KevinandAmyJo.com | a natural family wellness guide

We love Almonds and Almond Butter…but ya, know ~ there’s nothing like breaking out the Adam’s Peanut Butter and spreading it out on a freshly toasted english muffin or using it as an apple slice or celery dip!

This makes us wonder about the rest of the world.  Which do you prefer – Peanut Butter, Almond Butter or Both?  Which is healthier?

Let’s dig into the facts:

Peanut butter and Almond butter are both healthy protein sources and have similar calorie counts per serving.  They both provide great minerals such as tryptophan, manganese, copper and Vitamin E.  From the standpoint of nutrient content ~ peanut butter provides about 20% of your daily niacin needs, while almond butter give 40% of vitamin E and 20% of magnesium.

This information come from Best Natural Foods regarding Almonds:

“Almonds and almond butter are nutritional powerhouses that contain significant amounts of protein, calcium, fiber, magnesium, folic acid, potassium, and vitamin E. Almond butter has extremely low saturated fat content and is rich in monounsaturated fats making it a heart-healthy choice. Of course, almonds have notrans fat. Studies consistently have shown that the addition of almonds into the diet effectively lowers cholesterol. Unlike low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets, adding almonds does not adversely alter insulin sensitivity in healthy adults or blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes.”

“Almonds are a good source of plant sterols, such as beta-sitosterol, which have been shown to alleviate symptoms of BPH (enlarged prostate), a condition afflicting the majority of men over age 50. Two tablespoons of almond butter contain roughly 35 milligrams of beta-sitosterol.”

This chart compares creamy unsalted versions of each nutty spread, and the percentages are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

2 tbsp. peanut butter	2 tbsp. almond butter
Calories	190	190
Total Fat (g)	16	16
Saturated Fat (g)	2	1.5
Carbs (g)	7	6
Fiber (g)	3	4
Protein (g)	8	7
Calcium	1%	8%
Iron	3%	6%
Vitamin E	14%	40%
Folate	6%	6%

It’s interesting to note that when buying Almond butter or Peanut butter that is already processed and in the jar, the Vitamin E is lost due to high-heat processing.  Dr. Elson M. Hass of the Global Healing Center of Natural Health and Organic Living says that the manufacturers also add oils and sweeteners to the nut butters, which can make them unhealthy. Commercial peanut butters often contain cottonseed, soybean or rapeseed oil, molasses and mono or diglycerides.

Both butters are at their most nutritious when made at home, using only fresh, roasted or raw nuts. They can both be mixed with honey, sorghum or molasses for added flavor and nutrition.

The Biggest Difference

Almonds grow on trees, which makes them a true nut.  Peanuts are actually legumes and grow underground. Keeping this in mind, peanuts can often contain molds or fungus.  Peanut proteins can also act as powerful allergens, even in tiny amounts.  Peanut allergies are the most common cause of death by food in the U.S.  Just inhaling the scent of a peanut can cause some children or adults to have a ruthless reaction.

Here is a brief history on Peanuts and Peanut Butter:  Click Here

I think we can conclude that Almonds are much healthier for us than Peanuts.

We eat both in our family and when we buy Peanut Butter, we usually will get the freshly ground Peanut Butter (from the grinder machine) or get Adam’s!  (We love Adam’s!)  Any other brand, you’ve gotta watch for a few things:  Sugar Content, High Fructose Corn Syrup and Corn, Soy, Canola and Vegetable Oils…

We will also buy the freshly ground Almond Butter (from the grinder machine) or we make our own!

Raw Almonds have got to be one of the best foods we can eat!   What do you think?

From Our Family To Yours,

Kevin and Amy Jo

 

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