Go Nuts for Seed and Nut Butters
Wondering about the health benefits of seed and nut butters? Dig into these nutty, heart-healthy spreads with this guide to nutrition benefits, cooking tips, and recipes using seed and nut butters.
Seed and Nut Butter Nutrition
No matter what nut or seed butter you choose to spread on your bread, here are a few nutrition facts. Peanuts and tree nuts, including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, macadamias, pine nuts, and pecans, are all good for your heart because of their rich unsaturated fat content (learn more about healthy fats here). The US FDA approved a qualified health claim that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of heart disease. Note that coconut does not enjoy the same heart-health benefits as do tree nuts, so it is not included on the list due to its high saturated fat content. The serving size for nut and seed butters is considered two tablespoons.
One of the main health benefits of tree nuts is that they are filled with unsaturated fats, such as poly and monounsaturated fats, as well as vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals (plant compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities). Seeds, such as flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, hemp, and chia, may not have quite as much recognition in the scientific community for health benefits because of less research, but these tiny kernels are packed with some of the same nutritional properties as nuts. So, do include them all!
In fact, nuts are technically seeds themselves—the definition of a tree nut is a fruit composed of an inedible hard shell and an edible seed. Nature bestows unique nutrition properties on nuts and seeds; essentially these are tiny embryos, which come packed with a rich food supply to help the new plant complete the miraculous reproductive cycle of a plant. That’s why nuts and seeds offer dense supplies of nutrition—all wrapped up in a tiny package.
Nut and seed butters are rich in fat (the healthy variety), thus, they are concentrated in calories. So, a little goes a long way. Most nut butters provide around 180-190 calories per two tablespoon serving. Try spreading nut or seed butters on breads, using them as a fat source in baking, and stirring them into sauces and vinaigrettes. And remember that nut and seed butters can offer a plant-based protein option for reducing meat consumption—a healthful and sustainable eating strategy.
So, get nutty and try some of these nut and seed butters for a boost of healthy flavor.
This humble legume (yes, peanuts are actually a legume, not a tree nut) has many benefits. Besides its fabulous price point, peanut butter is rich in protein (8 g per serving), vitamin E, niacin, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. In addition, peanuts have arginine—an amino acid that can help improve blood flow in your arteries, and resveratrol—the same antioxidant compound found in red wine. For extra credit, grind the papery red skins of peanuts into your peanut butter, as these are rich in bioactive compounds. Beyond the classic PBJ, add peanut butter to bars and cookies, and a flavorful Thai stir-fry.
Try these peanut butter recipes to get started:
- Vegan Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
- Stir-Fried Thai Tofu Sorghum Bowl
- Banana and Peanut Butter Smoothie Bowl
Almond butter has gained popularity for its mildly nutty, sweet taste. It’s also rich in protein (5 g per serving), riboflavin, vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus, and manganese. Almond butter is uniquely rich in calcium, providing 8% of the Daily Value per serving. Try almond butter spread on sandwiches, as well as a dip for fruit and veggies, and an addition to baked goods, such as cookies and quick breads.
That unique nutty-bitter taste of walnuts is a calling card for its rich phytochemical compounds linked with health advantages. But walnuts also have something else unique in the nut world: omega-3 fatty acids, and a lot of them. That’s why research links walnuts with heart health, as well as healthy aging and reproductive health. In addition, walnut butter is rich in magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and manganese. Try walnut butter in sauces to accent savory foods, as well as wraps, and toasted raisin bread.
The unique quality of pistachio butter may be observed at first sight: the butter is a lovely shade of green! That green hue comes from lutein, which has antioxidant action and helps fight chronic disease. Pistachios have been linked with heart health, as well as weight control. Pistachio butter is also rich in protein (6 g per serving), fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, copper, and manganese. Try pistachio butter in vinaigrettes, biscotti dough, and muffins.
The sweet, golden butter from sunflower seeds is a great alternative for those who might be allergic to tree nuts or peanuts. Plus, it’s packed with a cache of nutrients, including protein (6 g), fiber, vitamins E and B6, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium. Spread sunflower seed butter on banana sandwiches, fill dates with it, and stir it into creamy soups.
Sesame seed butter (tahini) is what gives hummus that earthy-nutty taste. But it’s also delicious and nutritious on its own right. Pale in color, tahini is bold in nutrition, packing in protein (5 g per serving), fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese. Try using tahini as a dip for falafels, as a spread in pita sandwiches, and as an addition to cookies.
Try these recipes using tahini:
8 Seed and Nut Butter Recipes
Check out some of my other favorite recipes featuring nut and seed butters. And remember to mix and match other nut and seed butters in recipes that call for peanut butter.
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chickpea Bars
- Curried Triticale Harvest Bowl
- Pistachio Hummus
- Homemade Dog Treats with Pumpkin and Peanut Butter
- Sesame Noodle Salad with Peas
- Gado Gado Indonesian Tempeh Salad
- Tempeh Cold Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
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