Which Nut Butter Is the Healthiest? Here’s What Experts Say

Three registered dietitians were asked to name the healthiest nut butter. All three said peanut butter. Not almond butter with its fancy reputation. Not cashew butter that costs twice as much. Plain old peanut butter.

Why? It's cheap, it's everywhere, it's high in protein, and it actually has solid research backing it up for heart health and diabetes prevention. Maxine Yeung, a dietitian who founded The Wellness Whisk, says to try different varieties for nutrition, but peanut butter wins on practicality.

Here's where it gets more complicated: you're might be buying the wrong kind.

Some Peanut Butter Is Healthier Than Others

Check the ingredients in your jar. If it's more than just peanuts and salt, you're eating processed food with added oils, sugar, and preservatives.

Courtney Pelitera from Top Nutrition Coaching says the best nut butters have one ingredient: nuts. That's it. Some stores have grind-your-own stations where you literally watch peanuts turn into peanut butter. No mystery ingredients.

Lindsey Joe, another registered dietitian, says watch the salt and sugar levels. Most people already eat too much of both. Added sugar causes inflammation and too much sodium raises blood pressure.

What They Add and Why It's Bad

Palm oil and coconut oil show up in most commercial peanut butters. These ingredients keep it from separating so you don't have to stir it. Convenient? Yes. Healthy? Not really. These oils are high in saturated fat which could raise cholesterol over time.

The added sugar is worse. Some "natural" peanut butters have honey or cane sugar. Still sugar. Still inflammatory. Still unnecessary.

Look for these numbers per serving: zero grams added sugar, less than 200mg sodium, under 4 grams saturated fat. Many brands fail at least one of these criteria.

Why Peanut Butter Still Beats Everything Else

It's not fancy, but peanut butter is practical. It's cheaper than almond butter by a lot. You can find it anywhere. It has more protein than most other nut butters. And unlike tahini or sunflower seed butter, it's versatile for every day uses.

The health benefits are real too. Studies show that peanut butter supports heart health and reduces type 2 diabetes risk. Not because it's magic, but because it's full of healthy fats, protein, and antioxidants when you get the real stuff without additives.

The Right Portion Size

Here's the catch: nut butter is calorie-dense. Two tablespoons—the recommended serving—is 190 calories. That's how much you're supposed to eat. Not half the jar while standing at the counter stressed about work.

The dietitians all mentioned portion control. Two tablespoons might look pathetically small. Most people eat double or triple that without realizing it. Measure it once to see what you're actually eating. You might be shocked.

The Other Options

Almond butter's fine if you want similar nutritional benefits. Cashew butter's creamy but lower in protein. Sunflower seed butter works for nut allergies. Tahini's great for Mediterranean dishes but could be an odd choice for sandwiches.

They all have their benefits. Yeung says to rotate them for variety. But when pushed to pick one winner, all three dietitians went with plain old, reliable peanut butter.

How to Buy It Right

Read the ingredients first. Peanuts should be the only thing, maybe with salt. Skip anything with sugar, palm oil, or words you can't pronounce.

Natural peanut butter separates. Stir it once, store it upside down in the fridge. The oil stays mixed better that way. If you must have no-stir peanut butter, at least get one with minimal ingredients. But know you're choosing convenience over health.

The Reality Check

Most people aren't switching to single-ingredient peanut butter. It's messier, needs stirring, and doesn't taste as sweet. The sugar-laden stuff tastes better because it's basically peanut-flavored frosting.

But if you actually care about health benefits, get the real stuff. Grind your own if possible. Measure your portions and stop eating it straight from the jar at midnight.

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