Healthy Living Reality

Tag: peanut butter

  • Peanut Butter vs. Almond Butter, Sunflower Butter, and More: Cost per Nutrient and More Comparisons

    In Episode 1 of our Peanut Butter Adventures, we talked about peanut butter’s popularity in the US. We also talked about some of the features of peanut butter that make it so appealing. It’s versatile, kid-friendly, and nutritious. 

    In this post, let’s talk about two of my favorite topics: nutrition and cost. We’ll look at key nutrients in peanut butter and compare the cost of peanut to the cost of other sources of these nutrients. 

    Nutrition of Peanut Butter

    Peanut butter has 180 calories per 2-tablespoon serving, or slightly more than an ounce. In the Dietary Guidelines, peanut butter counts as a protein and fat. As a plant-based food, it’s cholesterol-free. 

    Many people know peanut butter for its: 

    • 13 grams of heart-healthy unsaturated fats
    • 7 grams of protein
    • 3 grams of dietary fiber

    This serving also has:

    • 16 grams of fat
    • 3 grams of saturated fat
    • 7 grams of carbohydrates
    • 3 grams of sugar
    • 135 mg of sodium

    It’s a fair source of these vitamins and minerals.

    • 70 mg of magnesium (20% daily value)
    • 3 mg vitamin E (20% daily value)
    • 4 mg niacin (25% daily value)
    • 0.6 mg manganese (25% daily value)
    • 0.18 mg copper (20% daily value)

    And it has a bit more. 

    • 30 mcg folate (7% daily value)
    • 0.13 mg vitamin B6 (8% daily value)
    • 200 mg mg potassium (4% daily value)
    • 0.9 mg zinc (8% daily value)

    Remember that these values are estimates. Specific brands can have slightly different values. 

    Almond Butter, Sunflower, and Chickpea Butter as Nutritional and Functional Alternatives to Peanut Butter

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say about 6 percent of Americans have any type of food allergy. Among children, about 1 in 50 have a peanut allergy. Almond butter, sunflower seed butter, and chickpea butter are common substitutes. 

    Almond Butter: A Close But Pricey Swap

    Almond butter may be the closest substitute for peanut butter in terms of taste, texture, and macronutrients. It’s far pricier, coming in at about $8-$10 per 16-ounce jar. Here’s a jar of Justin’s Almond Butter – one of the more popular brands. Cashew butter has similar costs and nutritional content. 

    Almond butter is increasing in popularity as an alternative to peanut butter.

    Compared to peanut butter, almond butter has more calcium, with 8% of the daily value per 2-tablespoon serving. Almond butter is high in vitamin E, an antioxidant, though peanut butter is also a good source. It also has more riboflavin (vitamin B2), though it’s a common nutrient that you can find in many foods. 

    Peanut butter has slightly more protein and niacin (vitamin B3). 

    Sunflower Butter: An Option if You Have Peanut and Nut Allergies

    Sunflower butter, like SunButter Organic Sunflower Seed Butter in regular, chocolate, and organic varieties, an option if you’re allergic to peanuts and tree nuts like almonds and cashews. It’s especially high in selenium, a mineral which supports antioxidant function in the body. 

    Sunflower seeds have vitamin E, fiber, and heart-healthy fats.

    Compared to sunflower seed butter, peanut butter is higher in protein and fiber. 

    Chickpea Butter: A Legume-Based Option

    Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are legumes, just like peanuts are. Chickpea butter is a little different because compared to nuts, seeds, and peanuts, chickpeas or garbanzo beans are naturally lower in fat. To make chickpea butter, you have to add oil. Check the list of ingredients and nutrition facts panel to see what type of oil it contains. Palm oil and hydrogenated oils can add unhealthy saturated fats. 

    Chickpea butter can be higher in folate than peanut butter. It has more fiber, too. Peanut butter is higher in protein and fat. 

    Cost of Peanut Butter Compared to Peanut Butter Substitutes and Other Foods

    Let’s see how peanut butter compares in cost per nutrient compared to almond butter, sunflower seed butter, and chickpea butter at the prices above.

    Food Item Price ($) Cost per Calorie ($/kcal) Cost per gram Protein ($/g) Cost per gram MUFA ($/g) Cost per gram Fiber ($/g)
    Peanut Butter $2.00 $0.0007 $0.02 $0.02 $0.07
    Almond Butter $8.00 $0.0026 $0.09 $0.04 $0.19
    Sunflower Seed Butter $6.00 $0.0021 $0.06 $0.05 $0.14
    Chickpea Butter $6.00 $0.0026 $0.07 $0.33 $0.11

    Cost of Peanut Butter Compared to Other Nutritious Foods

    How does the cost of peanut butter compare to that of other nutritious foods? Let’s look at chicken for protein at $3 per pound, apples for fiber at $1 per pound, and olive oil at $5 for 16 ounces for healthy fats.

    Food Item Price ($) Cost per Calorie ($/kcal) Cost per gram Protein ($/g) Cost per gram MUFA ($/g) Cost per gram Fiber ($/g)
    Peanut Butter $2.00 $0.0007 $0.02 $0.02 $0.07
    Skinless Chicken $3.00 $0.0067 $0.04 $1.24 $inf
    Apples $1.50 $0.0068 $1.36 $75.00 $0.15
    Olive Oil $5.00 $0.0013 $inf $0.02 $inf

    Convenience of Peanut Butter

    Peanut butter is perfect for storing at home and especially for giving away to needy people. Here are some reasons why. 

    • It’s inexpensive, as we talked about above.
    • It doesn’t need refrigeration before opening or afterwards. 
    • You can eat it on its own or with almost anything. 
    • It’s calorie-dense and fairly small, making it easily portable. 

    Do you like peanut butter? What nutrients do you depend on it for? 

  • Peanut Butter Adventures, Episode 1

    Here’s the first installment of my adventures with peanut butter. Sure, I have a growing boy at home, but there’s more to the story. I’ve been making peanut butter sandwiches for a local food pantry for a year. Now, I’m going to hand out jars of peanut butter when I see a need on the streets. Hope you love the adventure! 

    For now, let’s just talk about peanut butter. Next time, we’ll get into some adventures. 

    Peanut Butter as an American Institution

    Peanut butter is one of the best all-around foods. It’s convenient, inexpensive, nutritious, and delicious. Those reasons are probably why peanut butter sandwiches are the most popular plant-based sandwiches in the US according to USDA data. (If you’re curious, the popularity of cold cut sandwiches, burgers, and hot dogs outweighs the popularity of peanut butter sandwiches). 

    How Much Peanut Butter Are We Talking About?

    Americans consume an average of 4.4 pounds of peanut butter per year. That’s more than 60 2-tablespoon servings, or 4.5 16-ounce jars. For a family of four that consumes the average amount, that comes out to 18 jars of peanut butter per year, or about 1 jar every 3 weeks. 

    If you’re a peanut butter-loving household, I bet you have far more than that! Schoolchildren could easily eat 5 peanut butter sandwiches a week for the duration of the school year, or about 35 weeks. That adds up to 105 sandwiches, or more than 7 jars of peanut butter. That’s before adding in snacks and PB sandwiches on vacation! 

    How Much Peanut Butter in Peanut Butter Adventures?

    My household goes through far more than 18 jars of peanut butter a year. My son eats some, but not that much (and to be fair, a lot of his peanut butter consumption is at breakfast at my parents’ house!). 

    I estimate we go through 150 jars a year! That’s because I make sandwiches every week for a local food pantry. I use 3 jars most weeks, or enough for 30-40 sandwiches. I’m definitely doing my part to support the peanut butter industry! 

    Now, I’ve started carrying around a jar of peanut butter to give away to people who seem to need it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people in my neighborhood who are grateful for something that is so affordable to me. 

    How to Make Peanut Butter

    Peanut butter is magical to me. Just put peanuts in a blender, and puree them until they turn into thick, sticky peanut butter. For a more spreadable texture, add 1-2 spoonfuls of oil. For flavor, add salt. It’s so simple!

    Peanut butter that you buy in stores can range from 100% peanuts to having ingredients like sugar, salt, and solid fats from hydrogenated soybean oil or tropical oils like palm oil. You’ll pay for the privilege of having natural, organic peanut butter with nothing but peanuts, but if you look around, there can be compromises, like peanut butter without hydrogenated oils. 

    Of course, there are all kinds of variations on peanut butter. Flavors of peanut butter include cinnamon, cocoa, and white chocolate. For decades, there’ve been jars of peanut butter and jelly stripes to make sandwich-making easier. 

    A Convenient and Nutritious Food

    Peanut butter needs no refrigeration. It’s ready to eat. It’s cholesterol-free, low in saturated fat, and high in healthy monounsaturated fats. It’s a source of plant-based protein, and it has dietary fiber. At about $2 per 16-ounce jar for a store brand of peanut butter, it’s remarkably inexpensive. I’ll go into cost comparisons with other foods in another post. 

    Healthy Ways to Use Peanut Butter

    A peanut butter sandwich on whole-grain sliced bread is one healthy choice for peanut butter. Here are a few variations on classic PB sandwiches. 

    Peanut butter on whole-grain bread has fiber and antioxidants.
    • Peanut butter on whole-grain tortilla or wrap, wrapped around a banana
    • Diced stewed (or microwaved) apple or pear with cinnamon on PB and whole-grain bread or toast
    • Peanut butter on half a whole-grain bagel, with pear slices

    Peanut butter is good for way more than sandwiches. 

    • Dip celery, carrots, apple slices, or pear slices into peanut butter.
    • Blend frozen banana chunks with peanut butter and cinnamon, cocoa powder, or voila extract.
    • Thin out creamy peanut butter to make a sauce for an Asian-inspired dish with whole-grain spaghetti
    • Add peanut butter to oatmeal or whole-wheat pancake batter, or top whole-grain pancakes or waffles with peanut butter instead of butter.
    • Top oatmeal, yogurt, or cottage cheese with peanut butter and fruit.

    For a healthier dessert, stuff dates with peanut butter – just watch the calories, since they add up fast!

    More Ways to Enjoy Peanut Butter

    If you’re looking for a treat without worrying about nutrition, there are any number of ways to enjoy peanut butter. 

    • Classic PB&J sandwich with white bread, peanut butter, and grape or strawberry jelly. Honey is another option.
    Peanut butter and jelly on white bread may be a happy memory from childhood for many people.
    • Peanut butter cookies or peanut butter oatmeal cookies. 
    • Peanut butter bars and peanut butter cheesecake.
    • Peanut butter frosted brownies or cake.
    • Energy balls with peanut butter, oats, sugar, honey, or powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. 
    • Peanut butter-filled pretzels
    • Peanut butter milkshakes and smoothies with added sugars.
    • Peanut butter pie, with or without whipped topping blended in or on top, and on a chocolate, graham cracker, or standard pie crust

    I’m excited to keep using peanut butter and giving it away. I’ll keep you posted on how my peanut butter adventures go!

    How do you use peanut butter?