Good-for-you nut butters contain a host of minerals and vitamins, offering good-quality, usable protein. Wholesome nut spreads contain fiber and essential fatty acids, making them a good choice for consumers who may be looking to replace margarine or butter with spreads that are more nutritious.
Nut butters are also beneficial for children. Replacing commercial nut spreads (containing hydrogenated fats) with nutritious all natural nut butters can give children a nutritious start to their day and provide their bodies with essential dietary elements needed for health and growth. Nut butters can be spread over kids' toast and bagels and on waffles and pancakes. Nut spreads a tasty and healthful cracker topping for a daytime snack.
Nuts are cholesterol free so they are a good substitute for meats, which contain saturated fat and cholesterol. Consuming nut butter can guard against development of heart disease. In fact, foods high in good fats help the heart by lowering LDL cholesterol, while raising levels of heart-protective HDL. Nut butter spreads contain healthful monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and do not contain harmful trans fatty acids.
Vegetarians and vegans may find that nut butters help to meet their nutritional and dietary needs.
Nut Butter Nutrition Facts: Studies About Nut Fats
- According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (Nurses Health Study), consuming nuts lowers Type II diabetes risk. Eating 5 servings or 30 grams of nuts each week can cut risk by almost one third. An easy way to include nuts in the diet is to consume nut butters.
- A study done at Rush University in Chicago established that a diet high in saturated and hydrogenated fats increases risk of developing Alzheimer’s. Replacing harmful fats with nut fats can cut risk.
- Compounds found in walnuts may play a preventative role in relation to age-related cognitive decline (James Joseph, PHD, US Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center, Tufts University, Boston).
Nut Butters: Good Taste and Good Nutrition
Nut butters come in a variety of delicious flavors and may also be naturally sweetened with fruit. Nut spreads such as as strawberry almond or chocolate cherry hazelnut are delicious on waffles or pancakes.
Nut Butter Serving Suggestions
How can nut-based spreads be incorporated into the daily diet to capitalize on nut butter's health benefits?
- Add a spoonful or two of nut butter to smoothies
- When making salad dressing, replace 1 tsp. of oil with one tsp. of nut butter
- Spread nut butter on crackers for hors d'oeuvres
- Use as a sandwich filling, topped with raisins, grated carrot or alfalfa sprouts
- Stir 1-2 tbsp. nut butter into stir-fry
- Spread nut butter on celery sticks
Eating nut butters is a health-protective measure, offering health-conscious consumers a nutritious, heart-friendly protein alternative.
- Facts About Fat: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly--Why has dietary fat gotten such a bad rap? While not all fats are harmful, some types of fat can be.
Melody Rhodes - M. Rhodes is author of the Bedbug Books. She's been published in Canada, U.S. U.K. & NZ and has won awards for her poetry/prose.
Join the Conversation