FitSugar

Peanut Butter vs. Almond Butter

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:00:00 -0700

A reader recently wrote in asking, between her two favorites, which was better: peanut butter or almond butter? The question of "better" might boil down to a sipmle question of taste, but like the reader, I enjoy the flavors of both.

I decided to do a side-by-side comparison of these popular spreads to see if they differ much nutritionally. If you're curious what you should be putting on your toast in the morning, read more.

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%

Nutrition-wise, it looks like almond butter offers a bit more, especially in terms of vitamin E. I will continue to eat both, and I hope you do too, since both nut butters offer a good source of protein and a fair amount of fiber. Remember, a serving of each is only two tablespoons, so watch those portions.

Avoiding Peanut Butter? Try These Alternatives

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

This whole peanut butter recall has really put a damper on my peanut-butter-loving life. I know not all peanut butter has been recalled, but truthfully, I've used avoiding peanut butter as an excuse to branch out. One positive outcome from this salmonella scare is that I rediscovered my love for crunchy almond butter, and recently tried walnut butter for the first time.

So don't fret about losing peanut butter. To see the nutritional breakdown of some interestingly tasty peanut-free alternatives read more.

Serving Size = 2 tbsp	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Sunflower Seed Butter	185	15.3	1.6	1	8.8	3	6.3
Sunflower Seed Butter (salted)	185	15.3	1.6	166	8.8	3	6.3
Almond Butter	190	16	1.5	0	6	4	7
Cashew Butter	190	15	3	0	10	2	5
Soy Nut Butter	200	14	2	0	8	2	10
Soy Nut Butter (salted)	200	14	2	150	8	2	10
Macadamia Butter	230	24	4	0	4	3	2
Macadamia Butter With Cashews	214	21	3.4	1	6	2.23	3.7
Walnut Butter With Cashews	205	19	2	0	4	2	5
Hempseed Butter	145	9	5	10	7	1	11
Pumpkin Seed Butter	200	16	3	80	2	2	10
Hazelnut Butter	180	17	1	0	5	3	4
Golden Pea Butter	160	10	1	0	16	2	4

Tell me your favorite peanut butter alternative in the comments sections below.

Add Almond Butter to Your Oatmeal

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 16:00:00 -0800

When you're preparing for a day that will bring a strenuous workout or a busy morning with no time for a mid-morning snack, it's especially important to eat a filling breakfast. Oatmeal is great for these occasions, and stirring almond butter into your bowl is a delicious way to add a lot more filling protein, fiber, and flavor.

Almond butter is a healthy and tasty alternative to the old favorite, but currently controversial, peanut butter. Both nut-based condiments are calorie-dense, and they're so yummy that it's easy to get carried away. Measure one serving (2 tablespoons) of almond butter before stirring it into your warm oatmeal, and start your day knowing that your stomach grumbles won't get in the way.

Source

Nutty For Nutritional Info on Nut Butters

FitSugar — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 16:30:00 -0800

When I was a child, I loved peanut butter. In college I experimented with almond butter. Cashew butter, which I dabble in every once in a while, is just heavenly. My girls, however, only like peanut butter, which made me curious - are all nut butters created equal? Does it matter which nut butter you choose? Is one more healthy than the other?

To see a side-by-side nutritional comparison of many popular nut butters read more.

This chart compares creamy, organic, all-natural nut butters. Essentially, the ingredients are mostly limited to nuts, just nuts.

2 tbsp.	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Saturated Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Peanut Butter (no salt)	190	16	2	0	7	3	8
Peanut Butter (salted)	190	16	2	80	7	3	8
Almond Butter (no salt)	190	16	1.5	0	6	4	7
Cashew Butter (no salt)	190	15	3	0	10	2	5
Soy Nut Butter (no salt)	200	14	2	0	8	2	10
Soynut Butter (salted)	200	14	2	150	8	2	10
Macadamia Nut Butter (no salt)	230	24	4	0	4	3	2

Soynut butter has the most protein, but almond butter has the most fiber and least amount of saturated fat. They're all pretty similar though, except for macadamia nut butter, which tastes so good but should really only be a splurge. So I guess it's all about personal preference when deciding which is better for smearing.

Source, Source, and Source

5 Things: Almond Butter

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Almond Butter is one of my favorite treats. A spoonful of it with some dark chocolate chips and dried cranberries is absolutely divine and, not to mention, satisfying.

1 tbsp of almond butter contains 95 calories, 8g of healthy fat (this can help to lower LDL cholesterol), no cholesterol, 2g of fiber, and 2.5g of protein.
2 tbsp of almond butter contains 86 mg of calcium. Your RDI of calcium is 1,000 mg.
Almond butter is a good source or magnesium, Vitamin E, and potassium. It's also a great source of selenium, which has been shown to be effective in preventing cancer.
People who have a peanut allergy can eat almond butter (only if it's processed in a plant that doesn't process peanut products).
To prevent almond butter from going rancid, it should be stored in a cool dry place until it's opened, and then stored in the fridge after that.

Source

You Asked: Banana Smoothie

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Smoothies are such a great treat. Especially in the heat of summer. A Sugar user recently asked for a good smoothie recipe that doesn't contain berries since she is allergic.

I just found this recipe from Healthy Chef Alex. She is Mogan Spurlock's girlfriend - you might know him as the Super Size me guy and she is the "vegan girlfriend."

This recipe is tasty - everyone in my family loved it. It is definitely a healthy redo of the Peanut Butter Moo'd from Jamba Juice. Before you mock my bruised bananas, let me just say the more ripe the bananas the sweeter the smoothie. Once it is frozen fruit just doesn't taste as sweet, so put those overripe bananas to use.

Want to see the recipe? Then read more

Banana Smoothie
Adapted from Healthy Chef Alex Blog

2 frozen ripe bananas* (Peel them. Chop them. Freeze them. This way they are ready to go whenever you need them.)
2 cups non-fat milk**
2 tablespoons almond butter
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until blended, about 2 minutes!

Notes:
*I microwave the frozen banana piece for about 20 seconds so they are easier to pureé.

**The original recipe was vegan and used chocolate soy milk (which I just never happen to have around the house), so I substituted non-fat milk and used unsweetened cocoa powder.

(Serves 2 normal people, or 1 very happy, hungry person)

Print recipe with images | without images

Almond Butter: Healthy Tastes SO Good

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 03:00:00 -0700

We all have heard about the marvelous health benefits of almonds. Not only are they high in protein and calcium, but also high in monounsaturated fat, the same healthy fats found in olive oil, which are associated with reducing your risk of heart disease. Research has proven that almonds can reduce your total cholesterol levels, and lower the LDL levels (bad cholesterol). This notorious nut is also a great source of potassium, vitamin C, magnesium, and antioxidants. With all this in mind, have you ever tried almond butter?

Almond butter is made just the way peanut butter is made, by crushing whole almonds. It comes with a layer of oil on the top that needs to be mixed in before you eat it. I microwave the opened jar for about 10-15 seconds first, before mixing it up.

Almond butter has a uniquely sweet flavor, like marzipan mixed with peanut butter. Speaking of peanuts, people allergic to peanuts can usually have almond butter with no reaction because almonds are nuts, and not related to peanuts, which are legumes.

Look for almond butter in both creamy and crunchy varieties, as well as salted and unsalted. I think almond butter is just so delicious, and the health benefits are just an added bonus. The only downside about almond butter is that it doesn't come cheap.

Fit's Tips: If you're a peanut butter lover, try using almond butter instead. It's great on toast, or spread on apples for a healthy snack. Want a really decadent treat? Try spreading some almond butter on a piece of dark chocolate. It's the perfect ending to a great meal.

Snack Attack: Almond Butter and Apples

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 13:00:00 -0800

This is such a quick snack, and for that reason alone it is one of my favorites.

What you'll need:

Apples
Almond butter
Granola
Skewers

Slice the apples, keeping the peels on.
Strategically place the skewers in the slices, without letting the pointy part poke through.
Spread the almond butter on one side of the apple slices.
Sprinkle the granola on the almond butter and enjoy.

Why we love it:
Apples are full of fiber, so when you eat them, they fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied.
Almond butter is so delicious and a great source of protein.
Granola, the kind made with whole grain oats, contains antioxidants, good carbs, and soluble fiber - oats help reduce cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Eating with skewers is not only fun, it keeps your fingers from getting all sticky.

Peanut Butter Is Made From Peanuts, Right?

FitSugar — Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:30:00 -0800

Peanut butter is quite possibly a perfect food. You can buy it just about anywhere, it's tasty, and a great source of protein.

But beware - not all peanut butters are created equal. You want to make sure you're buying the natural kind - we're talking just peanuts. Other brands you grew up with like Jif and Skippy contain sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oil and a stabilizer to keep the oil from separating. Gross.

In the U.S., peanut butter must contain at least 90% peanuts to be called peanut butter. That's why some companies call theirs peanut spread.

You can buy natural peanut butter at health food stores. Look for the jars that have the oil separated on the top - that's the good stuff. Or some stores sell peanut butter in bulk, so the oil is already mixed in for you.

Fit's Tip: I'll admit - it's annoying when you open the jar, and the oil is separated on the top. When you try to mix it up, the oil overflows and spills everywhere. Try warming the opened jar a little bit in the microwave - then it's easier to mix.

Don't Blow Your Healthy Habits at the Movies This Weekend

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:53 -0800

It's a big movie weekend, for sure. With New Moon finally out, I've already committed myself to spend an afternoon at the theater - the only complication is that I'm not so fond of the movie-theater fare. It's an admittedly challenging place to stick to healthy food choices, since there usually aren't any to begin with. Just in case you don't believe me, recent research is revealing just how unhealthy movie popcorn can be - and it's probably a lot worse than you think.

An article from WebMd highlights the Center for Science in the Public Interest's findings on the state of popcorn, which claims movie theater popcorn is just about as bad for you as "a pound of baby back ribs and a scoop of Haagen-Dazs ice cream or maybe two Big Macs" - and that's before you even add the butter. For the study, researchers sent samples of popcorn and toppings from three different movie theater chains and compared their findings to the chains' own nutritional information. What they found is likely to make you rethink how you view your movie treat.

The study's results show that the calorie count of movie theater popcorn ranges from just about 400 to 1,200 calories, and contains an alarming serving of saturated fat that's equivalent to three days worth of your daily recommended portion, and anywhere from 200 (in the smallest 6-cup size serving) to 1,500 milligrams of sodium. Additionally, the study revealed that both AMC and Regal theaters pop their popcorn in coconut oil, which has a saturated fat content of a whopping 90 percent. Cinemark theaters, which pops their popcorn in canola oil, earns the rep as the healthiest chain, with a significantly lower saturated fat content - ranging from 2 grams in the 420-calorie small size to 5 grams in the 910-calorie large popcorn bucket. But, keep in mind that popcorn is usually just a part of the order - add a soda or your choice of candy, and your order is easily nearing 1,700 calories.

To learn about healthier options at the movies read more.

To avoid a serious caloric overload on your movie outing, the solutions are simple. Opt to share a small, unbuttered popcorn, and request that it be popped without salt (according to the article, these chains will happily oblige), or knosh on something healthy before you head out. If you can, bring a small bag of almonds or a piece of fruit along. Be smart about your choices, and don't let one afternoon at the movies spoil your healthy habits. It's totally fine to indulge every now and then, but a 1,200-calorie serving of popcorn that packs more saturated fat than you need in three days is hardly a treat for your bod or health.