Which nut butter is healthiest – peanut, almond or cashew?

Lauren Ball, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Southern Cross University

Once, the only nut butter on the supermarket shelf was peanut butter. Now you can also buy almond, cashew, hazelnut and macadamia nut butters, or blends.

So which is the healthiest nut butter to spread on your toast?

As we’ll see, the healthiest is not just about the actual nut. It’s also about what else goes in the jar.

What do they all have in common?

All nut butters are made from ground nuts that provide healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, plant-based protein, fibre. They also provide essential minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, zinc and iron.

Across decades of research, regularly eating nuts is associated with a lower risk of heart disease and premature death. That benefit appears whether the nut is peanut, almond or cashew or any other type of nut.

But many commercial products contain vegetable oils, palm oil, salt, sugar, or stabilisers to improve texture and shelf life. These added ingredients dilute the nutritional quality and increase salt or kilojoules without providing any health benefits.

Choosing a nut butter made only from nuts (or nuts with minimal salt) means you get the full nutritional value.

How do I choose a nut butter?

Check the ingredients list. The healthiest options contain just one ingredient – nuts. Some added salt is fine, if minimal. But avoid products with seed oils (such as canola oil), palm oil, fillers or added sugars.

Looking at the nutrients in each nut butter per serve (a tablespoon, about 16 grams) can highlight how they differ. The numbers vary slightly by brand. But when the product contains 100% nuts, the numbers don’t generally change dramatically between nuts.

To keep things simple, we’ve focused on peanut, almond and cashew butters:

• protein: peanut butter wins slightly for protein content, at 3.84g per tablespoon, making it a solid choice for post-workout snacks or adding extra protein to your day. However, almond (3.36g) and cashew butters (2.82g) aren’t far behind. So they still contribute meaningful protein to your diet

• fat: almond butter takes the top spot for healthy fats (8.88g per tablespoon), followed closely by peanut (7.98g) and cashew butter (7.9g). The fats in nuts are mainly heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which have been associated with improved cholesterol levels and reduced inflammation

• carbohydrates: cashew butter contains the most carbohydrates (4.42g per tablespoon), which might be important if you’re looking for quick energy before a workout or if you have type 1 diabetes and are adjusting your medication based on your carbohydrate intake. Then comes peanut butter (3.49g), followed by almond butter (3.01g)

• fibre: almond butter takes the lead for fibre (1.65g per tablespoon) followed by peanut butter (1.06g). Cashew butter lags significantly behind (0.32g), about one-fifth of the almond butter’s content. This makes cashew butter the weakest option if you’re relying on nut butter to contribute to your daily fibre intake

• calcium: almond butter dramatically outperforms the others for calcium, with 55.5 milligrams per tablespoon. This offers about eight times more than peanut butter (6.56mg) and cashew butter (6.88mg). This makes almond butter an excellent choice for bone health, especially if you avoid dairy

• potassium: both peanut and almond butter tie for potassium content (120mg per tablespoon). This makes them useful for supporting healthy blood pressure and muscle function. Cashew butter contains 87.4mg

• iron: cashew butter leads the pack for iron (0.805mg for tablespoon), followed by almond butter (0.558mg) and peanut butter (0.304mg). This is particularly relevant for people with higher iron needs, such as those menstruating, pregnant or breastfeeding, or people following plant-based diets. But overall, nut butters are not a meaningful source of iron

• zinc: cashew butter (0.826mg per tablespoon) offers nearly twice the zinc of peanut butter (0.445mg). Almond butter’s zinc content is in the middle (0.526mg). This makes cashew butter valuable for immune function and wound healing

• selenium: cashew butter provides the most selenium (1.84 micrograms per tablespoon), an important antioxidant mineral that supports thyroid function. Peanut butter comes in second (1.2µg), while almond butter contains notably less (0.384µg)

• magnesium: almond butter leads for magnesium (44.6mg per tablespoon). Close behind is cashew butter (41.3mg), then peanut butter (25.4mg). This mineral is crucial for muscle relaxation, sleep quality and energy production.

In a nutshell

Each nut butter has distinct nutritional advantages:

• peanut butter leads in protein and ties with almond butter for potassium, making it ideal for muscle support and feeling full

• almond butter is the standout for calcium, and is also higher in fibre, magnesium and heart-healthy fats. This makes it an excellent choice for bone health, digestion and cardiovascular support

• cashew butter is naturally sweet and is the strongest source of minerals such as iron, zinc and selenium. These are essential for immune function, energy production and thyroid health. However, it is the lowest in both protein and fibre. So while it contributes valuable micronutrients, it’s better suited as an occasional option rather than a primary protein source.

Any concerns?

Often, almond and cashew butters are processed on equipment that’s been used to process peanuts or other nuts. So traces of one nut may appear in another nut butter, which is stated on the label. So if you have a specific nut allergy, check labels carefully.

The cost also varies. Almond and cashew butters are usually slightly more expensive (at around A$2.40 per 100g) compared with about $1.82 per 100g for peanut butter.

What now?

No single nut butter reigns supreme as each brings different nutritional strengths.

The smartest approach would be to keep more than one on hand, choose versions made from 100% nuts, and let your taste preferences and nutritional goals guide you.

Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland and Emily Burch, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Lecturer, Southern Cross University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........→March 13, 2026

Yo-Yo Dieting May Actually be Good for You, Suggests New Study

Credit: Getty Images for Unsplash+

A new study indicates that yo-yo dieting might actually be good for you.

Also known as weight cycling, repeatedly losing weight through dieting, only to regain it again—and often more pounds over time—has been criticized in previous research showing it could increase the risk of a heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and higher blood pressure.

But a new study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, shows yo-yo dieting confers long-term health benefits by reducing levels of harmful abdominal fat, also known as visceral fat.

Being called “the largest long-term MRI-based repeated weight-loss trial”, the research demonstrates that every weight loss attempt has the potential to improve overall well-being.

Study principal investigator Professor Iris Shai says the research challenges the traditional focus on weight loss as a simple “numbers game”.

“Persistent commitment to a healthy dietary change creates cardio-metabolic memory in the body.

“Repeated participation in a lifestyle program aimed at weight loss, even after an apparent ‘failure’ in which an individual regains all the weight lost in a previous diet, may lead to significant and sustainable health benefits over the years, particularly through the reduction of harmful visceral fat.”

Body weight alone does not capture changes in visceral fat or metabolic biomarkers, explained the lead author, Hadar Klein, a doctoral student at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

“Even when weight is regained, cardio-metabolic health may remain improved, and success should not be defined solely by the number on the scale.”

Credit: ColinRose (via CC license)

“Importantly, even when weight loss is attenuated during a second attempt, the cumulative benefits for abdominal fat and metabolic health are substantial.”

For the study, researchers conducted a follow-up after five and 10 years with participants from two consecutive randomized controlled dietary trials lasting 18 months each, including around 300 participants.

The trials analyzed participants undertaking a Mediterranean diet–based intervention with physical activity, and compared them with control diets, using detailed MRI scans performed before and after each intervention.

Surprisingly, the study found that, although participants entered the second intervention at a body weight similar to that at the start of the first one—indicating full weight regain—their abdominal fat profile and metabolic markers were more favorable.

They showed improvements of around 15% to 25% compared with their initial levels, including enhanced insulin sensitivity and a more favorable lipid profile.

The researchers say their findings point to the existence of a positive “cardiometabolic memory” from prior intervention that persists, even after weight is regained.

The study also showed that, although participants who rejoined the weight-loss program lost less weight during the second intervention, they maintained better long-term health outcomes.

“Five years after completing the second intervention, these participants showed less weight regain and less accumulation of abdominal fat compared with participants who had engaged in a weight-loss program only once,” said Prof. Shai.The team collaborated with researchers from Harvard’s Department of Nutrition, the University Hospital Leipzig in Germany, and the School of Public Health at Tulane University in New Orleans. Yo-Yo Dieting May Actually be Good for You, Suggests New Study

Read More........→March 10, 2026