SmarTasty
Count calories with a photo
Check three things: only nuts on the label, an oil layer on top is normal (stir it in), and pick light or dark by use. Sugar or palm fat means it isn't pure.
Whether a nut butter is a simple food or a sweet spread is usually revealed by a single glance at the label.
One spoonful makes porridge, yoghurt, dressings or sauces creamy. Nuts provide unsaturated fatty acids, plant protein, fibre and, depending on the type, magnesium or vitamin E. A plain nut butter is the simpler choice compared with sweet spreads and fits into recipes with no added sugar, high-protein recipes or vegan recipes.
Pure nut butter has exactly one ingredient.
Ingredients: almonds. (Or peanuts, cashews and so on.)
That's it. If you see sugar, palm fat, other oils or flavourings, it's no longer pure nut butter.
Manufacturers stretch it with cheaper fat or sugar, and nut butter turns into a sweet spread. In the US, "peanut butter" may contain up to 10 % seasoning and stabilising ingredients besides peanuts, such as hydrogenated oils, and it often contains sugar and salt as well. A jar labelled "100% peanuts" is usually the pure product.
If there's a layer of clear oil at the top of the jar, the product hasn't gone off.
Almond butter and tahini (sesame paste) come in both versions:
| Type | Taste | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Light almond butter | mild, creamy | dressings, desserts, pale sauces |
| Dark almond butter | strong, slightly bitter | porridge, on bread, energy balls |
| Light tahini | delicate, subtle | dips, hummus, dressings |
| Dark tahini | more intense, slightly bitter | savoury bowls, roasted veg |
Nut butter is energy-dense – that's normal for a pure nut product. Read the ingredients list first, then the table: sugar should be very low in a plain nut butter.
| Butter | Protein per 100 g | Fibre per 100 g | Special feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut butter | fairly high | medium | often inexpensive |
| Dark almond butter | medium | fairly high | vitamin E, magnesium |
| Cashew butter | medium | fairly low | very creamy |
| Walnut butter | fairly low | medium | distinctive taste |
The exact values vary by type and manufacturer.
Not necessarily. Organic nut butter can also contain sugar or other fats. Roasted tastes stronger, raw milder – what really counts is still the ingredients list.
Differences in colour and texture between batches and roasts are normal, and so is oil separation. If the nut butter smells rancid, tastes clearly bitter or you can see mould around the edge, don't use it any more.
In the fridge, nut butter gets firmer. In a warm kitchen it can still make sense; otherwise a dark cupboard is enough.
A portion of 15 to 30 grams – about 1 to 2 tbsp – is usually plenty. Nut butter isn't a problem, it's just very concentrated. It goes well with oats and blueberries, for example. If you have a nut or peanut allergy, avoid nut butter altogether, and check "may contain" warnings too.
Inspiration: smoothie recipes and meal prep recipes.
Pure nut butter is made only from nuts, so the price of the raw material feeds straight through. A high price isn't a mark of quality in itself, but a very low price for almond, hazelnut or pistachio butter is a reason to read the label carefully.
The ingredients list: it should name only nuts. If it lists palm fat, sugar or salt, it's no longer pure nut butter.
In pure nut butter it's normal and often points to a product without stabilisers. It doesn't replace a look at the ingredients list, though. Don't pour it off – stir it in well.
Standard peanut butter often contains peanuts plus sugar, salt and oil. 100% peanut butter is usually made only from ground peanuts and is the simpler choice.
Not necessarily. A cool, dark cupboard is usually enough; in a warm kitchen the fridge makes sense. The butter gets firmer there.
It depends on how you use it. Dark butter has a little more fibre and a stronger taste; light butter is milder and more versatile in sauces or desserts.