14 Best Healthy Peanut Butter Alternatives

Individuals with peanut allergy symptoms aren’t essentially allergic to tree nuts, however many develop extreme reactions as a result of cross-reactivity between them. Which means your physique could react to allergenic molecules in tree nuts which might be much like these in peanuts (3, 4).

Should you’re substituting peanut butter since you ran out of it or need to strive one thing new, then by all means, give these tree nut butters a strive.

Nevertheless, in case your substitution is because of an allergy, these butters will not be secure options.

1. Almond butter

Almond butter is created from roasted almonds. It might include or with out the skins, since some manufacturers take away them to attain a smoother texture.

Its dietary worth is much like that of peanut butter, and it has just about the identical makes use of and texture. That makes it an appropriate 1:1 substitute for many recipes. Nevertheless, utilizing almond butter could alter the ultimate product when utilized in baked items (5).

As well as, almond butter has a better content material of wholesome fat than peanut butter — particularly mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (6, 7).

It’s additionally wealthy in fiber, which retains you feeling fuller longer. Like most butters, it has a low glycemic index, which signifies that it gained’t spike your blood sugar ranges (6, 7).

2. Cashew butter

Cashew butter and peanut butter have comparable textures, making cashew butter choice for spreading or baking.

What’s extra, it’s an ideal supply of magnesium, a mineral required for blood stress and blood sugar management. It gives 20% of the Day by day Worth (DV) in a 2-tablespoon (32-gram) serving, and it could assist adults attain the beneficial DV (8, 9).

Nevertheless, relating to its macronutrient content material, it’s barely decrease in protein than peanut butter, offering 5.6 grams in the identical 2-tablespoon (32-gram) serving (10).

Whereas analysis on the health benefits of cashews is proscribed, one research discovered that consuming 28–64 grams of cashews per day lowered complete and LDL (dangerous) levels of cholesterol in contrast with the management group (7, 11).

You might also swap peanut butter for cashew butter at a 1-to-1 ratio and use it as a sandwich unfold or fruit dip, or take pleasure in it as a yogurt or oatmeal topping.

3. Walnut butter

Like peanut butter, walnut butter has a nutty taste and spreadable texture.

It gives a number of helpful vitamins, together with dietary fiber and wholesome fat, resembling polyunsaturated fatty acids — particularly omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The truth is, walnuts have the very best omega-3-to-omega-6 ratio amongst all tree nuts (7, 12).

Analysis means that resulting from their excessive omega-3 fatty acid profile — a gaggle of heart-healthy fat — consuming 21–75 grams of walnuts per day could decrease blood levels of cholesterol and enhance blood vessel operate, which can cut back the danger of coronary heart illness (7, 13, 14).

You could take pleasure in walnut butter on toast, smoothies, and fruit, or in the identical methods you’d eat peanut butter.

4. Hazelnut butter

In contrast to Nutella, a model of hazelnut unfold that’s excessive in sugar and unhealthy fat, much less processed hazelnut butters make an appropriate and wholesome peanut butter substitute.

Hazelnut butter is created from floor and roasted hazelnuts and will include or with out added chocolate for taste — however with out the added sugars. But, like Nutella, it’s primarily reserved for desserts and different candy recipes.

Hazelnuts have a excessive monounsaturated fatty acid profile. The truth is, they’re the second richest supply of monounsaturated fatty acids amongst nuts — with a very excessive focus of omega-9 fatty acids, that are helpful for coronary heart well being (15, 16, 17).

Analysis exhibits that consuming 30–70 grams of hazelnuts per day could considerably cut back LDL (dangerous) and complete levels of cholesterol (16).

They’re additionally supply of magnesium, calcium, manganese, iron, copper, and zinc. Plus, they’re thought-about antioxidant-rich, with a excessive content material of vitamin E and phenolic compounds which may be anti-inflammatory (15, 16, 17, 18, 19).

5. Pecan butter

Like the opposite tree nuts on this listing, pecans are supply of heart-healthy fat, fiber, and antioxidants.

They’re related to a decreased danger of coronary heart illness and kind 2 diabetes as a result of they could enhance blood levels of cholesterol and insulin sensitivity — or how your cells reply to insulin (20, 21).

They’re additionally supply of magnesium, manganese, and zinc, and with solely 4 grams of carbs per 2-tablespoon (32-gram) serving, they provide a decrease carb rely than peanut butter (21, 22).

You need to use pecan butter in most conditions if you’d use peanut butter. It might be added to baked items, unfold on toast, or loved with fruit and yogurt.

Abstract

Tree nut butters, resembling almond, cashew, walnut, hazelnut, and pecan butters, are nice substitutes for peanut butter. All of them have comparable dietary profiles and supply heart-healthy fat, fiber, and antioxidants.

Nut-free butters are the most secure selection for folks with peanut allergy symptoms.

6. Tahini

Tahini is a paste created from roasted sesame seeds. It’s sometimes used as a condiment within the Center East.

Tahini is nutritionally much like peanut butter. A 2-tablespoon (30-gram) serving gives 16 grams of fats, 5 grams of protein, 6 grams of carbs, and 1.4 grams of fiber (23).

Since tahini is created from sesame seeds, it’s wealthy in sesamin and sesamolin, two antioxidant compounds credited with wholesome ldl cholesterol and blood sugar administration, blood stress discount, anti-cancer properties, and the discount of menopausal signs (24, 25, 26).

Although tahini isn’t often consumed by itself, it’s peanut butter swap for sauces and dressings. Nevertheless, it could be used as a sandwich unfold, because it pairs properly with jams and jellies.

7. Sunflower seed butter

Sunflower seed butter is a tree nut- and peanut-free unfold created from roasted, floor sunflower seeds. But, many shoppers declare that its style intently resembles that of peanut butter.

Nutritionally talking, sunflower seed butter has larger iron, manganese, and vitamin E contents than peanut butter, offering 7%, 29%, and 49% of the DV, respectively (27).

Moreover, sunflower seeds are naturally wealthy in omega-6 fatty acids and chlorogenic acid, which can assist blood ldl cholesterol and blood sugar administration. As such, they’re linked to a decreased danger of coronary heart illness and kind 2 diabetes (28, 29, 30).

Sunflower seed butter makes peanut butter substitute for savory dishes like dressings and sauces. Nevertheless, folks with mugwort pollen allergy could react to it (31).

8. Coconut butter

Coconut butter is a selection created from shredded coconut meat.

In contrast with peanut butter, it has much less protein and extra fats. It additionally has a barely stiffer consistency resulting from its coconut oil content material. As a saturated fats, coconut oil hardens at room temperature (32).

Regardless of being a supply of saturated fat, the saturated fats in coconut oil contains 65% medium-chain fatty acids, that are metabolically totally different than long-chain fatty acids (33).

Medium-chain fatty acids have been related to well being advantages, together with improved mind operate, a extra favorable lipid (fats) profile, and a better vitality expenditure — resulting in a unfavourable vitality stability and probably supporting weight reduction (34, 35).

Nevertheless, analysis on coconut oil’s results on blood ldl cholesterol is inconsistent. Some research advocate retaining its consumption to lower than 10% of your complete calorie consumption, as it could elevate LDL (dangerous) levels of cholesterol and thus improve your danger of coronary heart illness (36, 37).

Attempt including coconut butter to your oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothie, or use it as a sandwich unfold. Be aware, although, that this peanut butter substitute could also be greatest moderately.

9. Soy nut butter

Soy nut butter is created from roasted and floor soybeans. Its style, dietary profile, and thick and creamy consistency are much like these of peanut butter (38).

Like most soy products, soy nut butter is an effective supply of protein and isoflavones, that are helpful plant compounds that act like estrogen within the physique. Due to this fact, it could assist relieve menopausal signs attributable to a decline in estrogen ranges (39, 40).

Soy proteins and isoflavones in soy merchandise are additionally linked to helpful results on coronary heart well being by reducing triglycerides, LDL (dangerous), and complete levels of cholesterol (41, 42, 43).

But, remember the fact that soy nut butter is unsafe for folks with soy allergy symptoms (44).

Like peanut butter, you’ll be able to add soy nut butter to baked items, oatmeal, toast, fruit, yogurt, smoothies, and sauces.

10. Granola butter

As intriguing as it could sound, granola butter is a nut- and gluten-free unfold made primarily of humble oats. Different components usually embody flax seeds, olive oil, and coconut oil.

On condition that it’s made out of oats, granola butter is excessive in fiber and thus gives a number of well being advantages, together with extended emotions of fullness, improved blood sugar administration, and cholesterol-lowering results (45, 46, 47).

Granola butter works greatest as a peanut butter substitute for candy sauces and dressings, as a selection for bread or pancakes, or as a topping for oatmeal and yogurt.

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Some common nut-free butters, resembling tahini, sunflower seed, coconut, soy nut, and granola butter, are appropriate peanut butter substitutes for folks with peanut or tree nut allergy symptoms. They’re all wealthy in helpful plant compounds that will have well being advantages.

Fats is an important macronutrient, and most of the people shouldn’t utterly keep away from meals which might be excessive in fats, particularly the health-supporting fat discovered in lots of nut butters, together with peanut butter.

Nevertheless, for those who’re searching for options to cut back a recipe’s fats content material, you may have choices.

11. Powdered peanut butter

Powdered peanut butter is made by urgent and grinding roasted peanuts to take away their oils.

The method leaves a wonderful powder that retains its taste however considerably reduces its fats content material, making it the right substitute for many who love peanut butter however want to reduce on fats.

For the reason that oil is eliminated, this powdered model has 4 occasions much less fats than an equal serving of standard peanut butter. It additionally boasts double the protein. Nevertheless, it doesn’t present the identical heart-healthy fat (48).

Although powdered peanut butter just isn’t spreadable, you’ll be able to combine it with water to kind a paste if wanted.

You could add it to shakes, oatmeal, yogurt, dressings, dips, and baked items.

12. Hummus

Whereas hummus isn’t exactly a substitute ingredient you’d decide for a recipe that requires peanut butter, it’s a wholesome various that works nice as a dip or unfold.

Hummus is a nutrient-dense unfold created from cooked, mashed chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. A 2-tablespoon (30-gram) serving gives simply 2.6 grams of fats, 6 grams of carbs, 1.2 grams of fiber, and 1.5 grams of protein (49, 50).

Analysis exhibits that individuals who commonly eat chickpeas — that are a legume or pulse — or hummus are inclined to eat extra dietary fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, folate, magnesium, potassium, iron, and nutritional vitamins A, E, and C (49).

Since chickpeas have a low glycemic index (GI), which signifies that they gained’t spike your blood sugar ranges, it’s believed that hummus helps weight administration and glucose and insulin regulation (49, 51, 52).

Attempt hummus as a dip for veggies or a selection for bread, crackers, and pita chips.

Alternatively, chickpea butter could also be a good selection.

Abstract

Powdered peanut butter and hummus are good peanut butter substitutes if you’re attempting to cut back your fats consumption. Powdered peanut butter maintains taste whereas considerably reducing fats, and hummus is a nutrient-dense unfold.

This part contains two choices that work as peanut butter substitutes if you’re particularly searching for a selection.

13. Guacamole

Guacamole is an avocado unfold created from mashed avocados. Different components could embody lemon, onion, parsley, and salt, and a few recipes even name for tomatoes or hard-boiled eggs.

Like nuts and tree nuts, avocados are wealthy in monounsaturated fatty acids, nutritional vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Analysis additionally exhibits that diets wealthy in avocado could considerably decrease triglycerides, in addition to complete and LDL (dangerous) ldl cholesterol (53, 54, 55).

Guacamole affords a thick consistency that’s nice for dips, toasts, and sauces.

14. Cream cheese

Cream cheese is a extremely versatile dairy unfold with a clean consistency and gentle taste.

Regardless of being a dairy product, it gives simply 1 gram of lactose per 2-tablespoon (30-gram) serving. Due to this fact, some folks with lactose intolerance digest it properly (56, 57).

What’s extra, the identical serving of cream cheese gives 10% of the DV of vitamin A, which is essential for imaginative and prescient (56).

Cream cheese works nice for baked items, sandwiches, or candy or savory dips to take pleasure in with fruits or veggies.

There are additionally nondairy cream cheese substitutes in the marketplace.

Abstract

Guacamole and cream cheese are spreadable options that work greatest as peanut butter substitutes when you want to put together a dip to take pleasure in with fruits or veggies.

Peanut butter is a flexible ingredient included in quite a few candy and salty recipes. Nevertheless, there could also be occasions when you want to substitute it for a distinct ingredient.

Relaxation assured that there are many nutrient-rich substitutes to select from that may accommodate your wants whereas nonetheless being scrumptious.