Can I Have Peanut Butter on the Keto Diet?

Peanut butter is one kitchen staple that many keto dieters love. Part of the reason is the high-fat content that helps get their body into ketosis. If you’re new to the keto diet, you might be wondering if peanut butter is indeed keto-friendly, and how much tablespoons you can consume. 

But just because it is high in fat doesn’t mean you can indulge in it without guilt. This may leave you asking, can I have peanut butter on the keto diet? Find out the answer to your question and learn the carb content of peanut butter, as well as the best product for the diet!

Peanut Butter

Peanuts have been used by humans since the first century of the Common Era, where the first recorded users were the Aztecs. They took peanuts, ground them into a paste, and used them for many things, such as relief from toothaches and as a sacrificial offering.

Peanut production currently begins in spring when they are first planted. Then, they’re harvested anywhere between August and October. Since they are grown in shells, then they are shelled as the first process once picked and dried.

They then go through roasting, cooling, blanching, and grinding. Once they are ground, they are ready to be turned into the rich and creamy peanut butter that you find in your local grocery store.   

Peanut Butter Nutrition Facts

The nutrition of peanut butter varies greatly depending on the processing and type, but one thing is for sure, it will always have a high-fat content. A 2 ½-ounce serving of creamy, unsalted peanut butter, which is about 100 grams, has a total of 598 calories.

It also has 22 grams of carbs, 17 grams of net carbs, 5 grams of fiber, 50 grams of fat, and 22 grams of protein. Here are some vitamins and minerals found in peanut butter:

• Calcium
• Folate
• Vitamin E
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Phosphorus and Potassium.

Keto Diet Overview

Before finding out if peanut butter has a place in the ketogenic pantry, let’s have a quick recap of what the keto diet is. It recommends a huge decrease in your carb intake and replacing them with fat sources. This high-fat, low-carb diet encourages a metabolic state called ketosis.

Ketosis is a natural body process that produces ketones due to fat breakdowns. They are then used for energy in the absence of glycogen. 

The keto diet is popular for effectively helping you lose weight, but it also has many other benefits. Originally used as a diet for children with epilepsy, keto can manage and improve insulin sensitivity, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes.

The basis of the diet includes low-carb foods such as eggs, meat, fatty fish, avocado, olive oil, nuts, and seeds, as well as non-starchy vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, and bell peppers. 

Carbs in Peanut Butter

One of the primary concerns of peanut butter consumption on keto is the quality of the ingredients. Your main concern here is supposed to be the carb content of the product. Aside from that, they may contain harmful, inflammatory ingredients like hydrogenated oils and trans fats which have been proven to increase the risk of various health diseases.

Hydrogenated oil, which is found in many peanut butter products, is linked to risks of heart disease, cancer, inflammation, and gut issues. 

When on keto, 60-80 percent of your daily calories should come from fat, and 20-30 percent from protein. As for carbs, you should keep your intake to just 20-30 grams a day. Unfortunately, this means most peanut butter brands on the market are off-limits, because of the added sugar in their products.

A typical serving of peanut butter is roughly two tablespoons, making up a total of 188 calories, including 6 grams of total carbs and 4 grams of net carbs. This means you can indulge in just a serving or two of this treat without getting kicked out of ketosis unless you’re close to going over your carb limit.

Fats in Peanut Butter

It’s good that peanut butter contains a high amount of fat but being on the keto diet doesn’t mean that any fat is good fat. The main issue with most peanut butter in stores today is that it’s processed using hydrogenated oils. Also known as artificial trans fats, these oils might put your health at risk and cause severe damage.

Always choose healthy fats over unhealthy fats that could be damaging to your health. Artificial trans fats in peanut butter may lead to increased risk of cancer and heart disease, and more.

Best Peanut Butter for Keto

If you want to incorporate peanut butter into your low-carb diet make sure to choose a brand that doesn’t add sugar and other harmful ingredients.

Stick to all-natural peanut butter without all the unnecessary trans-fats, hydrogenated oils, and sugars. Look for one with only up to two ingredients: peanuts and salt. Spread The Love Organic Peanut Butter is one perfect example. It only has 2 grams of net carbs per tablespoon.

Most of the carbohydrates it does contain come from fiber carbs, which break down much more slowly in our digestive tract than carbohydrates coming from sugars. It is also made in small batches to guarantee premium quality and freshness!

You can also make this vegan, paleo, gluten-free, and sugar-free snack from the comfort of your home, and it will take you no more than 15 minutes of prep time. Watch this video to learn how!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0-JZ3E0lIA

Can I Have Peanut Butter on the Keto Diet?

Peanut butter is a favorite treat by many, but depending on the brand, it may not always be keto-friendly. Sure, a tablespoon or two won’t kick you out of ketosis, but you have to really pay attention to your carb intake. Be sure to choose an all-natural peanut butter, or make even make it yourself!

Aside from that, too much consumption of the wrong types of peanut butter can be harmful because of the unhealthy fats they can contain. If you’re concerned about going over your daily carb limit by eating too much, you should avoid peanut butter altogether. 

Try some of these great keto diet snacks instead.