PARTNERS IN PEANUT BUTTER: Natural And Conventional No matter the variety, peanut butter is full of delicious, nutritious goodness.
T he options for peanut butter on the market are vast, but many people wonder what the difference is between natural and conventional varieties. A peanut butter is considered “natural” if it contains just peanuts or peanuts and salt. A conventional pea- nut butter will contain these ingredients, plus the ad- dition of fully hydrogenated oil and possibly added sweeteners. Products that include anything outside of these ingredients, like palm oil (which is higher in saturated fat but is not hydrogenated and is trans- fat free), flavors or other ingredients must be labeled as peanut butter spreads. These may include des-
sert-forward flavors or specialty spreads that are available on the market. Importantly, fully hydro- genated oils do not contain trans fats and are dif- ferent from partially hydrogenated oils, which are not present in any peanut butters sold in the Unit- ed States. When comparing the nutrients on the label of two of the most popular brands of natural vs. conven- tional peanut butters, there is no significant differ- ence in the amount of saturated fat between the two. The sugar in regular peanut butter amounts
to about ½ teaspoon per serving, a very small contribution when con- sidering the most common sources of added sugar in the diet. With the abundance of peanut but- ter varieties available, it’s important to remember that whether the pea- nut butter is natural or convention- al, it will contain nutritional good- ness and great taste. Plus, peanut butter also pairs well with many other nutrient-dense foods, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which can make eating a diverse diet easier for kids and adults alike.
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Markita Lewis, MS, RDN | National Peanut Board Markita Lewis MS, RD is a registered dietitian with over 7 years of experience in clinical nutrition, nutrition education, health and wellness copywriting for major brands and healthcare professionals, and public speaking. She is currently the Marketing and Communications Manager at the National Peanut Board, where she develops and implements programs and initiatives regarding early introduction and allergy management, K-12 nutrition, foodservice, and health and wellness. Markita completed her MS and dietetic internship at the University of Georgia and BS at Louisiana State University. Markita is committed to integrating her love of culture and social justice into her career as a dietitian to make health more equitable for all.
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