Is almond butter better for you than peanut butter? That is an interesting question, because almond butter, cashew butter, and some other “tree nut” kinds of butter have become much more common and popular in the last few years than previously. Before looking at the relative health benefits, though, let’s look at budget considerations – since “budget-friendly” is part of our mission statement…
Which is Cheaper – Almond Butter or Peanut Butter?
Peanut butter is much cheaper than almond butter. That pretty much says it all! If you are really pinching pennies, you may want to have a justifiable reason for switching to almond butter from peanut butter.
The reason for the difference in cost between peanut butter and almond butter could very well be that, while peanuts can be grown in a fairly large variety of locales, and relatively inexpensively, 80% of all the world’s almonds are grown in California, 100% of the United States’ commercial supply.
Here’s a fun fact: It takes 3.2 gallons of water to grow an ounce of peanuts, and more than 28.7 gallons to grow an ounce of almonds!
If we should discover that almond butter is healthier than peanut butter, how much healthier is it? Does it justify the cost difference?
The Definitive Comparison Between Almond Butter and Peanut Butter
Actually, no – it’s not! But here are a few things to think about…
- They are both healthy and delicious. Different, but both healthy! They are also both delicious as well – just in case you may have never tried almond butter. Both peanut butter and almond butter can be spread on bread or celery or whatever else it is you might want to spread it on.
- Does almond butter or peanut butter have more “good fats?” Both almond butter and peanut butter have “good fats.” Peanut butter has both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. These are both great for your heart, so you can safely say that peanut butter is “heart-healthy.” Almond butter is similarly great for the heart, but has a higher concentration of monounsaturated fat than peanut butter. Almond butter also has a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids than peanut butter. Omega-3 fatty acids are a huge support to the cells in your body and are a vital part of your cell membranes. They are concentrated in high levels in the cells of your eyes and brain. Omega-3 fatty acids also provide energy, and support the health of your endocrine system.
- Does almond butter or peanut butter have more protein? Peanut butter has a slight edge on the protein front. So if it’s very important to you to get more protein in your diet, you might want to eat more peanut butter. However, almond butter is also a great source of protein.
- What is the vitamin and mineral comparison between almond butter and peanut butter? Peanut butter is a great source of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and Vitamin E. Your body obviously needs all those things, and making peanut butter a part of your diet will help. Almond butter is rich in magnesium, calcium, iron and Vitamin E. Using almond butter will “shore up” levels of these nutrients in your body. So – both butters are great sources of vital nutrients your body needs.
- Does almond butter or peanut butter have more fiber? Almond butter is higher in fiber than peanut butter. Yet – peanut butter also contains a moderate amount of fiber. As “everyone” knows, fiber is great for intestinal health and has a variety of other great benefits as well, including helping you feel satisfied and full after you eat it.
What About Allergies?
Peanut allergies are very well-known and fairly common. If you have a peanut allergy, then you don’t have the option to use peanut butter. Then almond butter (or other nut or seed butters) will be your clear choice.
However, some people have tree nut allergies. If you have a tree nut allergy, then peanuts and peanut butter will be the better choice – if you want a product to meet your “butter” needs. Peanuts are legumes, so they do not have the same composition as almonds, which are tree nuts.
Conclusion
I’m not an official dietitian, but my conclusion is that both peanut butter and almond butter are great foods! They are different from one another, so as long as your budget can afford it, you might want to eat both. That way you get the nutritional benefits of both. But if you are tight, peanut butter is an amazing food in its own right, very filling, and could help you meet the budget every month if you make ubiquitous use of it!
If you have any questions or comments about the “peanut butter vs almond butter” debate, please feel free to share them in the comments section below.
