The ketogenic diet, often called "keto," requires careful consideration of food choices to maintain ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel. Peanut butter, a popular and versatile food, presents a nuanced situation when it comes to keto compatibility. Determining whether peanut butter fits into a ketogenic diet isn't a simple yes or no answer, as it depends on individual factors and specific product characteristics.
Understanding the Keto Diet
The keto diet involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake, typically to 50 grams per day or less, and increasing fat consumption. This shift in macronutrient ratios forces the body to enter ketosis, utilizing fat instead of carbohydrates as its primary energy source. This dietary approach was initially developed as a treatment for epilepsy in children, but it has also gained traction for short-term weight loss and blood sugar management in adults.
Peanut Butter: A Keto-Friendly Option?
Peanut butter can be a part of a keto diet because it contains mostly fats and protein with very little carbohydrates. Peanut butter is moderately low in carbs and contains both fiber and healthy fat. Its composition makes peanut butter a balanced food that can be added to keto diets, depending on how it’s made.
Regular peanut butter, whether smooth or crunchy, contains about 7 grams of total carbs or 5 grams of net carbs for a 2-tablespoon (32-gram) serving.
However, not all peanut butters are created equal. Many commercial brands add sugar, which can significantly increase the carb count and hinder ketosis.
Read also: Comprehensive Guide to Sugar on Keto
Key Considerations for Keto Peanut Butter
To enjoy peanut butter on a keto diet, there are two key things to keep in mind:
Check for Added Sugars: Added sugar makes peanut butter sweeter and better for making desserts, but it can increase the carb count. The number one thing to look for is if there are added sugars. Many of the most common brands of peanut butter at the grocery store will include sugar-which certainly makes for a less keto-friendly option!
Mindful Portion Sizes: Be mindful of portion sizes, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Peanut butter has a lot of calories for a relatively small serving. A standard serving size is 2 tablespoons (32 grams) - which may be less than you expect.
Choosing the Right Peanut Butter
When choosing a peanut butter for your keto lifestyle, be sure to check the nutrition label for the net carb count per serving. While some peanut butters may be low in total carbs, they may contain added sugars or other ingredients that can spike your blood sugar levels and kick you out of ketosis.
Make sure to look for peanut butters with only up to two ingredients in them: peanuts, and maybe salt. It can be challenging to choose between all your options when shopping for peanut butter. Many classic peanut butter brands like Skippy, Smucker’s, and Jif contain no less than 10 ingredients, including high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and dextrose. Natural peanut butter options contain mostly peanuts. (Many of the regular brands have natural versions now, but read labels for any sneaky additives.) Regular salt or sea salt is fine, too. Many commercial peanut butters are packed with added sugar. Whether you’re on a keto diet or not, you’re better off avoiding sugar as much as possible. A high sugar intake increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, and certain cancers.
Read also: Troubleshooting Carnivore Diet Diarrhea
Here are some keto-friendly peanut butter options:
- Crazy Richard’s Pure PB: For a no-frills, classic peanut butter, Crazy Richard’s Pure PB can be a good option. With just one ingredient-peanuts-it’s free from added sugars, oils, and preservatives. Most peanut butters contain salt, which is generally preferable on keto for most of us, but this is a great salt-free option if needed.
- Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter: Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter is made with just two ingredients: dry roasted peanuts and palm oil. While palm oil is controversial in some circles, Justin’s commitment to sustainably sourced ingredients sets it apart from other brands.
- 365 Organic Creamy Peanut Butter: If you’re on a budget but still want high-quality peanut butter, look no further than 365 Organic Creamy Peanut Butter. Similar to Crazy Richard’s, this is a peanut butter made only with peanuts.
- Smuckers Natural peanut butter: She points out that in a two-tablespoon serving, most natural peanut butters contain 6 to 7 grams of carbohydrates. Subtract the carbs that come from fiber, and you're looking at 2-4 grams of net carbs.
Peanut Butter Varieties to Avoid
Peanut butter that contains honey or other sweet components like chocolate or fruit preserves may be too high in carbs from sugar to fit easily into a keto diet. Try to steer clear of low-fat peanut butter, too. Also, be mindful that reduced fat peanut butter contains more carbs for the same serving size than regular smooth or crunchy peanut butter.
The Importance of Reading Labels
Reading nutrition labels to know exactly what goes into your jar, even beyond the carbs in peanut butter, is the best way to ensure you buy a spread that meets your nutritional needs. Always check the label on your peanut butter for the Non-GMO Project Verified label. There is some concern surrounding genetically modified crops. Some researchers argue that they present health risks, such as developing antibiotic resistance, but studies are ongoing.
Healthy Fats and Potential Concerns
Hydrogenated oils extracted from plants like soybean and corn are often added to peanut butter to keep the oil and particles from separating. The downside of hydrogenated oils is that they contain trans fats, leading to insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Avoid the “no-stir” varieties when purchasing peanut butter, as they’re likely made with vegetable oils.
You may have heard about aflatoxin exposure as a concern around peanut butter. Studies have found that long-term exposure increases your risk of liver cancer, malnutrition, and impaired immune function. While this is a real concern, the USDA and FDA have implemented guidelines to minimize risk, including closely monitoring susceptible crops and imported products.
Read also: Aspartame and Ketosis
Peanut Butter's Nutritional Benefits
Peanuts have a favorable macronutrient and micronutrient profile for any diet, as long as you’re not on a low-fat diet. As long as you buy nut butter with quality ingredients, you get more protein, reduce cravings, and lower your heart disease risk with a more balanced cholesterol profile. (7) They’re good for your cognitive health and stress responses, too.
We’ve already listed a few of the rich nutrients in peanuts’ nutritional profile, but when combined together, peanut butter can support immune function and healthier glucose levels.
Alternatives to Peanut Butter
If you can’t eat peanut butter or are looking for an alternative that is even lower in carbs, almond butter is a good option. It contains 6 grams of total carbs, or 3 grams net carbs, per 2-tablespoon (32-gram) serving (7). Other types of nut butter and seed-based spreads make excellent substitutes for peanut butter since they’re also low in net carbs and full of healthy fats.
Are nut butters, in general, keto? "Nut butter is high in fat and protein and suitable on a keto diet. Same with peanut butter, almond butter, and sunflower seed butter," says Crandall Snyder. "For me, choosing a variety of nut butters is optimal, since different nuts contain different beneficial vitamins and minerals," Godfrey recommends. "Almonds have calcium, cashews are rich in iron and magnesium, [and] walnuts are high in omega-3s." Finally, we hate to break it to you, but you're going to want to pass on the Nutella-even though it does contain hazelnuts. Those 19 grams of carbs in every two-tablespoon serving aren't going to help you stay in ketosis.
Incorporating Peanut Butter into Your Keto Diet
Variety is best on any diet, though, so we recommend up to 5 tablespoons per day to avoid getting kicked out of ketosis. If you’re on a cyclical keto diet, you may want to increase your servings on carb-up days. This type of carb-cycling approach typically works best for active people like athletes.
When it’s at its best and free from added sugar and unhealthy ingredients like hydrogenated oils, peanut butter is a delicious, keto-friendly snack that’s low on carbohydrates. Limit yourself to 5 tablespoons per day on keto, measure your blood sugar and ketone levels if needed, and feel free to explore different ways to eat it.
Keto-Friendly Peanut Butter Recipes
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie: This smoothie recipe is packed with healthy fats.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites: PB&J fans, this one is for you.
- Looking to be inspired by other keto-friendly recipes? Then check out Keto Chow! Keto Chow is a keto meal shake that comes in over 25 delicious flavors, two of which are peanut butter and chocolate peanut butter. This shake can be made in seconds, and the best part?