Most of us love spreading peanut, almond, or cashew butter on our favorite foods. The sad truth is that not all nut and seed butter is created equal, especially peanut butter. There’s a dark and dirty little secret you might want to know about America’s favorite sandwich spread.
Let’s start with the basics. Peanuts are not actually a nut at all. They are classified as a legume, just like a bean or a chickpea. Unlike almonds, which grow on trees, peanuts grow underground in the soil. During their growth, while the warm, moist earth surrounds them, they are often exposed to mold and fungus. Unfortunately, the fungus causes contamination of the peanuts and ends up producing cancer-causing compounds known as aflatoxins.
Produced by the Aspergillus fungus, these aflatoxins are, as the name implies, highly toxic and can cause food intolerances and other diseases in both livestock and humans. Aflatoxins have been linked to a variety of health issues, including possible growth impairment in children and developmental delays*.
So, if you were a peanut butter lover before, you might want to reconsider. Almond butter is a much better choice for more reasons than one. Not only does it grow above ground (key point!), but it contains several other valuable nutrients and health benefits.
- Almonds are a good source of monounsaturated fats, which have been associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
- They are one of the best natural sources of fat-soluble vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant, and may also help lower cholesterol.
- It’s a good source of magnesium, which is thought to play a role in maintaining healthy blood pressure.
- Studies have shown that people who regularly eat almonds don’t seem to gain weight, despite their higher caloric content.
So, what do you think? Is it time to consider swapping out peanut butter for almond butter? If so, here’s a quick way to make it yourself!
Homemade Almond Butter
Place 3 cups of almonds and ¼ teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt into a food processor or high-speed blender.
Pulse until the almonds go from coarsely chopped to crumbly and finely ground.
They should begin to stick together like a paste. If the almonds aren’t quite there yet, add up to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil or olive oil and continue blending until the mixture turns into a beautifully smooth batter.
Finally, spread it on the food that you love. Your mouth will be very happy!