut butter is a household name (especially if you have small children), you may not realize that there are all sorts of nut butters available. These days, you can find anything from plain almond to some fancy-flavored cashew butter in even the most basic of grocery stores. Have you expanded your repertoire of nut butters yet?
If you’re a nut butter newbie, read on.
Generally, nut butters have very similar nutrition profiles across the board: about 100 calories, 8 grams of fat and 2-3 grams of protein per 1 tablespoon. For reference, peanut butter has the highest amount of protein, with 4 grams per tablespoon. Nut butters are a good source of monounsaturated fats, which help increase our HDL cholesterol (the good kind). Additionally, nut butters are high in vitamins and minerals, including vitamins E and B, as well as folate and magnesium. They are a good source of plant-based protein, and are also high in antioxidants.
The fat and protein found in nut butters helps promote satiety, so you feel fuller longer. A common snack combo has always been celery and peanut butter; be sure to try almond butter on bananas or walnut butter with cucumbers.
Perhaps the most common nut butter after peanut is almond butter, which has the second-highest amount of protein: 3.4 grams per tablespoon. Almond butter is great on toast, in oatmeal and smoothies.
Cashew butter is lighter in color and a bit lower in protein, with 2.5 grams per tablespoon. Soaking cashews in water and then blending them creates a smooth, creamy sauce. Many vegan recipes use cashews and nutritional yeast to make ‘cheese’ sauces. Cashew butter also does nicely in Asian recipes like stir-fries and noodle dishes.
Walnut butter has still less protein (2.5 grams per tablespoon), but is the highest in omega-3 fatty acids, which is known to decrease inflammation. Try a spoonful before a workout.
Lastly, pecan butter may have the least ‘nutritional’ bang, but it feels luxurious all the same. It’s slightly higher in calories and lower in protein (1.5 grams per tablespoon), but pecan butter is still a great source of healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. I love it on pancakes, especially in the fall and winter.
One more ‘butter’ to note is sunflower seed butter, which has become popular as a peanut butter alternative for those who have a peanut allergy. In some schools, it’s the only nut butter allowed on the premises! Sunflower seed butter does taste decidedly different than other nut putters, but it has an almost exact nutrition profile as that of cashew butter: 99 calories, 9 grams fat and 2.8 grams protein per tablespoon. It’s also high in vitamin E.
Most nut butters can be found in both smooth and crunchy varieties, as well as salted and unsalted. While choosing a jar with some salt is fine, be sure to read the ingredients carefully. Often, many varieties include added sugars and oils. If the jar is marked ‘no-stir,’ it likely means palm oil has been added to keep the natural oils from separating. Choose jars that only include nuts and perhaps salt.
Unfortunately, many of these non-traditional nut butters are significantly more expensive than regular peanut butter. Some are more than $10 per jar! The good news is that they are easy to make at home! All you need are some nuts and a good blender. Pro tip: Read the instructions about how to blend nuts in your specific blender.
I make my own almond butter all the time, and often enjoy adding other ingredients, such as a little honey or maple syrup, to the nuts to create a unique flavor. In fact, small jars of flavored nut butters make an excellent Christmas gift!
thehealthypineapple 