When Peanut Butter Isn’t Your Jam

There are so many nut butters on the market today, it can be hard to know what to try. Each of them has its own compilation of nutrients that make for a delicious sandwich or snack option.

The best nut butters for people with type 2 diabetes

Check out some of the alternatives and decide if trying something new might work for you!

Peanut butter

Let’s start with the original favorite. Peanut butter is a great, high protein alternative to meat on your sandwich. It packs approximately 190 calories and seven grams of carbohydrate per two tablespoon serving. Depending on the brand, it also packs eight grams of protein and three grams of dietary fiber. These components, along with the healthy fats from the peanuts, will help to keep you full and satisfied until your next meal. When shopping for peanut butter, check the ingredients list. Opt for peanut butter with as few ingredients as possible, ideally only peanuts and a small amount or no salt. Avoid the brands with hydrogenated oils and palm oils as these are unnecessary and may lead to high cholesterol.

Almond butter

If peanut butter isn’t your favorite, give almond butter a try! It has a distinctly different taste with a very comparable texture, although almond butter is often a little more grainy than creamy peanut butter. It provides approximately 190 calories and seven grams of carbohydrate per two tablespoon serving. Like it’s peanut counterpart, it contains three grams of dietary fiber, but has only seven grams of protein compared to peanut butter’s eight grams. Be sure to read the label as some recommend storage in the refrigerator to avoid natural oil separation. If yours is fine in the cupboard, just give it a good stir before using each time.

Cashew butter

Another alternative is cashew butter. Made from your favorite nut in the trail mix, cashew butter has a nice buttery flavor. It provides a few more calories and carbohydrates than almond or peanut butter at 210 calories, and nine grams of carbohydrates per two tablespoon serving. It also packs less protein and dietary fiber than peanut or almond butter making it the least likely to keep you satisfied for a long period of time with one gram of dietary fiber and five grams of protein. If it is the only one you like, these are still good nutrients to consume. Again, try to look for options that contain only dry roasted cashews.

Mixed nut butters

These are becoming more and more popular on the store shelves and have great health benefits. Nuttzo® is a brand that contains seven different nuts and seeds. With cashew, almond and brazil nuts, as well as flax seeds, chia seeds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and sea salt, you get a nut butter variety packed with flavor and nutrients. With 180 calories and eight grams of carbohydrates per two-tablespoon serving, it also loads three grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein. The combination of nuts and seeds helps provide healthy fats that promote satiety and heart health. The texture is closer to a chunky peanut butter due to the nuts and seeds but the flavor is different and delicious and may be exactly what you need to get out of your peanut butter sandwich rut.

What do you think? Is one of these worth giving a try?