For anyone who has had a peanut allergy diagnosis, it is necessary to avoid eating peanuts entirely. However, almond butter can be a healthy and delicious substitute for peanut butter. If you do not have an almond allergy, this nut can be used instead of peanut butter for many different reasons. The most popular is using almond butter as a spread on bread, toast or crackers.
Barney Butter Voted #1 Nut Butter
Barney Butter, voted the #1 Nut Butter Brand for being 100% Peanut-Free by Self Magazine, has an array of delectable almond butters. These almond butters are incredibly tasty and will add a pep to just about any snack, smoothie, or dessert. You can make delicious smoothies with the Powdered Almond Butter, and bake scrumptious cookies and cakes with the yummy almond butter options, such as Chocolate Almond Butter. All of this knowing that your family is safe when using Barney Butter almond butters.
Health Benefits
Both peanut butter and almond butter are good sources of protein and other important nutrients. Almond butter is filled with fiber and contains important minerals and vitamins. It also contains phytosterols, which are believed to lower cholesterol levels in humans. Peanut butter and almond butter have approximately the same amount of calories per serving.
Almonds have a naturally sweet taste, so many natural almond butter brands do not contain added sugar. This is an advantage over peanut butter because most of the major brands add sugar to this spread. If you need to limit your sodium, you can buy almond butter that does not contain salt. The one downside of almond butter is that it can cost twice as much as peanut butter, and it is usually sold only in small jars.
Cooking with Almond Butter
You will find that substituting almond butter for peanut butter in popular recipes like peanut butter cookies provides a different but delicious taste. Using the same amount of almond butter instead of peanut butter is almost always successful in recipes. Almond butter contains slightly more fat than peanut butter, but this does not affect most recipes.
Another popular way to use almond butter is when making smoothies. Simply use the same amount of almond butter instead of peanut butter, and then add other ingredients such as berries, protein powder, milk or juice. Since almonds are slightly sweeter than peanuts, you may find that you can omit the sugar, honey or stevia for a naturally sweet smoothie.
Great for Snacking
You might want to try eating almond butter by the spoonful for a fast snack that is good for you. It can also be used on celery sticks instead of peanut butter or mixed with a little almond oil or water until smooth to make a dip for vegetables. You can experiment with almond butter until you find your favorite ways to use it.
Almond butter is a delicious alternative to peanut butter, but some people who have a peanut allergy may also be allergic to tree nuts. Consult your allergist before introducing almond butter to your diet.