Photo: EyeEm Mobile GmbH / Getty Images Key Takeaways
According to dietitians, the healthiest peanut butter is made with one ingredient: peanuts.
Peanut butter provides healthy fats, fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Be sure to review the ingredient list to look for added oils, sugar and salt.
Peanut butter is by far one of the most popular spreads in many pantries. Whether you like it in a classic PB&J sandwich, slathered on an apple or a banana, or whisked into savory sauce for noodles or satays, peanut butter is incredibly versatile. Plus, it’s quick, easy, healthy and delicious!
However, with so many options on store shelves, it can be tricky to know which jar to toss into your cart. So, we asked five dietitians how to choose the healthiest peanut butter, and they all said the exact same thing: look for one that contains just peanuts. Dietitian-Approved Tips to Choose a Healthy Peanut Butter
Read the Ingredient List. When shopping for peanut butter, our dietitians all recommended starting by looking at the ingredient list. “Look for products that contain ‘peanuts’ as the first ingredient—or even the only ingredient!” says Amanda Blechman, RDN, CDN , director of nutrition and scientific affairs at Danone North America.
Avoid Added Oils. If you’ve ever peered into a jar of peanut butter and noticed a pool of oil on top, don’t worry. This separation is completely normal and natural. Yet, some manufacturers add extra oil to prevent this separation and extend shelf life. However, it’s not necessary, especially since peanuts naturally already contain plenty of healthy unsaturated fats, says Sapna Peruvemba, M.S., RDN , a registered dietitian specializing in plant-based nutrition. To complicate matters, the most commonly added oils (palm oil and hydrogenated vegetable oils ) contain unhealthful saturated and trans fats that may be harmful to your heart health. So, they’re the last thing you need in your jar.1
Watch Out for Added Sugar and Salt. Some brands sneak in sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, molasses or salt to enhance their spread’s flavor. That makes it easy to consume excess sugar and […]
We Asked 5 Dietitians How to Choose the Healthiest Peanut Butter—They All Said the Same Thing
