Is Peanut Butter Keto Friendly? Plus the Best Low-Carb Brands

Is peanut butter keto? In short, sure! The naturally sweet and salty treat is an easy way to enjoy a high protein snack on the keto diet.  Whether you eat it right out of the jar or add it to your favorite recipes, peanut butter is a great staple on the ketogenic diet.

Keto Peanut Butter – All You Need to Know

You don’t need to avoid peanut butter on the keto diet, but be mindful. Peanut butter is all too easy to overeat. And since it’s so high in calories, it can easily slow your weight loss.

My top tip? Choose a 100% natural, organic peanut butter, and enjoy a satisfying treat on the ketogenic diet.

Peanut Butter on the Keto Diet

Did you know? About half of the peanut crop in America is made into peanut butter!

Peanuts are technically legumes, not nuts. But from a nutritional standpoint, their macros are closer to nuts.  Peanuts are an excellent source of many vitamins and minerals, including biotin, copper, niacin, folate, manganese, vitamin E, thiamin, phosphorus, and magnesium.

In the US, any products labeled “peanut butter” must contain at least 90% peanuts. What makes up the other 10%?

Most major brands of peanut butter add white sugar, and some other brands use “dried cane syrup”, agave syrup or coconut palm sugar.  Most peanut butter brands also contain emulsifiers or vegetable oils which prevents the peanut oil from separating from the peanut paste.

Carbs in Peanut Butter

A typical serving of regular peanut butter (with sugar) is two tablespoons, and contains about 190 calories. A serving of regular peanut butter (like Jif brand) has 16 grams of fat, 8 grams of carbs, 6 grams of net carbs, 2 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein.

However, you can also buy sugar-free peanut butter.  A typical serving of sugar-free peanut butter (like 365 Whole Foods brand) is two tablespoons, and contains about 200 calories. A serving of sugar-free peanut butter (like Jif brand) has 17 grams of fat, 7 grams of carbs, 4 grams of net carbs, 3 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein.

Almond Butter vs Peanut Butter: What’s Best for the Keto Diet?

Peanut butter has been a popular pantry staple forever. But over the last few years, other types of nut butters — like almond butter — are starting to become more popular.

You may be wondering: What type of nutter butter is healthier?  And what type of nut butter is best for the keto diet?

The truth is that peanut butter and almond butter have similar nutritional values. Depending on what brands you choose, both nut butters are roughly equal in calories, fat, carbs, and protein.

You could say that almond butter is slightly healthier than peanut butter because it has more vitamins, minerals, and fiber. On the other hand, peanut butter is slightly higher in protein.  So it’s a bit of a tie, really. Peanut butter is still a healthy choice on the keto diet.

Peanut Butter Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons)

Almond Butter Nutrition (per 2 tablespoons)

A tablespoon of either peanut or almond butter contains just about 100 calories.  Likewise, the carb content of peanut butter and almond butter is about the same.

Peanuts on the Keto Diet

After all this talk about peanut butter nutrition facts, you may be wondering if peanuts are okay on the keto diet.  The quick answer is that, yes, you absolutely can have peanuts on the keto diet.  But, like anything, it’s important to be mindful of portion size and mindless snacking.

The pros

Peanuts are high in fat, relatively low in carbs, and contain a moderate level of protein — making them an ideal keto snack.  And, they are super convenient to bring along with you in the car, or buy at almost any grocery, gas station, or convenience store.

The cons

Peanuts are pretty high in calories. They’re also really easy to overeat. A serving of peanuts is 1 oz–only about a handful. And I think we can all imagine how easy it is to eat more than a handful of nuts.  So if you’re not mindful of portion size, the carbohydrates and the calories can quickly add up.

Best Keto Peanut Butter Brands

When you’re shopping in your local grocery store, your best bet is to look for a natural peanut butter — the kind with oil on top that you have to stir at first. When you read the label, the ingredients should be only peanuts and salt. Make sure it does not contain any added sugars, palm oils and other hydrogenated oils.

Regular brands like Jif and Skippy are likely to have added sugars and hydrogenated oils.  However, there are several high-quality peanut butters available on the market that are perfect for a healthy, keto lifestyle.

1. 365 Everyday Value, Organic Creamy Peanut Butter

• Net Carbs: 4 grams per serving
• Comments: People love the taste of this peanut butter — just make sure stir it really well, and store it in the fridge.
• Buy: 365 Everyday Value Peanut Butter

2. Classic Peanut Butter by Justin’s

• Net Carbs: 5 grams
• Comments: This is a healthy peanut butter that comes in jars and handy squeeze packs.
• Buy: Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter

3. Teddie All Natural Peanut Butter, Super Chunky

• Net Carbs: 4 grams
• Comments: If you like chunky peanut butter, you’ll like this peanut butter from Teddie’s.  Only two ingredients: peanuts and salt.
• Buy: Teddie All Natural Peanut Butter

4. Crazy Richard’s Creamy Peanut Butter

• Net Carbs: 4 grams
• Comments: This peanut butter is 100% peanuts — no sugar, no salt, not added fats, no fillers.
• Buy: Crazy Richard’s Creamy Peanut Butter

5. Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter

• Net Carbs: 4 grams
• Comments: People say this peanut butter is nice and smooth — and has great flavor.  It’s also made with just one ingredient: Dry-roasted organic peanuts.
• Buy: Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter

Keto Peanut Butter Recipes

If you love peanut butter, you might also like these 3 Ingredient Keto Peanut Butter Cookies and these Keto Peanut Butter Cups!

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