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!
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- We're nuts about this . . . legume!
We’re nuts about peanuts, but they’re actually not a nut! Peanuts are part of the legume family along with lentils and beans. Seems we’re not the only ones going crazy for them. The average American eats more than 6 pounds of peanuts and peanut butter products each year.
Peanut Basics
Peanuts are also called groundnuts, earthnuts and in the South, “goobers.” Like other legumes, peanuts are edible seeds enclosed in pods. They grow underground in tropical and subtropical regions and are thought to have originated in Brazil or Peru. Today China and India are the largest producers of peanuts. In the U.S. the legume is grown in Georgia, Alabama, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, Virginia and Oklahoma.
Three main types of peanuts grown in the U.S. include Spanish, Runners and Virginias. Spanish peanuts have small-sized kernels, while runners have a medium-sized kernel. Virginias are also known as cocktail nuts and have large-sized kernels. Valencia peanuts have three or four small kernels in a shell but are not as commonly grown in the U.S.
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Another day, another wacky food holiday. This time, it’s National Peanut Month. So in case you need more reasons to love this nut (which is technically a legume), we’ve got plenty of reasons you should celebrate, all month long.
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- Is there sugar hiding in your groceries?
Move over salt, there’s a new bad guy in town: sugar. We know that sweet treats and heavily processed food tends to be laden with sugar, but you’ll be shocked to find out that these 8 common foods that contain more sugar than you think.
The Guidelines
The American Heart Association recommends that women limit their added sugar to no more than 6 teaspoons (or 100 calories) while men shouldn’t consume more than 9 teaspoons (or 150 calories) each day. Americans blow these recommendations out of the water, consuming an average of 475 calories of added sugar each day! So take a good look at your pantry to see if you’re eating any of these hidden sources of sugar.
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- It's one of our favorite food holidays: National Peanut Butter Day!
In honor of National Peanut Butter Day, we’ve rounded up some of our best posts related to this oh-so-versatile spread. Whether you make a peanut butter smoothie or spread it on some apple slices is entirely up to you, but either way, it’s easy to see why there is a whole day dedicated to this addicting treat.
9 Reasons to Celebrate National Peanut Butter Day
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There’s nothing wrong with a little trick-or-treating but some Halloween goodies can be downright spooky! Why not make a few of the classics on your own, and eliminate some of the preservatives found in store-bough treats? Here’s a recipe for one of our favorites: peanut butter cups.
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- Hot new foods to look for at the grocery store.
Is your head swirling with all the newest “healthy” products you see on market shelves? I just attended the annual Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo in San Diego, California where I was able to check out several hot new items. Here are my top 7 tasty finds.
1. Lite Pom
Who doesn’t love the goodness of pomegranate juice? But many folks find juice in general to be overly sweet with too much sugar. Pom Light contains 75 calories per 8 fluid-ounce serving and 18 grams of sugar. That’s 50 percent fewer calories and almost half as much sugar than the regular version of Pom juice. Yes, light juices exist but Pom cuts down on the sugar by mixing it with water. Sound crazy? Think about this: Many folks who find juice too sweet or they want to cut down on calories mix juice with water at home. And since you’re getting less juice, the cost is cheaper too. Pom Light comes in really fun flavors like dragonfruit, black currant, blackberry, and pomegranate (the dragonfruit was particularly tasty).
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- Rolled oats will cost you just 20 cents per 1/2 cup portion.
Our original top 10 list was so popular, Healthy Eats readers asked for more. Here are 10 more healthy foods that won’t break the bank.
#1: Carrots
Cost: $0.89 per 1 pound bag (about 9 carrots)
Even my kids tout the benefits of carrots, “They give you healthy eyes, mom” they always tell me. But beta-carotene has more benefits than meets the eyes. It also helps promote healthy bones, skin and hair. Make carrot soup, add to a stir-fry, or slice into strips for an easy kids snack.
#2: Low fat cottage cheese
Cost: $2.75 per 16-ounce container
This perfect combo of protein, carbs and fat will help keep you satisfied. It’ll also give you a boost of calcium with 10% of your daily recommended dosage in every ½ cup serving. If you’ve been passing this underappreciated food in your dairy aisle, check out more reasons why we love it.
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- Peanut butter cookies can be part of a healthy diet -- yes, really!
We just can’t get enough of it! Last month we gave you 10 fun ideas for working peanut butter into meals and here are 5 more recipes for peanut buttery treats. Cookies and fudge can be part of a healthy diet: All 5 of these recipes meet our criteria — it’s all about portion control.
Peanut butter 5 ways »
- Dana's Peanut Butter Energy Bars
Calling all peanut butter lovers! We’re celebrating Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day and kicking off National Peanut Month by giving you 10 tummy-pleasing ways to sop up some peanutty decadence. We recommend choosing natural or homemade varieties for the truest flavor and best nutrition.
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