Nut Butters!

If you live and breathe peanut butter like i do.. this one is worth a read.

Peanut butter has been a staple in our pantries for decades and growing up I was always a massive fan.

Over the last few years there has been an increase in the range of nut butters that are now available which leaves you questioning, which is the healthiest option? I have done a lot of my own research on nut butters over the last year and I believe that there are a lot of things people, especially parents, may not consider when shopping for a nut butter to keep in the cupboard for the kids or to have yourself.

People generally try to avoid nut butters when “dieting” (a word I despise) due to the large amount of fats per serve. Yes, nut butters a full of fats but that doesn’t mean they are no good for you. It’s the type of fat that’s the most important thing to consider when purchasing high fat products. Nut butters (the good ones) should contain high monounsaturated fats and saturated fat. Monounsaturated fat has a great health benefits as it is linked to a reduction in heart disease and provides a better blood sugar control.

Monounsaturated fats are a much healthier alternative to the trans fats and refined polyunsaturated fats you find in most processed foods. Saturated fat is a fat in which the fatty acids all have single bonds. It isn’t necessarily as harmful in moderation but consuming too much can raise your cholesterol level which has a possibility of increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Majority of your natural nut butters will contain Vitamin E, Iron and calcium. Vitamin E, being an antioxidant, helps prevent the development of plaque in your arteries (which can narrow them and eventually cause a heart attack). Calcium supports the health of your bones and iron is vital for your red blood cells (especially women).

There is also a generous amount of fibre found in our natural nut butters due to the fact that raw nuts are a natural source of fibre. Fibre is ideal to help keep you fuller for longer which can assist in you maintaining a healthy weight and help with lowering your cholesterol. Nut butters also contain a healthy dose of potassium, biotin, magnesium, zinc and protein. The protein found in nuts is a vegetable protein. Consuming vegetable based protein means you will most likely have a lower intake of dietary cholesterol and unhealthy saturated fats. Vegetable protein also contains essential amino acids which are a nutrient that help build the proteins within our body. Now, i do have to touch on the fact that there is a bacteria that is founded in peanuts however eating this in moderation wont cause any harm but just be mindful of this (i will touch on this one in another blog post at a later date).

Im now going to help you shop for the better alternative nut butter and tell you which ones to avoid. These are only a few of the most popular ones we see in our supermarkets and local health food stores..

For all my Aussie followers, The Source Bulk Foods produce their own in store with the single ingredient, no sneaky add ins. You can pick up 350g of peanut butter for around $4-5 which is basically the same cost as the artificial ones in the supermarket! Mayvers is another favourite of mine - they have natural peanut butter (crunhy, smooth and dark roasted), almond butters, tahini and super spreads (which are amazing).

For my Kiwi followers; Pics is my go to here, they use hi-oleic nuts and a wee bit of see salt - THATS IT. Nut Brothers are another awesome brand for nut butters. They have all natural peanut butter and almond butter - their range is defintiely worth checking out but are a tiny but more pricey than Pics.

But what about Kraft? The brand we've all known since we were kids.. now this is one i suggest to avoid. Their peanut butter alone contains only 85% roasted peanuts and has added sugars. Yes, they have a “no added sugar or salt” peanut butter but this only contains 91% roasted peanuts. When looking at the ingredients (this goes for basically anything you buy), if it has a number (eg 320), don’t think twice as although it may say “antioxidant”, it is a synthetic form that can cause some nasty side effects. Moving away from the peanut butter and having a look at their almond butter, it only contains 23% almonds! Need I say more? I could go on and on about brands such as Kraft but I think its safe to say that these products are best avoided when shopping for that nut butter to keep in your pantry.

Know what’s good for you body and what isn’t. Take few extra minutes when you’re supermarket next time to have a look at all the different kinds of nut butters and what is actually going into them.. you may surprise yourself with the one you normally purchase.