Nut & Seed Butters (overview): Nutrients, What Research Shows and Safety

Nut and seed butters are nuts or seeds ground into a paste. This page compares four common ones: peanut butter (peanut, Arachis hypogaea, botanically a legume, not a tree nut), almond butter (Prunus dulcis, the seed of a drupe), cashew butter (Anacardium occidentale, the seed of a fruit) and tahini (Sesamum indicum, sesame seeds). People eat them for fats, protein and minerals. This page keeps the food apart from supplements and hype, and says where the evidence is thin.

Read this first

• Each butter carries the allergy of what it is made from. Peanut, tree nuts (almond, cashew) and sesame are all major US food allergens, and labels must name them. For trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call 911. [7]
• Thick spoonfuls and lumps of nut butter are a choking hazard for young children. CDC lists them with whole nuts. [9]
• The US limit for aflatoxin (a mold poison) in peanuts and peanut products for people is 20 parts per billion, which FDA treats as an action level, not a law. [5]
• Honest summary: the four butters are all energy-dense foods with similar calories (178 to 196 kcal per 2 tablespoons) but different mineral profiles. Studies linking nuts to better health mostly look at whole nuts, and the one big nut study we read that separated peanut butter did not show the same pattern for it. [1][12][13]

What is in it (USDA values)

USDA FoodData Central values for plain butters without added salt, except tahini (made from roasted and toasted kernels, which USDA lists with 115 mg sodium per 100 g). The serving is 2 tablespoons: 32 g for peanut, almond and cashew butter and 30 g for tahini (USDA lists 15 g per tablespoon for tahini). [1] Numbers in brackets are % Daily Value.

Source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy items 172470 (peanut butter), 168588 (almond butter), 170163 (cashew butter) and 170189 (tahini). [1] Per-serving figures are the USDA per-100 g values scaled to the grams shown; % Daily Value uses the FDA 2016 Daily Values and values vary with brand, roasting and recipe. USDA lists no value for a nutrient where the table says "not listed".

How they differ in plain words: almond butter has the most vitamin E and fiber of the four, and the least saturated fat. Cashew butter is highest in copper and zinc. Tahini has the most calcium, iron and selenium. Peanut butter has the most protein, and the most sugar of the three items where USDA lists sugars. [1] Nutrition data for the same food type can differ between brands, so use the label on your jar.

Plant compounds: USDA lists phytosterols (139 mg per 100 g) in almond butter. [1] We did not read human trials of plant compounds in these four butters, so we make no claim about them.

What research says

Whole nuts vs butter. In the frailty cohort, peanuts and walnuts were linked to lower frailty but peanut butter was not, and we found no study that directly compared whole nuts with butters for heart disease. [12][13] A guess sometimes offered is that butter is eaten with other foods, but we did not read a source that tested that, so we do not claim it. Observational findings show association, not proof.

Eaten as food vs taken as a supplement or extract. All the studies above are about foods (nuts, peanut butter). We read no trial of oils, extracts or capsules for these butters and do not assess them here.

How much is a normal serving

Calories per 2 tablespoons are about 178 to 196 kcal for all four (peanut 191, almond 196, cashew 188, tahini 178). [1] Because these foods are energy dense, a spoonful adds up.

Safety, allergy and medicines

• Peanut and tree nut allergy. FDA names peanuts and tree nuts among nine major US allergens. For tree nuts the label must name the nut (for example almonds). [7] Peanut is a legume, not a tree nut, so peanut allergy and tree nut allergy are different allergies, although some people have both. For trouble breathing or swelling of the face or throat, call 911. See food allergy basics.
• Sesame and tahini. Sesame became the ninth major US allergen under the FASTER Act (signed April 2021, effective January 1, 2023). Some products on shelves earlier may lack sesame labeling. [7] A 2022 review reports about 40% of people with sesame allergy react to peanuts and about 25% of peanut-allergic people react to sesame, and that one study found tahini caused reactions in 55% of people who had tolerated whole seeds in a challenge. [10] Other studies found no link, so the overlap is not settled. [10]
• Cross-contamination. Our sources do not give rates for butters made on shared equipment, so check the "Contains" statement and ask the maker if unsure. [7]
• Early peanut introduction for babies. The 2017 NIAID-sponsored addendum guidelines say infants with severe eczema, egg allergy or both may be introduced to peanut foods as early as 4 to 6 months, often after allergy testing. Infants with mild to moderate eczema may start around 6 months, and others freely with other solid foods. Suggested forms include smooth peanut butter thinned with warm water or breast milk or formula. This is guidance to discuss with a pediatrician, not advice from us. [8]
• Choking in young children. The guidelines advise avoiding whole nuts before age 5 and spoonfuls or lumps of peanut butter before age 4. [8] CDC lists "chunks or spoonful of nut and seed butters" among hazards. [9] See foods for babies and toddlers.
• Aflatoxin. Aflatoxins are made by Aspergillus molds that can grow on peanuts and other crops. WHO says large doses can cause acute poisoning and that there is evidence they can cause liver cancer in humans. It advises discarding moldy, discolored or shriveled nuts. [6] FDA's action level for peanuts and peanut products for people is 20 ppb (guidance dated August 2000). [5] Our WHO page does not say whether heat removes it, and says most mycotoxins survive processing. [6]
• Medicines and kidneys. We did not read a source on drug interactions or kidney diets for these butters, so we make no claim.

Choosing, storing and food safety

• Read the ingredient list. US rules let peanut butter contain seasoning and stabilizing ingredients up to 10% of its weight, and any oil stabilizer must be a hydrogenated vegetable oil; fat may not exceed 55%. [2] Salt and sweeteners are the usual seasonings. Brands may also use palm oil. [3][4]
• Why oil separates. In peanut butters without a stabilizer, free oil rises to the top. Hardened fats or palm oil hold it in place. [3][4] A palm oil study found it had potential as a stabilizer but likely less stable at high temperatures than the older ones. [4] The National Peanut Board, an industry group, says fully hydrogenated fats and palm oil add no trans fat and that palm oil adds roughly 1 g saturated fat per serving. [3] That is the board's own claim; check the label's saturated fat figure.
• Plain vs sweetened. USDA lists 3.4 g of sugar in 2 tablespoons of plain peanut butter and 0.1 g in tahini. [1] Flavored or sweetened butters can have more; read the label's added sugars line.
• Mold. Throw away butters or nuts that smell or look moldy. [6]

Related pages

• Peanuts
• Sesame seeds
• Cashews
• Almonds
• Nuts and seeds for heart health: what trials found
• Nut and seed allergy basics