Though peanut butter is a common ingredient in sweet treats like candy, cakes and ice cream, it can be a super healthy addition to your diet, too. Let’s learn what makes a brand of peanut butter a healthy (or unhealthy) choice—and how to make your own at home.
If you’re looking for other healthy nut butters, check out our guide.
How to Choose a Healthy Peanut Butter
What to Look For
When looking for the healthiest type of peanut butter in the grocery store, take a look at the label. The fewer the ingredients, the better. The cleanest brand will only contain peanuts and maybe a touch of salt. Many others will contain some type of unprocessed vegetable oil.
What to Avoid
The less healthy brands will contain added sugar, preservatives and trans fats in the form of hydrogenated oils. (By the way, this is the difference between good fats and bad fats.) Sugar is added for flavor and you’ll easily be able to see it on the label.
Preservatives can be trickier to spot. But oftentimes they’ll be words you’ve never seen before or the label will say that it’s added for preservation.
Finally, hydrogenated oils are added to prevent separation. (Hint: looking for separation is a great way to spot a natural peanut butter.) Make sure to look at the ingredients list—not the nutrition label—to find out if a product has trans fat. Since companies are able to claim 0 trans fats if the product has 0.5 grams or less per serving, the only way you’ll really be able to tell is if the ingredients list has “hydrogenated” in it.
Healthy Peanut Butter Brands
So, which brands should you look for when shopping online or at the grocery store? Here are some of my top picks:
How to Make Healthy Peanut Butter
One very important option to mention when talking about healthy peanut butter is making your own! It’s much easier than you might think.
For chunky peanut butter:
- Chopping about ¼ cup of peanuts and set aside
- Place about 2 cups of peanuts blender or food processor and process for about 5 minutes or until smooth.
- Stir in chopped peanuts, a bit of salt and some orange zest or honey to taste.
Use your healthy peanut butter in these good-for-you snack recipes.
Peanutty Asian Lettuce Wraps
This recipe packs so much flavor into a beautiful, healthy presentation. I love to serve it as an hors d'oeuvre or as the main dish when I have folks over. It's always a hit! I usually serve it with a little extra hoisin on the side. —Mandy Rivers, Lexington, South Carolina
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Chunky Banana Cream FreezeEveryone loves ice cream, but we all know it doesn't make a great after-school snack. Until this! With its sweet banana-almond flavor and chunky texture, this appealing banana peanut butter "ice cream" is a crowd-pleaser. People who ask me for the recipe can't believe how easy it is to make. —Kristen Bloom, Okinawa, Japan
Nutty Apple ButterBeing a New England native, I love apple-picking season. Grab some apples and peanut butter to make your own creamy riff on a PB&J. Of course it’s great on a sandwich, but you can dunk sliced fruit or graham crackers in it, too. —Brandie Cranshaw, Rapid City, South Dakota
Peanut Butter, Honey & Pear Open-Faced SandwichesI work a 12-hour night shift at a hospital, and when I come home in the morning, I don't want to cook a big breakfast. I love these sandwiches because they're versatile; sometimes I use apples instead of pears and different cheeses, such as Brie or grated Parmesan. —L.J.Washington, Carpinteria, California
Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro Black BeansAs a vegan, I'm always looking for impressive dishes to share. Sweet potatoes loaded with beans and a touch of peanut butter are one of my mom’s favorites. —Kayla Capper, Ojai, California
Fresh from the Garden WrapsWe moved into a house with a garden that needed tending. Using the herbs we found, we made these fresh-tastic wraps for our first dinner there. —Chris Bugher, Asheville, North Carolina
Thai Veggie DipThis delicious dip is full of flavor, color and crunch, but not full of calories. There's mild sweetness from the honey with a bit of heat at the end from the pepper flakes. If spicy food is your thing, feel free to add an extra dash of pepper. —Jeanne Holt, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter BlondiesI converted these blondies to be gluten free so that my family could enjoy a comforting dessert. We were craving brownies one night, and these cakelike treats hit the spot. They are a fantastic spin on gluten-free peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. —Becky Klope, Loudonville, New York
Peanut Turkey SatayI found this recipe years ago and immediately served it for a ‘company dinner. It’s easy and fun and takes only minutes to cook, but it makes a fancy entree for special occasions. The peanut butter and soy sauce lend a nice Asian flavor. —Lisa Mahon Fluegeman, Cincinnati, Ohio
Chia Seed Protein BitesI keep these little bites on hand in my refrigerator and grab them for breakfast or a snack when I'm in a hurry. We have a lot of food allergies in our family and I like to keep healthy snacks around that everyone can eat. This recipe has no gluten, eggs, dairy or corn, so it's the perfect go-to treat in our house. —Tanja Miller, Peoria, Arizona
Peanut Butter Banana OatmealThe classic flavors of peanut butter and bananas come together in this kid- and adult-friendly oatmeal. I tweaked one of my diet recipes to fit my husband's taste buds. We have eaten it many mornings. —Debbie Perdue, Westland, Michigan
Pork SatayCilantro layers on the freshness, while the sesame oil and Thai chili sauce add Asian flavors that pair perfectly with peanut butter. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Low-Fat Peanut Butter CookiesWhen you bite into one of these yummy cookies, you'll never guess it's low in fat. This is my family's favorite healthy peanut butter cookie recipe. —Maria Regakis, Saugus, Massachusetts
No-Bake Peanut Butter TreatsPerfect for road trips, these peanut butter oatmeal balls won’t stick to your hands. Keep them in the refrigerator for portable snacks. —Sonia Rohda, Waverly, Nebraska
Peanut Butter OatmealMy son and I eat this peanut butter oatmeal recipe every day for breakfast. It's a hearty, healthy way to jump start our morning. — Elisabeth Reitenbach, Terryville, Connecticut
Brown Sugar Oat MuffinsWith Kansas being one of the top wheat-producing states, it seems only fitting to share a recipe containing whole wheat flour. These are great muffins to have for breakfast or a late night snack with a cup of hot cocoa. —Regina Stock, Topeka, Kansas
Spicy Peanut Chicken KabobsA little sweet, a little sour, and a whole lot of flavor! These kabobs make a wonderful accompaniment to any party or get-together. —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
