Almond Butter or Peanut Butter: Which is better for you?

In recent years, almond butter was somehow anointed the chosen nut butter among health-conscious eaters, who smear it on their sprouted breads and gaze upon peanut butter as its low-brow relative.

But the creamy almond treat is not cheap (it's often about double the price of peanut), and when pressed, most people really can't tell you why they're willing to splurge.

So, here we'll break down the health differences between the two nut butters we're most obsessed with.

Macronutrients

When it comes to the big guys—carbs, protein, and fat—almond and peanut butter are like fraternal twins. You'll see a gram difference here or there, but it doesn't really make a difference. A single two-tablespoon serving of either is high in calories (200) but comes with lots of protein (about 7g) and healthy fats.

Some nutritionists and health coaches point to almond's slightly higher concentration of good fats, but the difference is nominal. Almonds have a little bit less saturated fat.

Micronutrients

Within the nitty gritty nutrients is where a difference starts to emerge between the butters.

Almond is better for vitamin E and magnesium, which are two very important micronutrients. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and magnesium is important for bone health and your central nervous system. This is especially powerful since vitamin E is not found in a wide variety of foods.

Almond butter also has more calcium and iron than peanut.

Natural and organic

No matter which nut butter you're choosing, look out for added sugar and preservatives! The ingredient lists should include little more than plain old nuts. When you shop for almond butter, it's almost all natural brands, you don’t see the Jiffy; it's just easier to choose a natural, no-added-sugar, no-preservatives almond butter.

And when it comes to organic, you have to be more careful with peanuts. They're hard to grow, so many pesticides are often used on peanuts. If the peanut butter is not organic, you don’t want to be anywhere near it.

Other factors

Aside for nutrition facts, there are a few other factors experts consider. Peanuts crops are susceptible to fungi called aflatoxins,  which are associated with an array of diseases. The FDA does regulate the presence of aflatoxins, but some say you can't be too careful.

Almond butter seems to work better for those struggling with weight loss. Peanuts tend to be more addictive for people; almonds tend to be more filling. Peanuts also may cause more bloating, since they're technically legumes, not nuts.

Taste and uses

Of course, since both butters can be part of a healthy diet, a lot of decisions come down to which just works better for your taste buds or whatever you're whipping up in the kitchen. For me, peanut butter tastes better with bananas and almond tastes better with apples.

And while almond butter works really well in smoothies, peanut butter does tend to have more culinary uses. I'll use peanut butter in a stir fry, Thai style, or an African spicy sweet potato soup with peanut butter - that’s really delicious!

—Thanks to Lisa Elaine Held