Is Peanut Butter Keto?

Peanut butter is a tasty, convenient snack for when you’re on the go. It’s packed full of nutrients like vitamin E, an antioxidant that helps fight free radicals in your body. But is peanut butter keto-friendly?

Can You Eat Peanut Butter On A Keto Diet?

KetoConnect verdict: We give peanut butter a keto-friendly rating of ⭐⭐⭐⭐(out of 5)

Traditional peanut butter is keto-friendly if eaten in moderation. Even though a serving typically only contains 10 grams of carbs, many manufacturers include additives like sugars and hydrogenated oils. That can trigger inflammation, associated with the development of heart disease, some kinds of cancer and and, other chronic conditions.

But if you can get natural peanut butter that avoids these ingredients (all it really needs is peanuts and salt!), it’s 100% keto-friendly and you can happily enjoy it in moderation.

Peanut butter makes for a satisfying snack, and because it has a protein content of eight grams per serving, it keeps you fuller for longer. Peanut butter also has a glycemic index (GI) score of 14, so it helps to promote insulin sensitivity since you aren’t spiking your blood glucose or insulin levels.

Keto Peanut Butter Nutrition Facts

Two tablespoons of keto-friendly peanut butter contain around:

• Two grams of net carbs
• 16 grams of fat
• Eight grams of protein
• Three grams of fiber
• 190 calories

If you love peanut butter and don’t want to eat it in moderation, keto peanut butter is a must. With only two grams of net carbs, you can spread it on your low-carb sandwiches, top it with keto ice cream or add it to a smoothie.

Now let’s look at some health benefits of eating keto peanut butter.

Health Benefits Of Keto Peanut Butter

Here are some benefits to snacking on peanut butter regularly.

It’s Rich In Essential Nutrients

Peanut butter contains vital nutrients like vitamin E, iron, potassium and niacin. If you’re lacking vitamins and minerals in your diet, peanut butter can help fill in these nutrients.

For example, vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin found to reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals in the environment. Oxidative stress is one significant trigger behind the development of many chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis and even cancer.

Fortunately, four tablespoons of peanut butter contain 36 percent of your daily vitamin E needs. You can fulfill your remaining requirements with foods like seeds, nuts, and olive oil.

Peanut Butter Keeps You Full

Because peanut butter offers eight grams of protein and 16 grams of fat per serving, it keeps you full, making it easier to lose weight.

This is because each macronutrient impacts your body differently. Protein lowers ghrelin, the hunger hormone while increasing peptide YY levels, an essential hormone for satiation. 

A 2005 clinical trial found that boosting protein intake from 15 to 30 percent of daily calories resulted in overweight participants eating almost 500 calories less per day. So if you’re looking to lose weight, implementing more peanut butter into your diet may be a tasty option to help meet your goals.

But peanut butter offers even more fat, which also helps to reduce appetite. Fat leaves your digestive tract last, promoting fullness. This makes peanut butter a good snacking option to keep you going between meals.

Peanut butter is high in monounsaturated fats. Studies find that these monounsaturated fats can help decrease high LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. This means less plaque in your arteries, lowering your risk of heart attacks and strokes. 

So if you have high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease or stroke, consider implementing peanut butter into your diet immediately. 

Now let’s cover some of the healthiest keto-friendly peanut butter brands on the market.

6 Healthiest Keto Peanut Butter Options

Opt for these alternatives if you want to avoid added sugars and weird oils.

Santa Cruz Organic Peanut Butter

This organic peanut butter contains no GMO, added sugars, hydrogenated oils, gluten, trans fat or artificial ingredients. This makes it one of the best options for keto dieters because you stay in ketosis and avoid inflammation.

Here’s the macronutrient profile of one serving:

• Two net carbs
• 16 grams of fat
• Eight grams of protein

You’ll only find two ingredients on the label; organic peanuts and salt.

Feel free to choose between the dark or light roast. The dark roast is more robust, making it better for keto sandwiches, while the light option is smoother, which goes well with desserts. 

Peanut Butter & Co Old Fashioned Crunchy Peanut Butter

Like Santa Cruz, Peanut Butter & Co. only uses two ingredients. This way, you know you’re not consuming sketchy additives like high-fructose corn syrup or vegetable oils.

One serving contains:

• Eight grams of protein
• Three grams of fiber
• Four grams of net carbs
• No added sugars
• 40 mg of sodium

Peanut Butter Co. sources peanuts from US farmers, so you’re supporting local businesses when buying Old Fashioned Peanut Butter.

Crazy Richard’s 100% All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

If you want to reduce your salt intake, consider Crazy Richard’s 100% All-Natural Creamy Peanut Butter. 

The only ingredient is peanuts, and they use the natural oils from peanuts to get a creamy texture. So you won’t get chunks that break your keto bread.

One serving of Crazy Richard’s peanut butter contains:

• 13 grams of healthy fats
• Two grams of net carbs
• No added sugars 
• Eight grams of protein
• 230 mg of potassium

If you’re experiencing keto flu, use Crazy Richards because the high potassium content allows you to boost potassium intake within seconds. Since the texture is so smooth, you can eat it without anything else.

By eating four tablespoons, you already consumed 460 mg of potassium. This is four times higher than what you’ll find in most supplements.

Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter

What makes Kirkland unique is it uses Valencia peanuts. These nuts have the lowest amount of aflatoxin. This is a mycotoxin that many doctors consider the most potent naturally occurring carcinogen. 

So if you’re eating Kirkland peanut butter, you won’t have to worry about aflatoxin increasing your cancer risk.

Here are the nutritional facts for one serving of Kirkland peanut butter:

• Four grams of carbs
• Two grams of sugar
• 15 grams of fat
• Eight grams of protein

Also, Kirkland only sources nuts from farms in the US that don’t use pesticides and herbicides like glyphosate. 

An interesting fact about glyphosate: Glyphosate was introduced in 1974, and if you look at any graph showing the rate of peanut allergies, it suddenly spikes around this time. So although there aren’t studies linking glyphosate to peanut allergies, it’s a possibility that glyphosate causes the development of peanut allergies. 

Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter

Spread The Love is a small brand based in California, and its top-quality peanut butter comes in a 16-ounce glass jar. This way, you aren’t consuming BPA and other chemicals found in plastic that can seep into foods. It’s also vegan, GMO-free and contains no added sugars.

One serving of Spread The Love contains:

• 180 calories
• 15 grams of fat
• Four grams of carbs
• Seven grams of protein

Spread The Love offers a subscription plan as an alternative to making a one-time purchase every time you finish a jar. With this subscription, you can receive 1, 3, or 6 jars every month at a discounted rate and never worry about running out of PB

Once Again – Unsweetened No Salt Added Peanut Butter

Once Again makes this peanut butter by roasting and grinding peanuts until they’re creamy, and then adding crunches. It only uses dry, roasted, blanched peanuts, so you aren’t eating added ingredients. 

A serving of Once Again contains:

• 190 calories
• 16 grams of fat (including three grams of saturated fat)
• Three grams of net carbs
• Nine grams of protein
• No added salt or sugar

But if you don’t feel like making peanut butter sandwiches all the time, consider these tasty recipes.

How To Introduce Peanut Butter Into Your Ketogenic Diet

Here are some of my favorite, easy-to-make peanut butter recipes.

Peanut Butter Balls

To make these peanut butter balls, you’ll only need three ingredients:

1. Two cups of peanut butter
2. A half a cup keto syrup
3. ¾ cup coconut flour

This only takes three to five minutes to make.

First, mix your peanut butter, keto syrup of choice and coconut flour in a large mixing bowl. If it’s too thick for your liking, pour some milk or water. Next, use your hands to mold the mixture into small balls, place it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes and enjoy!

This four-ingredient peanut butter cookie is a yummy snack or dessert for when you’re short on time. For this convenient recipe, you’ll need:

• One cup of peanut butter
• A half a cup keto syrup
• One egg
• One teaspoon vanilla extract

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a tray with non-stick paper. Get a large mixing bowl and mix your peanut butter, keto syrup, egg and extract.

Roll this dough into one-inch balls, place it on your non-stick paper and use a fork to gently press it down. The last step is to bake these cookies in your oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it cool for a few minutes and serve when it’s finished!

Make this keto fudge if you’re looking for a quick snack that helps reduce sugar cravings. It takes a few minutes and requires four ingredients: 

1. A half a cup of butter
2. A cup of keto peanut butter
3. Three tablespoons of erythritol
4. Two teaspoons of vanilla extract

Add your butter and peanut butter to a mixing bowl and pop it in the microwave for a minute, so it melts. Next, whisk this mixture using a hand or electric beater and add the erythritol and vanilla extract.

Once it’s well mixed, get a bread loaf tray and line it with non-stick paper. Pour your mixture into this tray, tap the tray on the table a few times and toss it in the freezer for 30 minutes. When it’s ready, serve and store it in the fridge.

If you’re getting tired of eating peanut butter, try these alternatives.

Almond Butter

A two-tablespoon serving contains six grams of carbs, making it a healthy choice for keto dieters.

Like peanut butter, almond butter offers a lot of vitamin E. This helps with aging since vitamin E improves skin and fights free radicals. But almond butter also has omega 3, which can help boost brain power. 

Sunflower Seed Butter

Sunflower seed butter is another delicious snack for keto dieters. One serving has six grams of carbs and protein and 18 grams of fat. You can make sunflower seed butter at home using sunflower seeds and coconut oil. But if you don’t have time, many brands also sell quality sunflower butter.

Keep in mind it doesn’t taste like peanut butter. It has an earthy, toasty flavor which goes well with desserts.

Macadamia Nut Butter

Macadamia nut butter is a delicious base for many recipes like stir fry, curry paste or marinades. It has the lowest carbs per serving out of all nut butter. A serving only contains one gram of total carbs, 13 grams of fat and 121 calories.

The low protein and high carb ratio helps increase fat intake. If you’re eating many eggs, meat and fish, you’re already getting plenty of protein. So macadamia nuts provide a quick boost in fat without much protein.

Final Thoughts On Eating Peanut Butter On Keto

Many peanut butter brands use added sugars and hydrogenous oils to make their products taste better and last longer. You want to avoid these ingredients because although they might not knock you out of ketosis, they can trigger inflammation.

Instead, opt for healthy keto-friendly nut butter from brands like Santa Cruz, Peanut Butter & Co, Crazy Richard’s, Kirkland, Spread The Love, or Once Again.

You could implement peanut butter into your diet by making peanut butter balls, cookies or fudge since it only takes a few minutes, and you can pop it in the fridge and snack on it for the next month.

If you’re getting tired of eating peanut butter, consider alternatives like almond, sunflower or macadamia nut butter.

Looking for other guides on keto friendly foods? Check out our posts on is mayo keto?, is cinnamon keto?, is edamame keto?, is balsamic vinegar keto?, is oat milk keto?, are cherries keto? and is watermelon keto?

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Expert Fact Checker