Peanut butter, a pantry staple for many, can be a solid keto-friendly snack, offering a quick protein boost and satisfying a sweet tooth. However, navigating the keto diet requires careful consideration of food choices to maintain ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. This article delves into the compatibility of peanut butter with the keto diet, addressing concerns about carbohydrate content, added sugars, and the best ways to incorporate this popular food into your eating plan.
Understanding the Keto Diet
The ketogenic diet drastically lowers carbohydrate intake, typically to 50 grams per day or less. This restriction forces the body to enter ketosis. Originally developed as an epilepsy treatment for children, the keto diet has gained popularity for short-term weight loss and blood sugar management in adults.
Can You Eat Peanut Butter on a Keto Diet?
Yes, peanut butter can be part of a keto diet. Peanut butter is high in fat, moderate in protein, and relatively low in carbs, making it a potentially good fit for keto macronutrient goals.
Danielle Schaub, a registered dietitian and culinary and nutrition manager for Territory Foods, explains that no foods are strictly off-limits on keto. However, choosing high-fat, low-carb foods makes it easier to hit macronutrient targets.
Nutritional Content of Peanut Butter
The nutritional content of peanut butter can vary by brand. Here's a general overview of carb content in different types of peanut butter per 2-tablespoon (32-37 gram) serving:
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- Regular Peanut Butter (Smooth or Crunchy): Approximately 7 grams of total carbs and 5 grams of net carbs (total carbs minus fiber).
- Peanut Butter with Honey/Sweeteners: Carb content may be too high due to added sugars.
- Reduced Fat Peanut Butter: Contains more carbs than regular varieties for the same serving size.
Reading Labels: What to Look For
Careful label reading is essential to ensure your peanut butter aligns with keto principles.
Added Sugars
Many commercial peanut butters contain added sugars like high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, and dextrose. These can derail your keto goals and increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, and certain cancers.
Ingredients
Opt for natural peanut butter options with minimal ingredients, ideally just peanuts and perhaps salt. Smucker's Natural peanut butter is a good example. Avoid brands with long ingredient lists that include added sugars, oils, or preservatives.
Low-Fat Peanut Butter
Steer clear of low-fat peanut butter, as these often contain added sugars to compensate for the reduced fat content.
Non-GMO Project Verified
Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified label if you have concerns about genetically modified crops.
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Hydrogenated Oils
Avoid peanut butters with hydrogenated oils, which contain trans fats. Trans fats can lead to insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis.
Portion Control is Important
Even keto-friendly peanut butter is calorie-dense, so portion control is essential, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. A standard serving size is 2 tablespoons (32 grams). Limiting yourself to 5 tablespoons per day can help avoid getting kicked out of ketosis.
Aflatoxin Exposure
Aflatoxin exposure is a potential concern with peanut butter. However, the USDA and FDA have implemented guidelines to minimize risk, including closely monitoring susceptible crops and imported products.
Other Nut Butters
If you're not a fan of peanuts, or want more variety, several other nut butter choices fit well into a keto diet:
- Almond Butter: A keto-friendly alternative to peanut butter, containing 6 grams of total carbs or 3 grams net carbs per 2-tablespoon (32-gram) serving. Almonds have calcium, so almond butter is a good choice.
- Cashew Butter: Cashews are rich in iron and magnesium.
- Pecan Butter
- Hazelnut Butter
- Macadamia Nut Butter
- Sunflower Seed Butter: Is also high in fat and protein and suitable on a keto diet.
Benefits of Peanut Butter
Peanuts have a favorable macronutrient and micronutrient profile for any diet, as long as you’re not on a low-fat diet. Peanuts contain substantial amounts of health-boosting fatty acids, protein, and micronutrients like vitamin E, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and phosphorus.
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Good quality nut butter can support immune function, promote healthier glucose levels, 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.
Keto-Friendly Peanut Butter Brands
- Crazy Richard’s Pure PB: This peanut butter contains only one ingredient: peanuts. It's free from added sugars, oils, and preservatives.
- Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter: Made with just two ingredients: dry roasted peanuts and palm oil. Justin’s is committed to sustainably sourced ingredients.
- 365 Organic Creamy Peanut Butter: This peanut butter is made only with peanuts.
How to Incorporate Peanut Butter into Your Keto Diet
Here are some ideas for enjoying peanut butter on a keto diet:
- Snacks: Eat it straight from the jar, on celery sticks, or with keto-friendly crackers.
- Smoothies: Add it to smoothies for extra fat and protein.
- Recipes: Use it in keto-friendly recipes like Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites or Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites: PB&J fans, this one is for you.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie: This smoothie recipe is packed with healthy fats.
Cyclical Keto Diet
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.