#96 TUESDAY SCOOP... 5 nut or seed butters without the cr*p
Why I love these smooth operators...
1/ The Pip & Nut Smooth Almond Butter was the first nut butter I fell for thanks to its delicious taste—with a dollop on yoghurt, toast or in smoothies being rather heavenly—and it’s a winner in the nutritional stakes too. The sign of a good nut or seed butter is sparsity on the ingredients list (meaning it isn’t bulked out with unnecessary additives and preservatives, some of which have been linked to long-term health concerns), and this contains just two: 99.6% Californian almonds (which are especially high in ‘healthy’ mono-unsaturated fats and fibre) and a sprinkle of sea salt…
2/ I’ve been very much enjoying Sunfly Sunflower Seed Butter of late. Sunflower seeds are a great option if you want or need to swerve nuts, and a pot of this is also a very environmentally friendly protein source. In the mix are roasted sunflower kernels (96%), as well as a small amount of sea salt, sweetener, monoglycerides and diglycerides (FYI, the latter two are emulsifiers derived from sustainable vegetable oils, enlisted to create a smoother texture). Portugal-based readers? Look out for it on the shelf at select Continente stores…
3/ For those in the US, a jar of One Trick Pony Silky Smooth Peanut Butter is a great kitchen addition. They use peanuts from Córdoba, Argentina, and since they’re indigenous to South America their flavour is naturally sweeter—meaning there isn’t the need for added sugar to achieve the same lovely taste. In fact, all that’s added is a little Patagonian sea salt. There is also no palm oil (popular with food manufacturers as a cheap and versatile ingredient) which has been shown to be both bad for the planet and your body…
4/ Excitingly, at least for nut butter aficionados like me, the market is richer than ever in options—including cashew butter. It has a similar nutritional profile when compared to other types, but often serves up a creamier, sweeter profile. The Nutural World Cashew Butter Smooth is an ideal choice, being made of 100% cashew nuts which have been lightly toasted and stone-milled into a fine paste. You can also order it in ‘crunchy’ rather than ‘smooth’, but as with all nut butters, while the former texture does come with more fibre, it’s a really teeny amount—meaning it’s best to go with your personal preference…
5/ Whether you opt for a nut or seed butter, you’ll be benefiting from the nutrients of the OG main ingredient—often vitamin E and magnesium (even though it’s always best to go easy on the portion size, since these are a rather calorie-dense category of product). The Biona Organic Pumpkin Seed Butter is made entirely from the roasted seeds of organic pumpkins (rich in antioxidants, iron and zinc), which also means it may separate—don’t be alarmed, just give it a stir. It also lends itself well to savoury things like sandwiches and pesto pasta…
Have thoughts? Tell me in the comments below. Otherwise, thank you for reading—until next time!
*This article contains some affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. As always, I only recommend things I really rate
