Shopping for peanut butter can be a bit overwhelming (although it shouldn’t be)! The shelves are packed with many different options and you have no idea which one to choose.
What brand should you buy? Creamy or crunchy? Organic? Natural? Where do you even begin?
According to the e-CFR, electronic code of federal regulations, peanut butter is described as “the food prepared by grinding shelled and roasted peanuts to which safe and suitable seasoning and stabilizing ingredients may be added.” Such seasoning and stabilizing agents do not exceed 10% of the weight of the finished product.
Basically peanut butter has to be made of at least 90% peanuts and 10% or less of artificial sweeteners, flavorings, or preservatives. If these requirements are not met, it must be labeled as a “peanut butter spread”.
{Prefer video? Here’s my 2 minute take on peanut butter.}
What should you look for?
- Peanuts as the main ingredient. Ingredients are listed on the nutrition facts label in descending order by weight. When viewing the ingredient list, peanuts should ALWAYS be the first ingredient.
- The least amount of ingredients, the better. Look for peanut butter that has only one ingredient…PEANUTS. A little salt can be okay too. Some grocery stores have grinders that turn peanuts into peanut butter for you. This allows you to purchase however much you like instead of having to buy a whole jar (~18 oz.) and you can guarantee only one ingredient.
What if it’s labeled as “natural”?
Believe it or not, there is no specific regulation of the term “natural”. So it basically means nothing! You must always read the ingredient list. Just because something is labeled as “natural”, does not mean it is good for you.
What should you AVOID?
- Sugar/Sweeteners. Look out for added sugars or sweeteners in the form of evaporated cane juice, corn syrup solids, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, honey, etc.
- Hydrogenated Oils. Hydrogenated oils are used to improve texture but add unnecessary trans-fat, even if only in small amounts.
- Palm Oil. Palm oil is commonly used in peanut butter to help solidify the product but is high in saturated fat. You should avoid this ingredient if possible.
- Labeled as “reduced-fat”. Usually when fat is removed from a food, sugar and starchy fillers are added to compensate for the flavor. You may be getting less fat but more sugar and carbohydrates…BEWARE!
- Peanut butter and jelly mixed together. When you purchase PB&J in one container, you get a lot of artificial ingredients and sugar that could be avoided if bought separately.
Here are some examples of ingredients lists that you would buy:
- Smuckers
- Crazy Richards
- Harris Teeter (Natural)
- Teddie Old Fashioned All Natural
Here are some examples of brands with ingredient lists that you would not buy:
REMEMBER: Peanut butter should be ground up peanuts. Period. It does not matter if it is a store brand or brand name as long as you know the ingredients!
And, eating any peanut butter (even Jif or Skippy) on a sandwich is still better for your health than most fast food options. Make the best choice with what you have available!
I love to tell people this:
You can make peanut butter in your mouth! Just put the peanuts in and grind them with your teeth! 😀
– Julie
Sorry if you address this in your video. Is organic peanut butter healthier? I read about aflatoxim (mold) in regular peanut butter.
It’s not necessary to choose organic. The nutrient content (and mold risk) will be similar for either. Also, the concern about aflatoxin is pretty much not something you need to worry about. Berkeley Wellness covered it nicely here: http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food-safety/article/aflatoxin-peanuts
Thank you Julie! I recommend peanut butter to many of my patients.. and then I get on my soap box about which peanut butter is best! Always look at the ingredients: “Peanuts, salt.” You’re good to go!
😀 yeah… it is a simple formula!! 🙂
My Jif brand peanut butter is made by Smuckers – does that mean it is OK?
Nope! Always gotta read the ingredient list. 🙂 julie
You didn’t mention ADAMs peanut butter with peanuts and salt only.
Why??
I don’t know whether “LAURA SCUDDERS “is a national brand. I always thought it was. We have it here in California and I love to show the label. Ingredients; Peanuts and Salt. That’s All! They also make an organic version which is always preferable. Brilliantly simple. Albert Einstein
In 2011-2012 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency administer a test of 304 corn products, 295 nut products and 104 nut butter products to measure their aflatoxins.
284 of 304 corn products did not contain detectable levels of aflatoxin.
The ones that contained detectable levels ranged from an average of 0.2 PPB (tortilla/corn chips) to 0.8 PPB (corn flour). Maximum level measured was 1.5 PPB (corn flour sample, did not identify brand)
Portions of corn samples that contained positive levels of aflatoxin were:
Canned corn: 0/31
Corn grits: 0/1
Popcorn: 0/32
Starch: 0/31
Tortilla: 0/1
Taco: 1/13
Cornmeal: 2/46
Tortilla/corn chips: 6/55
Breakfast/infant cereals: 6/72
Corn flour: 5/22
274 of 295 nut products did not contain detectable levels of aflatoxin. The ones that contained detectable levels ranged from an average of 0.4 PPB (walnuts) to 1.4 PPB (peanuts).
Maximum level measured was 7.6 PPB (peanut sample, did not identify brand)
Portions of nut products that contained positive levels of aflatoxin were:
Hazelnut: 0/36
Almond: 1/38
Pecan: 1/31
Walnut: 2/31
Cashew: 1/31
Pistachio: 1/30
Macadamia: 2/28
Brazil nut: 6/30
Peanut: 7/39
70 of 104 nut butter products did not contain detectable levels of aflatoxin. The ones that contained detectable levels ranged from an average of 1.2 PPB (hazelnut butter) – 2.9 PPB (almond butter).
Maximum level measured was 12.5 PPB (almond butter sample, did not identify brand).
Portions of nut butter products that contained positive levels of aflatoxin were:
Walnut butter: 0/4
Cashew butter: 1/11
Mixed nut butter: 1/3
Hazelnut butter: 4/24
Macadamia nut butter: 1/4
Peanut butter: 17/27
Almond butter: 10/31
Level of detection was 0.1 PPB.
This did help, thank you.
Only buy ORGANIC peanut butter made with VALENCIA peanuts. It’s a little more expensive, but who cares? Do you eat that much that cost really matters?