Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages: It’s time for one of the greatest food battles of this or any generation. In the left corner: the elder statesman of the sandwich spread world, you know ‘em, you love ‘em, it’s peanut butter! And in the right corner: the scrappy, tenacious young gun who burst on the scene with an exciting string of knockouts, it’s the almighty almond butter! Two titans, ready to slug it out for ultimate nut butter supremacy. Let the battle begin!
Peanut butter vs almond butter: let’s talk peanut butter
Peanut butter comes out strong in the legacy game, being the consistent favorite of lunchbox sandwiches for well over 100 years. While classified as a “nut butter,” we all know now that peanuts are actually legumes, in the same family as beans, chickpeas, lentils, and other edible seeds enclosed in pods.
The peanut itself is high in protein, fiber, dietary minerals, and monounsaturated fats, which are contributors to lower heart disease and regulated blood sugars. Combine that with its instantly recognizable, rich, nutty flavor and stick-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth texture, peanut butter has everything you could possibly want.
Almond butter vs peanut butter: let’s talk almond butter
Almonds seem pretty straightforward, but they throw a left hook in the classification department much like peanuts. While often lumped in with other tree nuts like the chestnuts, acorns, or hazelnuts, the almond is actually a drupe: a three-layered tree fruit that contains a seed at its innermost layer. That seed is the almond; other drupes include cashews, pistachios, peaches, cherries, and plums, among others.
The almond manages to be slightly healthier than the peanut, containing more of the same vitamins, minerals, fiber, and monounsaturated fats that are found in peanuts. In fact, your standard tablespoon of almond butter could have upwards of 25% more monounsaturated fats and almost 50% more fiber than the peanut butter equivalent. To that end, Big Almond Butter cashes in on this small health difference—a jar of almond butter is significantly more expensive than a jar of peanut butter.
The real power punch of almond butter becomes clear when you start talking allergens. Peanuts are one of the most common food allergens in the world, so having an alternative that is widely available and similar in taste and nutritional value scales is a major feather in almond butter’s cap.
Almond butter vs peanut butter: taste
Does almond butter taste like peanut butter? Does peanut butter taste like almond butter? Both butters maintain the relative flavor of their source “nuts,” so if you’ve eaten both an almond and a peanut, you know what you’re in for. In general, peanut butter can be sweeter and kind of salty. Whereas almond butter has more nuttiness, a little grain, and the slightly bitter aftertaste you get from a raw almond.
Both are unique and delicious, so it really comes down to personal preference.
Almond butter or peanut butter: who wins?
Honestly, this fight is a draw. Peanut butter is such a classic that it can never be dethroned. But almond butter brings a lot to the table in terms of taste and nutritional value. Personally, I am going with whatever one is going to punch my wallet the least, which is peanut butter (crunchy over creamy, please). But I’d never fault anyone for choosing almond butter.
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