What Brand of Peanut Butter is Best for Keto?

Peanut butter is a paste made from dry, roasted peanuts generally used as a spread on toast or sandwiches. On keto, it is used to make peanut butter keto balls, smoothies, baked goods, and other yummy snacks. 

This kitchen staple is keto-friendly and has various health benefits for you. However, peanut butter products are not all manufactured equally. Find out what kind of peanut butter is good for keto based on the different types, brands, and their nutritional information!

Health Benefits of Peanut Butter 

Aside from being keto-friendly, peanut butter has many health benefits you can tap into. According to the USDA National Nutrient database, peanut butter is a healthy food that is full of nutrients like protein, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamin, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin A, sodium, etc.

A study revealed that peanut butter can lower your cholesterol levels. The fat content in peanut butter is almost equal to that of the fats found in olive oil, which are mostly polyunsaturated and monosaturated. They lower the bad cholesterol levels and promote healthy circulation of good cholesterols.

Peanut butter can also lower the risk of having type 2 diabetes because of the unsaturated fats that can improve insulin sensitivity. In one study about peanut butter consumption and diabetes, it was proven that a higher intake of peanut butter and other nuts lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes.

This kitchen staple also has some anticancer properties because it has B-sitosterol, a phytosterol that can fight against cancer, specifically colon, prostate, and breast cancers.

Peanut Butter on Keto

Is peanut butter keto-friendly? To answer this question, your main concern is the carb content of the product. On keto, carbs should be limited to just 20-50 grams a day. Unfortunately, this means most peanut butter brands on the market are off-limits, because of the added sugar in their products.

But it can also mean reducing your peanut butter consumption to about 1-2 tablespoons a day, depending on the number of carbs in your chosen peanut butter.

A typical serving of peanut butter is roughly two tablespoons, including about 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.

On a low-carb, high-fat diet, peanut butter may be a great option because of the high amount of fat. However, 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.

Artificial trans fats in peanut butter may lead to increased risk of cancer and heart disease, and more, so always guarantee that your peanut butter has healthy fats in it. 

Peanut butter can also provide a rich source of protein for you on the ketogenic diet. It has about 25-30 grams of protein, that when broken down into amino acids, can be used for repairing and building the body.

What Brand of Peanut Butter is Best for Keto

Because not all peanut butter products contain healthy fats, it is important to choose wisely when you’re on keto. Here are some of the best peanut butter brands on keto.

Conventional Peanut Butter

Conventional peanut butter products are the ones typically found in stores, which are either crunchy and chunky or smooth and creamy. Jif is one of the most reputable brands of nut butter.

Two tablespoons of Jif peanut butter has 190 calories, 16 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, 6 grams of net carbs, and 7 grams of protein.

This crowd favorite is great for making keto energy balls, smoothies, and other tasty snacks. It is available in both crunchy and smooth textures and has a long shelf life.

It may not be the healthiest brand out there, but it is readily available in grocery stores and is okay when consumed in moderation!

Freshly Ground Peanut Butter

Freshly ground peanut butter is usually chunky, sometimes smooth, and can be bought in stores or made at home. Its key feature is its freshness and absence of sweeteners. Most of the time, it has salt added to make it taste a little less sweet.

Mound City Shelled Nut Company manufactures one of the best freshly ground nut butters. One serving contains only 4 grams of net carbs, 15 grams of fat, and 9 grams of protein. It is made of pure natural peanuts from their USA growers and has no sugar!

Although it is not a popular product, this brand of freshly ground peanut butter is loved by many. It’s perfect for keto dieters because it contains no bad fats, preservatives, sugar, and other unnecessary ingredients on the diet!

Natural Peanut Butter

Natural peanut butter is usually found in the healthy section of your local supermarket. It’s almost the same in terms of the nutritional content of freshly ground peanut butter, except for any additional ingredients which you shouldn’t worry about because they should be all-natural.

Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter is our favorite brand of natural peanut butter. With 190 calories per serving, 16 grams are fat and only 4 grams are net carbs! It also contains 8 grams of protein, and other nutrients like vitamin D, calcium, iron, and potassium.

The only ingredients in this one are peanuts and salt. We know for sure that a few spoons of this won’t kick you out of ketosis!

Choose Your Peanut Butter Wisely!

Peanut butter is a well-loved treat on the keto diet that you can use for making keto balls, smoothies, and other delicious snacks. Aside from providing you with fat and protein on the diet, it can also lower bad cholesterol levels and prevent diseases like cancer and type 2 diabetes.

However, not all nut butter products are made equally. There are peanut butter brands that may contain too much sugar, additives, or include unhealthy kinds of fat.

So, which peanut butter is keto-friendly? Look for an all natural peanut butter with no added ingredients to enjoy and keep you in ketosis.

Lastly, make sure not to go beyond your daily carb limit by consuming only 2-3 tablespoons of peanut butter!