Peanut butter alternatives
Peanut butter is a very popular food worldwide. However, peanuts are one of the major food allergens, affecting approximately 1 in 50 children and 1 in 200 adults (1). Fortunately, those not affected with other nut allergies can enjoy peanut butter alternatives available in the market.
Why choose peanut butter alternatives
Below are a few reasons why you might avoid peanut butter and choose something else:
- As mentioned before, peanut allergy is the main reason why someone would choose alternative products. Keep in mind that someone with peanut allergy is 25% more likely to be allergic to other tree nuts (1).
- Disliking the taste or texture. Believe it or not, I know people who fall into this category.
- Preferring other nut butters.
- You avoid all legumes including peanuts because you follow a paleo diet.
- You avoid peanuts because you’ve heard they contain aflatoxin.
Butters vs spreads
There is no consensus in the use of the words “butter” and “spread” when referring to food products that are made by grinding nuts. Commercially, the terms are interchangeable and thus they give no indication of the actual content of the product. Therefore, I recommend you read the ingredients list and nutrition information before purchasing.
What is available
Nuts
Most commonly, nut butters are made with almonds, cashews and ABC (almonds, Brazil nuts and cashews). There are a few brands that use macadamias, hazelnuts and pistachios, but these are not widely available.
Raw vs roasted
Some manufacturers use raw nuts, some use roasted ones. The nutrient composition is similar, so choose whichever you like best.
Other ingredients
Salt is the most common additional ingredient. Some brands also includes seeds (such as chia or hemp). Finally, the most processed nut butters out there also contain vegetable oil, sugar and other less-than-wholesome ingredients.
Ingredients
- Pic’s Cashew Butter: roasted cashews 100%
- Pic’s Almond Butter: almonds 100%
- Mayver’s Almond, Brazil Nuts & Cashew Spread: almonds (34%), Brazil nuts (33%) & cashews (33%)
- Mayver’s Almond Spread: 100% natural almonds
- Mayver’s Almond & Chia Spread: almonds (90%) & chia seeds (10%)
- Honest To Goodness ABC Almond, Brazil & Cashew Spread: almonds (34%), Brazil nuts (33%) & cashews (33%)
- Honest To Goodness Almond Butter: roasted almonds 100%
- Bega almond spread: vegetable oil, maltodextrin, almonds (23%), milk solids, sugar, salt, emulsifier (322), other tree nuts
- Bega cashew spread: vegetable oil, maltodextrin (from corn), cashews (25%), milk solids, sugar, emulsifiers (471, 322), salt, other tree nuts
- Melrose ABC Butter: almonds (34%), Brazil nuts (33%), cashew nuts (33%)
- Melrose Coconut Cashew Butter: cashew nuts (69.8%), organic creamed coconut (30%), Himalayan pink salt
- Melrose Almond Butter: 100% lightly roasted almonds
- Melrose Macadamia Cashew Butter: macadamias (60%), cashew nuts (40%)
- My Protein All natural almond butter Crunchy: almonds (100%) (whole skin on)
- My Protein All natural almond butter Smooth: almonds (100%) (whole skin on)
- Macro Natural Almond Spread: almonds
- Macro Natural Cashew Spread: cashews
- Macro Natural Brazil, Almond & Cashew Spread: almonds (34%), Brazil Nuts (33%), cashews (33%)
- Coles Almond Butter: almonds
- Coles Roasted Almond Butter: lightly roasted almonds
- Coles Gluten Free Almond Brazil & Cashew Spread: almonds, Brazil nuts, cashew nuts
- Coles Rich Smooth ABC Spread: almonds (34%), Brazil nut (33%), cashew nuts (33%)
- Melrose Almond Naturals Gluten Free Spread: 100% almonds lightly roasted
- Melrose Naturals Cashew Spread: 100% cashews lightly roasted
- Pureharvest Abc Hemp Spread: almonds (31%), Brazil nuts (31%), cashews (30%), hemp seed (8%)
- True Protein Natural almond butter: roasted almonds (100%)
- True Protein Natural ABC butter: almonds (50%), cashews (30%), Brazils (20%)
Other brands
Hand’N’Hoe Organics make delicious macadamia butters and Royal Nut Company makes nut butters using other nuts, including hazelnut, macadamia and pistachio.
Nutrition comparison
I have included nutrient information per 100g due to the disparity of serving sizes in different products. Some list 10g as a serve (about 1/2 level tablespoon), some 20g, some 22g.
Almond butters
| Nutrient | Pic’s Almond Butter Per 100g | Mayver’s Almond Spread Per 100g | Mayver’s Almond & Chia Spread Per 100g | Honest To Goodness Almond Butter Per 100g | Bega almond spread Per 100g | Melrose Almond Butter Per 100g |
| Energy (kJ) | 2520 | 2500 | 2370 | 2500 | 2420 | 2610 |
| Protein (g) | 26.5 | 22.1 | 20.5 | 22.1 | 7.1 | 19.7 |
| Fat, total (g) | 52.0 | 52.8 | 47.2 | 52.8 | 42.0 | 61.0 |
| – Saturated (g) | 4.1 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 8.2 | 27.8 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 8.5 | 19.3 | 24.2 | 19.3 | 43.0 | 11.0 |
| – Sugars (g) | 5.9 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 19.0 | 6.1 |
| Sodium (mg) | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.8 | 1.0 | 290.0 | 46.0 |
| Dietary fibre (g) | 7.9 | 11.8 | 14.6 | ? | ? | 10.6 |
Cashew butters
| Nutrient | Pic’s Cashew Butter Per 100g | Bega cashew spread Per 100g | Melrose Coconut Cashew Butter Per 100g | Melrose Macadamia Cashew Butter Per 100g |
| Energy (kJ) | 2470 | 2430 | 2753 | 2558.5 |
| Protein (g) | 21.2 | 5.8 | 13.2 | 14.9 |
| Fat, total (g) | 42.0 | 41.0 | 61.0 | 54.9 |
| – Saturated (g) | 7.9 | 13.0 | 27.8 | 10.4 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 32.6 | 47.0 | 11.0 | 12.7 |
| – Sugars (g) | 8.8 | 19.0 | 6.1 | 7.0 |
| Sodium (mg) | 8.0 | 288.0 | 46.0 | 7.1 |
| Dietary fibre (g) | ? | ? | 10.6 | 8.5 |
ABC butters
| Nutrient | Mayver’s Almond, Brazil Nuts & Cashew Spread Per 100g | Honest To Goodness ABC Almond, Brazil & Cashew Spread Per 100g | Melrose ABC Butter Per 100g | Pureharvest ABC Hemp Spread Per 100g |
| Energy (kJ) | 2860 | 2860 | 2651 | 2680 |
| Protein (g) | 18.4 | 18.4 | 16.5 | 21.7 |
| Fat, total (g) | 61.8 | 61.8 | 58.1 | 57.2 |
| – Saturated (g) | 11.0 | 11.0 | 10.4 | 10.0 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 15.5 | 15.5 | 6.4 | 8.6 |
| – Sugars (g) | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.7 |
| Sodium (mg) | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 27.6 |
| Dietary fibre (g) | 7.3 | ? | 14.0 | 8.1 |
Nut butters compared
| Nutrient | Pic’s Cashew Butter Per 100g | Mayver’s Almond Spread Per 100g | Honest To Goodness ABC Almond, Brazil & Cashew Spread Per 100g | Hand’N’Hoe Organic Macadamia Butter – Natural Crunchy Per 100g |
| Energy (kJ) | 2470 | 2500 | 2860 | 3080 |
| Protein (g) | 21.2 | 22.1 | 18.4 | 9.2 |
| Fat, total (g) | 42.0 | 52.8 | 61.8 | 74.0 |
| – Saturated (g) | 7.9 | 4.0 | 11.0 | 10.0 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 32.6 | 19.3 | 15.5 | 7.9 |
| – Sugars (g) | 8.8 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 4.6 |
| Sodium (mg) | 8.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
| Dietary fibre (g) | ? | 11.8 | ? | 6.4 |
Summary and recommendations
If you are allergic to peanuts and not other nuts and/or if you dislike peanut butter, you might enjoy other nut butters as peanut butter alternatives. Make sure you read labels to make sure the ingredients contain ideally just nuts (and maybe salt).
Even though natural nut butters can be part of a healthy diet, they are energy dense and easy to overconsume. Make sure you don’t eat too much if you are watching your weight.
You can try peanut butter alternatives in the following recipes:
References
- Sydney Local Health District. Peanut Allergy2019. Available from: https://www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/rpa/allergy/resources/allergy/peanutallergy.pdf.
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