Peanut Butter - Whats the Better Alternative

Peanut Butter

Is peanut butter actually healthy, or are there potential health problems associated with eating it too often?

Well, first of all, peanuts are a legume, and not a tree nut, and legumes tend to have more antinutrients overall than tree nuts.  This can be bad in some cases, but not all.

But the REAL problems with peanuts and peanut butter are...

  1.  Peanuts have a higher lectin content than most tree nuts, and lectins can be harsh on your gut health, particularly if you already have IBS, leaky gut, or other gut disorders.  Peanuts also contain aflatoxin, which is a toxin that can have various negative health effects if you consume it too often.

  2.  Peanuts have a poor ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, possibly making inflammation in your body worse if you already get too much omega-6s.

  3.  Peanut butter often contains the additives of high fructose corn syrup AND deadly hydrogenated oils (aka, trans fats), which you already know are 2 of the most deadly additives in our food supply.

So, what are the best alternative nut butters?

Instead of peanut butter, I always get either almond butter.

Almond butter is Paleo-friendly, whereas peanut butter is a legume, and legumes are generally recommended to be avoided or reduced on a Paleo Diet.

One of my favorite mid-day snacks that I NEVER get tired of is apple slices dipped in almond butter.... Mmm, sooooo good!  And it's chock-full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to nourish your body.

Unfortunately, some people have a hard time finding good almond butter, or if they do find it at a specialty store, it's ridiculously priced at almost $30 per jar in some places...yikes!