Nuts are among some of the healthiest snacks out there. Rich in minerals, protein, and healthy fats, you cannot go wrong with many nut varieties, and the same goes for nut butter.
When it comes to choosing a nut butter that’s both nutritious and delicious, is one notably healthier than the other? For example, if you compare almond butter to peanut butter, would one reign supreme about nutritional value? To answer that question, let’s dive into the nutritional benefits of each. RELATED: What Happens To Your Body If You Eat Peanut Butter Every Day
Let’s start with almond butter. Almond butter offers a great source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. It provides more than its peanut counterpart. In a different Eat This, Not That! Article Rachel Paul, Ph.D., RD from CollegeNutritionist.com, explained that almond butter takes first place by just a hair when it comes to vitamins and minerals.
She shared that almond butter contains seven times the amount of calcium per serving than peanut butter contains. Almond butter is also a good source of vitamin E, packing about three times the amount of peanut butter. It’s essential to eat foods that are rich in vitamin E, including almonds, avocados, and sunflower seeds, because it has antioxidant-like properties that can help protect your cells from damage caused by harmful free radicals.<img alt=”crunchy peanut butter” src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/Lfc6yMlv.mQg1cCcP0Ykzg–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcwMw–/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/WpvRW2nY.qrIvfjRnQlGOA–~B/aD04Nzk7dz0xMjAwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/en/galvanized/e7a0a20f5f219176e211cef95e22ff21″ class=”cars-img”/>
As far as iron, magnesium, and potassium go, both types of nut butter contain nearly equivalent amounts of each nutrient. You’ll also notice a two-tablespoon serving of almond butter and peanut butter containing about the same amount of protein. Almond butter has about two grams more total fat than peanut butter, per the USDA.