Is Peanut Butter A Good Choice For Peeps On The Keto Diet
Generally, peanut butter can fit into very low carb diets . But the type of peanut butter can affect its carb content.
Some types of PB are very high in added sugar. Sugars a carb, so that would make them a no-go for peeps on keto diets. Flavored PB may have several teaspoons of added sugar per serving and can be much higher in total carbs than plain PB.
Technically, you could eat these flavored peanut butters on a keto diet as long as you stay within your daily carb goal. But chances are, you prob dont want to use up half of your total daily carb allotment on a few tablespoons of PB!
Sticking to natural, unsweetened peanut butter is a great option, especially if youre on a very low carb diet. It contains fewer carbs than sweetened varieties, but still has lots of protein and healthy fats.
So Is Peanut Butter Keto
This is a breakdown of regular peanut butter’s nutritional value, according to the USDA.
- Serving size: 32 grams
- 5.5 grams of net carbs
Natural peanut butter, on the other hand, looks more like this.
- Serving size: 32 grams
- 7 grams of carbs
- 4 grams of net carbs
So, yep, peanut butter is ketoin small amounts. It’s a great source of fat, fiber, and protein, says Priscilla Blevins, RD, the owner of Keto Girl Nutritionist.
One note, though: The calories and carbs can add up quickly, so it’s best to stick with one serving or less per day, Ernst notes.
Finding The Best Peanut Butter
For the healthiest PB option, dont just grab the first one you see on the supermarket shelf. Most peanut butter that is commercially available has sugar and vegetable oils added to it, warns Sass. By reading labels carefully, you can avoid processed versions. Whittel advises going with peanut butter that only contains peanuts and salt. This will be the natural kind that needs to be stirred when it becomes separated, explains Whittel.
You should also give “low fat” or “reduced fat” peanut butter brands a swerve for the obvious reason that keto is not a low-fat plan, but also because reduced-fat foods often have added sugar.
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Why Do People Avoid Peanut Butter
With only 2g of net carbs per tablespoon, it seems like unsweetened peanut butter should be keto-friendly. After all, thats 8.5g of fat, 2g of carbs, and 4g of protein. Those seem like pretty ketogenic macronutrients! But, the problem with peanut butter lies beyond the macros.
The first problem with most peanut butter is thetype of fat within it. Peanut butter contains linoleic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid. A high ratio ofomega 6: omega 3s are linked to inflammation, as well as many other chronic illnesses.
Additionally, some peanut butters add trans fats. Even if the label says 0g of trans-fats, look at the ingredients to see if it includes hydrogenated oil.
Hydrogenated oils are directly linked to numerous health conditions, including cancer. For a more detailed explanation of trans fats, read our article on why trans fats are bad.
The main reason people avoid peanut butter has to do with a mold called Aspergillus. If mold doesnt sound appetizing enough, this Aspergillus is known to produce aflatoxins.
Aflatoxins are mutagens and carcinogens linked to cancer. These toxins are produced by aspergillus, which is found on peanuts, corn, and other tree nuts.
The USDA monitors for aflatoxin presence and works to prevent consumption that could lead to adverse health effects. The processing of turning peanuts into peanut butter is able to dramatically reduce the presence of aflatoxins in the finished peanut butter product.
Tips For Including Peanut Butter On A Keto Diet
To enjoy peanut butter on a keto diet, there are two key things to keep in mind.
First, check the ingredients for added sugars. Added sugar makes peanut butter sweeter and better for making desserts, but it can increase the carb count.
Additionally, be mindful of portion sizes, especially if youre trying to lose weight. Peanut butter has a lot of calories for a relatively small serving. A standard serving size is 2 tablespoons which may be less than you expect.
If you cant eat peanut butter or are looking for an alternative that is even lower in carbs, almond butter is a good option. It contains 6 grams of total carbs, or 3 grams net carbs, per 2-tablespoon serving .
Summary
Some peanut butter includes added sugars, which increase carb count. Unsweetened, plain almond butter is a slightly more keto-friendly alternative to peanut butter.
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Net Carbs In Peanut Butter
The issue with this though is that as per Healths contributing nutrition editor Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD A keto diet is typically restricted to 5% carbs so if you eat 1600 calories a day, that’s a maximum of 20 grams of carbs per day. A two-tablespoon portion of unsweetened peanut butter provides 6 grams of carbs with 2 grams of that as fiber, that leaves 4 net grams of carbs. So in that portion, you’ve ‘spent’ 20% of your carb allowance, not including any veggies.
In short, eating peanut butter while following a keto diet, will more than likely push you over your daily carbohydrate allowance. Additionally, it may mean you miss out on more nutritious sources of carbohydrates such as vegetables as you have already met your allowance for the day.
Keto Peanut Butter Fudge
Make this keto fudge if youre looking for a quick snack that helps reduce sugar cravings. It takes a few minutes and requires four ingredients:
Add your butter and peanut butter to a mixing bowl and pop it in the microwave for a minute, so it melts. Next, whisk this mixture using a hand or electric beater and add the erythritol and vanilla extract.
Once its well mixed, get a bread loaf tray and line it with non-stick paper. Pour your mixture into this tray, tap the tray on the table a few times and toss it in the freezer for 30 minutes. When its ready, serve and store it in the fridge.
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What Kind Of Peanut Butter Is Best For Keto
“Make sure to look for peanut butters with only up to two ingredients in them: peanuts, and maybe salt,” Godfrey says. She recommends Smuckers Natural peanut butter, either creamy or chunky.
Smucker’s Natural Chunky Peanut Butter
Smucker’s Natural Chunky Peanut Butter
She points out that in a two-tablespoon serving, most natural peanut butters contain 6 to 7 grams of carbohydrates. Subtract the carbs that come from fiber, and you’re looking at 2-4 grams of net carbs. “Most of the carbohydrates it does contain comes from fiber carbs, which break down much more slowly in our digestive tract than carbohydrates coming from sugars,” Godfrey says.
Another note about choosing a keto-friendly peanut butter: Most “low fat” or “reduced fat” brands add in sugar, Godfrey says.
How To Make Homemade Peanut Butter On The Keto Diet
Going homemade is the best decision you can make if you are trying to stick with a specific diet goal. Making your own food at home allows you the luxury of knowing what exactly is in your food.
You might think that making nut butter is a very complex process, but you couldnt be further from the truth. You can make any nut or seed-based spread from scratch in under 15 minutes if you have the right ingredients and tools.
Here is a quick recipe to try.
Ingredients
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Helps You Get More Protein In Your Diet
3 tablespoons of peanut butter provide you with 12 grams of protein. From a macronutrient standpoint, protein is essential for repairing cells and preserving muscle mass.
Note: You need a moderate amount of protein on a standard keto diet, ranging from 0.8 to 1 gram per pound of body weight, depending on your goals and activity level.
Can You Take Peanut Butter On Keto
Following a keto diet plan isnt easy. And if your favorite foods like pickles, pasta, and peanut butter arent keto, dieting can be difficult.
Fortunately for you, peanut butter is keto friendly, but when taken in moderation.
You see, if youre on keto, youre allowed to consume a net of 50g of carbs daily. And as we discussed earlier, one tablespoon of peanut butter has only 3.6. So, if you use 1-2 spoons on your sandwich, you are good to go.
The only problem is you have to be conscious. Any diet be it of any cuisine usually has a high proportion of natural carbs. For instance, even pulses known for their proteins have a substantial amount of carbs.
It is tough to check the carb content of each little ingredient in your diet when you are on keto. Because unlike fats or proteins, carbs are present in almost every food.
So, if you want to have more than two spoons of peanut butter, you will have to be utterly conscious.
Another factor you must consider when looking for what to eat on keto is the number of calories and fillers.
Peanut butter is high in calories but not unhealthy. It is rich in protein, fats, and fiber.
However, most commercial peanut butter contains sugar and other fillers, making them unusable for keto dieters.
The best way to ensure your peanut butter is keto friendly is to make your own natural, unsweetened, and homemade peanut butter.
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Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter
Best For: Keto dieters who want to use Valencia nuts due to the low aflatoxin levels.
What makes Kirkland unique is it uses Valencia peanuts. These nuts have the lowest amount of aflatoxin. This is a mycotoxin that many doctors consider the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen.
So if youre eating Kirkland peanut butter, you wont have to worry about this carcinogen.
Here are the nutritional facts for one serving of Kirkland peanut butter:
- Four grams of carbs
- 15 grams of fat
- Eight grams of protein
Also, Kirkland only sources nuts from farms in the US that dont use pesticides and herbicides like glyphosate.
An interesting fact about glyphosate: Glyphosate was introduced in 1974. And if you look at any graph showing the rate of peanut allergies, it suddenly spikes around this time. So although there arent studies linking glyphosate to peanut allergies, its a possibility that peanuts dont cause peanut allergies but rather glyphosate.
Can You Eat Sugar Peanut Butter On A Low
Technically, you can. Some brands might contain only a little bit of sugar adding about 2 g of sugar per serving. In this case, if you are to have only one serving, there is no harm done.
This is however only justifiable if you truly enjoy the taste of a particular brand. If this is not the case, you should stick with healthier, sugar-free alternatives. Try one, you may be surprised at its naturally good taste!
The key is to always read the nutrition label on the jar to see if a particular variety fits within your macro goals.
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The Fewer The Ingredients The Better
PB& J options contain no less than ten ingredients, including high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and dextrose. As a rule of thumb, opt for peanut butters with the least possible ingredients.
Natural peanut butter options contain mostly peanuts. Regular salt or sea salt is fine, too in fact, great for you if youre on a low-carb diet for your sodium needs.
The Best Keto Peanut Butter Brands
There are countless brands available on the market. The best brand for you will depend on where you live and what is available to you. If the following sugar-free brands are available in your area, they are worth a try.
Remember some brands may have some varieties that are keto-friendly and some that are not. Therefore, if you are trying a different flavor for the first time, double-check the carb content just to make sure.
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Best Types Of Pb For Keto Dieters
If youre on the keto diet, choosing natural, unsweetened PB is the way to go.
Natural PB should only contain peanuts and salt. These products dont contain added sugars, oils, or other ingredients.
Here are a few good choices for natural PB:
- Once Again Creamy Peanut Butter:5 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
- Santa Cruz Organics Creamy Light Roasted Peanut Butter:2 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
- Smuckers Natural Chunky Peanut Butter:4 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
- Adams Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter:4 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
Remember, when youre shopping for PB, steer clear of flavored and sweetened PB like chocolate, cinnamon, maple, or honey flavors.
Also, keep in mind that peanut butter candies, cakes, and granola bars are high in added sugar. Just because a peanut butter cup has PB in it, doesnt mean it can fit into your keto diet. Always check the nutrition label if youre not sure if a product is right for you.
If youre not a PB lover, there are plenty of other nuts and seeds to enjoy on a keto diet.
Plus, other nuts and seeds are lower in carbs than peanuts .
Here are a few other nut and seed butters that can fit into your keto diet plan:
- Almond butter:3 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
- Pecan butter:1 g net carb per 2-tbsp serving
- Walnut butter:4 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
- Sunflower butter:2 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
- Pumpkin seed butter:2 g net carbs per 2-tbsp serving
Dont Worry About Aflatoxins
One concern around peanut butter you may have heard about is aflatoxin exposure. Aflatoxins are a family of toxins found on various crops, including peanuts and tree nuts.
One case-control study found that long-term exposure to aflatoxins increases ones risk of liver cancer, malnutrition, and impaired immune function.
While this is a real concern, you likely dont need to worry because the USDA and FDA has implemented guidelines to minimize risk, including close monitoring of susceptible crops and imported products.
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Are Other Nut Butters Keto
The aforementioned caveat has made you wary of peanut butter and now youre wondering whether you might be safer with another type of nut butter instead. To be sure, added sugar is far less likely to be a problem with the almond butter you bought at a local natural food store than it is with, say, a jar of Jiffy you scored at Walmart. Still, you can encounter the issue with any type of store-bought nut butter, so youre still going to have to scan the label before you proceed if youre serious about achieving ketosis. Of course, you can always swap one hassle for another and simply make your own nut butters at home, which is actually not that hard to do and can save you money, to boot.
Join Our Jesus And Keto Movement
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Knowing firsthand the benefits of this decision, we have created a closed Christian group using the keto diet to transform their lives.
We invite you to join our and see if its not the key you have been missing.
Be sure to request our FREE Jesus and Keto E-Book We hope it blesses you.
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Is Peanut Butter Okay On The Keto Diet
Peanut butter is a fantastic choice for keto. Its naturally high in fat with a good amount of fiber and protein. If you buy store-bought peanut butter, be sure to check the label for added sugar and other unwelcome ingredients. They can add a lot of extra carbs and shouldnt have anything other than peanuts, salt, and possibly a little oil.
Is Peanut Butter Keto
Yes, but there’s a catch.
On a ketogenic, the caloric breakdown usually falls in place as so: 60 to 80 percent of your daily calories come from fat, 20 to 30 percent from protein, and the rest from carbs.
Peanut butter is high-fat, low-carbunless you’re buying flavored peanut butters that load up on one threat to ketosis: sugar.
“The keto diet is all about staying in the nutrient ranges, so avoiding added sugars is key,” says Jessica Crandall Snyder, R.D.N., of Vital RD in Denver and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
So fair warning: “Most peanut butters on the market add sugar into their product,” says Dara Godfrey, MS, RD, a registered dietitian in New York City.
If you’re serious about keto, make sure you’re reading labels for peanut butter with no added sugars.
Important note: Peanuts naturally contain sugars so it’s incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to find a peanut butter with no sugarit’s the added sugars that you need to watch out for.
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