Food Fight: Almond Butter vs. Peanut Butter

Get revved up for the next Healthy Eats battle! Peanut butter and almond butter are popular choices for kids and adults, but which should you choose?
peanut butter
Get revved up for the next Healthy Eats battle: almond butter versus peanut butter. These nuts butters are popular with folks young and old but which should you be putting in your shopping cart?

Almond Butter

Two tablespoons of almond butter has around 202 calories, 18 grams of mostly unsaturated fat, and 4 grams of protein. It’s an excellent source of vitamin E, magnesium and manganese. It also provides fiber, calcium, iron, a few B-vitamins, potassium, and zinc.

The flavor of almond butter is comparable to peanut butter only nuttier and slightly richer. It’s a tasty alternative for those with peanut-only allergies.

A recent ABC News article also reported that two-time American Olympic medalist and beach volleyball player Kerry Walsh eats almond butter and honey sandwiches, especially before she competes.

There are a few cons when it comes to this nut butter. Some food manufacturers may add sugar, salt or hydrogenated oils in order to increase its shelf life. Read the ingredient list and choose the variety with the fewest ingredients and no additives.

A second con: almond butter isn’t as easy to find as peanut butter. You may need to go to a specialty food stores or ask your grocery store manager to order it. It’s also more expensive than peanut butter – organic varieties can run around 8 to 10 dollars per 15-ounce jar!

Peanut Butter

Two tablespoons of peanut butter has about 188 calories, 16 grams of mostly unsaturated fat, and 8 grams of protein. It’s an excellent source of niacin and manganese and a good source of vitamin E, magnesium and phosphorus.

You can easily find many varieties of chunky and smooth peanut butter on store shelves. Some are better than others. Reduced-fat peanut butter often has more sugar than their full-fat counterparts. Other peanut butters have added sugar, salt, or trans fats in order to add flavor or increase shelf life. Look for varieties that are as simple as possible -- made from peanuts and a touch of salt.

Peanut butter is also much less expensive than almond butter running around 4 dollars per 15-ounce jar. Oftentimes, you can also find it on sale or buy in even cheaper in bulk. Check out these 10 ways to enjoy it!

See the results of our peanut butter taste test.

Healthy Eats Winner:

Peanut butter wins this face-off! Although both almond and peanut butter are comparable in calories and good-for-you nutrients, almond butter is just tougher to find and costs a pretty penny. Unless you have a personal need to purchase almond butter (like a peanut-only allergy)—there’s no need to shell out the extra cash. Just be sure to read the ingredient list in order to choose the healthiest nut butter.

TELL US: Who gets your vote: almond or peanut butter?

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