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11 Best Tried, Tested & Tastiest Nut Butters, According To A Dietician
We’ve found the top all-natural nut butters with no added sugar
Whether it’s on a slice of sourdough, poured over porridge or sneakily spooned straight from the jar (our fave!), nut butter has firmly made its way into our daily diet.
We caught up with Consultant Dietician Ro Huntriss for a quick fire-round on all things nut butters, as well as the best nut butters to buy.
Which nut butter is the healthiest?
“All nuts are high in protein and packed with beneficial monounsaturated fat, so from that POV, you can’t go wrong. However, almond butter is the most nutrient-dense option per serving”.
“It’s also worth keeping your eyes peeled for brands that use high oleic peanuts. These little nutrient bombs are packed with oleic acid, aka — the good fats, similar to those found in the likes of avocados and extra virgin olive oil. Great news for healthy cholesterol levels.”
As if we needed another excuse to grab a spoon...
Which nut has the most protein?
“That award goes to peanut butter! Watch out though, it’s also the most calorific. So for that reason, it’s worth watching your serving size and incorporating it into your macros."
“Try adding a teaspoon to your morning oats, alongside Greek yoghurt for a balanced serving of protein and healthy fats first thing in the morning.”
Is nut butter good for weight loss?
“Although high in calories, moderate inclusion of nuts or nut products within the diet is not associated with weight gain. But like anything, if eaten in excess, weight gain may occur.”
How we test nut butters
The Women’s Health Lab had the tough job of trying 24 protein-packed nut butters — including almond, peanut, hazelnut and cashew. Trying each straight up, spread on toast and swirled into overnight oats, we’ve found the best nut butters to add to your basket RN.
Made with those revered high-oleic peanuts, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, Manilife’s deep roast is life.
We’re yet to find a tastier peanut spread — particularly if you like big, crunchy whole nuts in every bite.
Just when you thought almond butter couldn’t get any better, along comes Yumello’s version, which includes coconut, dates and just a pinch of sea salt.
It’s big on flavour and a dream slathered on to crumpets or used in shakes
When peanut and almond aren’t hitting the spot, we turn to Biona’s organic and naturally sweet cashew butter instead, which adds a pleasant creamy texture to smoothies.
It contains no other ingredients at all, making it a deserving winner of this category.
Supercharge your pre-workout smoothie with a spoonful of all-natural almond butter.
MyProtein knows a thing or two about nutrition, so you won’t find any salt, sugar or palm oil here — just high-protein almonds, rich in vitamin E — simple.
Organic Kitchen Peanut Butter Smooth 1kg
Sticking to your goals is all in the meal prep, so to ensure you’ve always got a steady supply of peanut butter, this smooth, organic spread comes in a handy one kilo tub. Ready, steady, protein shake.
There’s something about this crunchy, creamy peanut butter that reminds us of our childhood. It’s lovingly made in New Zealand, with hi-oleic peanuts and a teeny bit of salt. A proper classic!
Nutri Butter Gut Friendly 180g
Nutri Butter is the first peanut spread to contain gut-friendly live cultures, but does it taste any good?
Our testers thought so! They loved the addition of turmeric and ginger in this savoury nut butter, and described it as smooth and creamy. Excellent stuff!
Pana Organic Cashew Caramel Spread 200g
You might think drizzling caramel all over your meals is a no-go if you’re trying to make gains, but Pana’s organic cashew butter is packed with good stuff. Sweetened with coconut sugar, you’ll also find maca and sesame seeds for extra oomph.
Meridian Crunchy Peanut Butter 280g
Just a PSA that nut butters shouldn’t be reserved solely for breakfast. They also make a great protein boost in savoury food too, and Meridian’s chunky, whole-roasted skin-on peanut butter is delicious in curries.
Mindful Bites Dark Choc Hazelnut And Choc Hazelnut Spread 2 x 185g
Granted, this decadent spread does contain some cane sugar, but hazelnuts also deliver protein, vitamin E, fibre and healthy fats, so we’ll let it slide.
With dark choc and regular tubs, the two-pack would make a great gift for the nut butter addict in your life, although we won’t blame you if you treat yourself.
Made from real roasted, pressed peanuts, this clever protein-packed powder delivers a PB fix, but with nearly 90% less fat and a third of the calories found in your regular spread.
We prefer adding a scoop to shakes, porridge, overnight oats and smoothies, however if you do want to rehydrate, you just mix with water until it forms a creamy consistency of your choice.
Stacey is our Senior Food and Drink Editor, looking after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila.
Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine.
Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings.
Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business.
You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
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