Top 11 Healthiest Nut Butter Options On The Market

Peanut butter isn’t the only creamy nut butter spread on grocery store shelves anymore. With options ranging from sunflower seed to hazelnut to cashew, the options are seemingly endless. While the number of nut butter choices available in today’s supermarket can be exciting, finding the healthiest nut butter can quickly become overwhelming.

Nut butter, in general, is a great source of healthy fats, proteins, and nutrients. What’s more, different types of nuts can provide many different delicious flavors and textures.

While nut butter is generally highly nutritious, some can contain hefty amounts of added sugars, sodium, and saturated fat. 

Next time you’re looking to add more variety to the typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich, here are the top 11 healthiest nut butter options and how to find nut butter that is suited to your personal needs, preferences, and values.  

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How to choose a healthy nut butter

There are some key components to pay attention to when shopping for a healthy nut butter:

• Healthy fat content. Nut butter is an excellent source of healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are known as the “good fats” because they’re linked to heart benefits and overall health. If you’re looking for nut butter that provides a good source of healthy fats, reference our breakdown below of the healthiest nut butter ranked by nutritional value (1). 
• Added sugar. Despite the many varieties of nut butter, many nut butter types can still have an unexpected amount of added sugars. For example, many popular peanut butter brands contain around 2 grams (½ tsp) of added sugar per serving. Look at the ingredient label and consume in moderation to not exceed the daily American Heart Association’s (AHA) recommended value of 5-9 teaspoons a day (2).
• Protein. Nut butter contains a surprising amount of protein, dependent on the type of nut it’s made out of. If you’re seeking an option that’s higher in protein, look for peanut butter that contains more than 20% of the recommended Daily Value of 50 grams of protein per day (3, 4). 
• Added oil. Nut butter can contain oils like palm oil to keep it from separating, but consuming excess oils can cause negative health effects. Palm oil, specifically, contains high amounts of saturated fat that can affect heart health. Palm oil also has ethical and environmental concerns associated with its production. Still, oil can be essential to a nut butter’s shelf life and texture, so check out the ingredient list for details on its oil contents and opt for nut butter that matches your values and ethics (5, 6). 
• Vitamins and minerals. Different nuts contain different nutrients, vitamins, and minerals and so do their respective kinds of nut butter. Cashew butter can contain up to 10% of your daily recommended iron, and almond butter is known for its high concentration of nutrients like vitamin E and calcium (7, 8).

Different nut butter types and their nutritional content

Here are a few of the most popular nut butter varieties and some key facts about their nutritional content to help you decide which type is best for you (9):

• Peanut butter. Peanuts have a lot of protein and so does peanut butter. Peanut butter typically contains the most protein out of the nut butter types, with 8 grams of protein per 2 tbsp serving. It’s also rich in other essential nutrients, including magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and B vitamins (10). 
• Almond butter. Almond butter tends to have similar nutritional content to peanut butter, with a few notable exceptions. It’s particularly rich in the antioxidant vitamin E. Each 2 tbsp serving contains around 8mg of vitamin E — 52% of the recommended Daily Value. It also has twice the amount of iron as peanut butter (11).
• Cashew butter. Nut butter made out of cashews is slightly lower in total fat than other nut butter types, but it’s a great source of both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Cashew butter also contains many nutrients and vitamins like magnesium, with 66mg of magnesium per 2 tbsp serving (12).

GreenChoice Top Picks

1. Maranatha Creamy Raw Almond Butter

This highly nutritious creamy nut butter is made from raw almonds. It’s a good source of fiber and protein providing 7g protein and 4g fiber -16% of DV- per serving.

2. Rx Nut Butter Chocolate Peanut Butter Multi-Serve Jar

This chocolate peanut butter spread is made with peanuts, egg whites, dates, coconut oil, and chocolate. It provides 9g of protein and 2g of fiber – 7% of DV – per two-tablespoon serving.

3. Jif Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter

Jif Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter is low in sodium and a good source of protein. It offers 7g of protein and 3g of fiber – 9% of DV – per serving. Plus, this peanut butter is packed with vitamin B3 and vitamin E.

More healthy nut butter

4. Sunbutter Organic Sunflower Butter

Sunbutter Sunflower Butter is made with organic sunflower seeds and an excellent source of vitamins and minerals like magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, and vitamin E. It offers 8g of protein, 3g of fiber – 11% of DV -, and 10% of the daily value of iron per two tablespoon of serving.

5. Teddie Peanut Butter All Natural Smooth With Flaxseed

This peanut butter is made with dry roasted peanuts, flaxseed which is a good source of omega 3, and a touch of salt. One serving of this smooth peanut butter provides 8g of protein and 3g of fiber which equals 11% of the daily value. Plus, this nut butter is a good source of vitamin E and vitamin B3.

6. Mighty Sesame Co Tahini Fine

Mighty Sesame Co Tahini is free from added sugars or salt and has only one ingredient: organic sesame seeds. This gluten-free nut butter is a good source of protein and contains 8g of protein per serving.

7. Santa Cruz Organic Creamy Dark Roasted Almond Butter

This organic nut butter is made with dark roasted almonds and a touch of salt. It’s a good source of protein and fiber offering 7g of protein and 3gg of fiber – 12% of DV – per serving.

8. Nuttzo Organic Smooth Power Fuel Nut And Seed Butter

Nuttzo Organic Power Fuel combines a variety of nutritious nuts and seeds together such as cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, flax seeds, chia seeds, hazelnuts, and pumpkin seeds. This organic and sugar-free butter blend provides 6g of protein, 3g of fiber – 11% of DV -, and 10% of the daily value of iron per serving.

9. Artisana Foods Organic Raw Pecan With Cashew Butter

This raw cashew and pecan blend is certified organic and doesn’t contain added sugar or salt. This nut butter provides 4g of protein, 2g of fiber – 8% of DV -, 2g of saturated fat – 10% of DV – per serving.

10. Nutty Infusions Roasted Cashew Butter

Nutty Infusions Roasted Cashew Butter is free from added sugars or salt. It’s a good source of protein containing 5 g of protein – 10% of DV – per serving.

11. Fbomb Nut Butter Macadamia & Sea Salt Allnatural Energy

Fbomb Nut Butter is made with dry roasted macadamia nuts and a dash of salt. It’s free from added sugars or sweeteners and a good source of fiber. It offers 2g of protein and 3g of fiber which is equals to 12% of the daily value per serving.

Key takeaways for buying a healthy nut butter

There are many options and factors to consider in your search for nut butter. Spanning from hazelnut to cashew, the types of nut butter and their flavors available on the market can be exciting but confusing. 

Despite the initial confusion, understanding the plethora of healthy nut butter varieties on the market is as easy as knowing how to look. 

When looking for the healthiest nut butter options on the market, be on the lookout for nut butter high in healthy fats like monosaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Nut butter’s can also contain added oils high in saturated fat, so pay attention to the different varieites of nut butter as well as their oil content.

Different types of nut butter also offer different amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals. If you’re seeking out an option that is high in protein, seek out nut butter with around 20% protein content and shop around to see which nut butter contains the vitamins and minerals you need the most to support your health and lifestyle. 

Lastly, be on the lookout for nut butter brands that pack hefty amounts of added sugars. Check the nutrition label to be conscious of a nut butter’s sugar content, and overall, consume in moderation. 

We hope you enjoy our selection of the 11 healthiest nut butter options and our tips on how to find them, and hopefully, your next nut butter will be both healthy and delicious.

There are 1,000s of food products that won’t be right for you

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GreenChoice, PBC has evaluated and rated more than 340,000 food & beverage products across hundreds of attributes related to diet, health, and sustainability. Easily find the best products for you, the planet, & your budget. Sign up to access the GreenChoice marketplace, the first carbon-neutral online grocery marketplace for healthy, climate-friendly shopping.

Katherine

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Merve

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Sydney W

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Makayla Meixner, MS, RDN

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