Nut Butters - which is best?

Nut butters have taken the health food market by storm in the last number of years. There are now so many choices from your traditional peanut butter to cashew, almond and hazelnut butters to name but a few. But with so many to choose from, which one is the ‘healthiest’ and exactly how much should you be enjoying? We answer all the questions you ever wanted to know about nut butter below!

Nut Butters are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, which may reduce your risk for heart disease when you choose them over saturated fats. Nut butters provide vitamin E, fiber and protein, too, and are cholesterol-free. As healthy as nut butters may be in moderation, remember to limit your portion size so you do not gain weight.

BEWARE LOW FAT Many supermarket bought nut butters have added sugars for flavour. Be careful about choosing reduced-fat nut butters. These typically provide nearly as many calories as regular nut butter, but are lower in heart-healthy monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats. To make up for their lower fat content, reduced-fat nut butters may have more added sugar!

SALT Nuts are naturally low in sodium and often have salt added to boost their flavour – the same goes for nut butters. Look for a nut butter that has no added salt or is low-sodium. A high-sodium diet increases your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, so be careful when picking up certain brands esp. when they appear cheaper.

PORTION CONTROL As healthy as nut butters may be in moderation, remember to limit your portion size so you do not gain weight. Enjoy about 1-2 tbsp. a day and you’re safe enough.

ALMOND BUTTER This is our favourite and by far the healthiest nut butter! Almond butter contains approx. 12.2 grams of healthy monounsaturated fats (and 130 mg omega-3 fatty acids) per 2 tablespoon serving. Plus we think it tastes amazing!

PEANUT BUTTER Remember to always buy a natural peanut butter because there are still some varieties of peanut butter that contain inflammatory trans-fat. You will have to stir many of these natural nut butters because the natural oils separate upon dry storage. So, peanut butter is still a healthy option, but it can be addictive. Salt and sugar heighten the taste of the food. Look for varieties that contain no added sugars, or very low sodium content.

CASHEW BUTTER This is the slightly more expensive one of the group. This one is more for the foodie who wants to expand their tastes. Cashew butter is still a healthy choice with many monounsaturated fats, but not as healthy as the almond butter!

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