Almond Butter Vs Peanut Butter

If you're anything like me, you basically consider nut butter its own food group. Now that nut butters  like almond butter are so popular, though, people seem to be hating on my OG peanut butter and I have to wonder which nut butter option is actually better for you.

Should you buy peanut butter or almond butter? It's probably a common question you come across every time you visit the nut butter aisle at the grocery store. While both are delicious options, it can be hard to decipher which nut butter is actually healthier for you. Even though almond butter sounds like the healthier option, I decided to do some research to see if it's just all in our heads. I admit, the answer actually surprised you. And It's time to put this nut butter war to rest.

It may be easier for people to incorporate more nuts into their diet by using nut butters, including peanut and almond butter.

Almond butter does have certain health advantages over peanut butter. However eating many different foods, including a variety of nuts, can help the body get all of the essential nutrients it needs.

Peanut butter has been a North American pantry staple for decades, but in the past number of years, almond butter has entered the market as a healthier alternative to peanut butter, but is almond butter actually better for you? Let’s compare and review almond butter vs. peanut butter.

The Difference Between Almond Butter and Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is made from ground, dry-roasted peanuts. Although often considered a nut, peanuts  are a legume  therefore, related to beans and lentils. Peanuts are the edible seeds of the plant, widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, and are a source of carbohydrates, fiber, protein and fats.

Almond butter is made grinding almonds, raw or roasted, into a spread or paste. Although called a nut, almonds are in fact seeds rather than a true nut. Almonds are a source of carbohydrates, fiber, protein and fats. 

Both peanut butter and almond butter can be made solely of peanuts or almonds, contain additional ingredients or be made in smooth or crunchy formats.

While both almond butter and peanut butter are high in monounsaturated fats, almond butter has slightly less saturated fat than peanut butter (and it’s lower in sodium). When part of a healthy diet, foods rich in monounsaturated fats may help lower blood cholesterol levels, according to the American Heart Association.

Almond butter has a nutritional advantage over peanut butter due to its vitamin E content. We use vitamin E to protect your cells from oxidative damage. As an antioxidant, vitamin E can neutralize free radicals, preventing these harmful chemicals from oxidizing your DNA and proteins, which damages your cells. Almond butter contains approximately 4 milligrams of vitamin E per tablespoon, which is 4 times the amount found in peanut butter.

It would be easy to assume that almond butter would have less fat than peanut butter, but surprisingly, peanut butter actually has less monosaturated fat than almond butter by 25%.

Now keep in mind, having monosaturated fat in your diet is actually a good thing! Monosaturated fat is a healthy dietary fat  that keeps you feeling full and satisfied after your meal.

Individuals with pre- diabetes may benefit from including almond butter in their respective diets. Regularly eating almonds (the same as eating almond butter) appears to positively affect insulin sensitivity. Specifically, in a study published in Metabolism, the consumption of 2 ounces of almonds (about 45 almonds) was associated with lower levels of fasting insulin and fasting glucose.

Go ahead and indulge in every spoonful of almond butter, because it will lave you full and satisfied. 

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