Nut and Seed Butters

Can you think of a household food staple that is more classic than peanut butter? I look back at my childhood memories of eating uber sweet, smooth Kraft peanut butter with Wonder Bread, another common item that we’ve all been exposed to as children. It’s characterized by a strangely soft and spongey texture, and a shade of white so bright that even a child could tell it had been bleached-to-oblivion. 

We are here to share some info about just a few of the overwhelming amount of nut and seed butter varieties that are available at the grocery store right now. Our main stipulation when it comes to choosing a nut or seed-based spread is that it must contain minimal and natural ingredients. Heavily processed commercial spreads like Jif, Skippy, Kraft, and Nutella have much longer ingredient lists than naturally derived products, and will commonly contain hydrogenated vegetable oils and added sugar. If you are health-inclined, we highly recommend you Skippy the Jif-y.?

Thankfully, natural peanut butter and it’s alternatives are delicious without all the added preservatives, oils, and sugars! We’ve created a list of a few popular options, and we’ve dropped some of our favourite brands here and there within this post as well.

Almond Butter

Packed to the brim with healthy fats, it’s no mystery why almond butter has taken the world by storm. In a serving, you are consuming about three grams more of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat per serving compared to peanut butter, plus it contains other great nutrients including Vitamin E. There is one downside with almond butter, however: it can be very pricey. If you love almond butter and eat it often, we recommend making your own! If you’ve got a food processor or high powered blender, it’s easy peasy. Here’s a great recipe: https://cookieandkate.com/homemade-almond-butter-recipe/

Peanut Butter

Though not as high in healthy fats and vitamin E as almond butter, peanut butter is higher in protein. It’s also got high amounts of iron and folate that can help prevent anemia. Peanut butter also contains potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and zinc! PB has been around forever, but in no way is it overrated. We love a simple jar of peanut butter that contains only 1-2 ingredients (salt being the optional second), but we have also discovered some delicious options that we refer to as “high powered” peanut butter. These are higher-end options flavoured with natural ingredients and add-ins such as flax seeds and protein powder. These brands are more commonly found at health food stores. However, like our beloved Fatso, they are becoming more and more popular in the average grocery store. Our all-time favourite PB is Fatso’s Crunchy Salted Caramel. With chia seeds, flax seeds, healthy fats from avocado oil, and pink Himalayan salt, this is not your average peanut butter, that’s for sure!

Cashew Butter

Despite being lower in protein than most other nut and seed butters, cashew butter is still an excellent choice; it contains iron, copper, phosphorus, and unsaturated fat. The texture is also a delight. Cashews are a common ingredient used for making creamy dairy free sauces, spreads, ice creams and milk, especially in the vegan community. Cashew butter is similarly extremely creamy and rich tasting. Like almond butter, it is typically on the pricier side, so you may consider making it yourself (although plain cashews are by no means cheap either!).

Sunflower Seed Butter

Nut-allergy safe sunflower seed butter is high in vitamins E and A. Additionally, it contains more magnesium per serving than any other nut or seed butter. It is good to keep in mind that this particular spread is higher in calories and slightly lower in protein than the other spreads on this list, so keeping moderation in mind is key. A popular brand of sunflower seed butter is the aptly named “Sunbutter,” which contains just three ingredients: sunflower seeds, sugar, and salt. Just how we like it!

Tahini 

Another nut-free option! This spread is used as a base ingredient of many sauces and other foods from the cuisines of the Levant, the Eastern Mediterranean, and parts of North Africa. Made from ground up and toasted sesame seeds, tahini is a good source of calcium, vitamin E and copper, and offers essential fatty acids.

Sources: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vegetariantimes.com/.amp/skills/food-fight-almond-vs-peanut-vs-cashew-butter https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/healthiest-peanut-butter#choosing-a-healthy-peanut-butterhttps://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19970613/best-nut-butter/https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahini https://sunbutter.com/?utm_campaign=CABrand&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&gclid=CjwKCAjw_-D3BRBIEiwAjVMy7LgdBCaSxwc1iyys5RwtJcFKjaLap_91ht3nhDmnPI6hLKUcIENk7hoC-eMQAvD_BwE https://eatfatso.com/

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