Saturday, May 23, 2015

Almond Butter Comparison


Eating healthy on a budget doesn't have to be a burden. One of my favorite products is almond butter and while certain brands may be pricier than others, there are budget friendly options!

“All Natural” products tend to be more expensive but they typically have fewer ingredients and are minimally processed.

I have two favorite brands of almond butter. The first is MaraNatha All Natural No Stir Creamy Almond Butter. The second is Jif Creamy Almond Butter.

I have certain things that I like and dislike about each brand, but the first thing I want to discuss is the nutrition facts. Both products have the same amount of calories and the same about of fat per serving. MaraNatha has one less gram of carbohydrate and Jif has one more gram of protein. These are very minute differences, but noteworthy.

The major difference is the MaraNatha brand is all natural. It only has 4 ingredients: almonds, cane sugar, palm oil, and sea salt. The Jif brand contains 5 ingredients: almonds, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils, sunflower oil, and salt. Hydrogenated vegetable oils are something I recommend avoiding when possible.

The MaraNatha brand needs to be refrigerated after opening, the Jif brand does not. I'm not a huge fan of putting almond butter in the refrigerator. The Jif brand seems to spread easier and has a more appealing consistency, thanks in part to the hydrogenated vegetable oils. (*Please note my sarcasm here.)

In conclusion, both options are acceptable and I've been known to buy both. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the MaraNatha brand because it does not contain hydrogenated vegetable oils. If the Jif brand, or something similar, is more appropriate for your budget, then go with it!





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