Expert's opinion
Expert's opinion
The article is a subjective view on this topic written by writers specializing in medical writing.
It may reflect on a personal journey surrounding struggles with an illness or medical condition, involve product comparisons, diet considerations, or other health-related opinions.
Although the view is entirely that of the writer, it is based on academic experiences and scientific research they have conducted; it is fact-checked by a team of degreed medical experts, and validated by sources attached to the article.
The numbers in parenthesis (1,2,3) will take you to clickable links to related scientific papers.
Is Peanut Butter Keto? Experts Explain The Answer In 2024
Updated on
- Written by Jessica Holbrook, RN
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Maya Frankfurt, PhD
A strict diet like the keto diet requires a great deal of research and planning ahead. When you first start eating a ketogenic diet, you might feel like you have to give up many of your favorite foods. While bread, pasta, and sugary snacks are off-limits, you might be surprised at some of the foods that help you stay in ketosis.
People trying to figure out how to follow a keto meal plan might wonder; is peanut butter keto-friendly?
Is Peanut Butter Keto?
Peanut butter is a delicious, inexpensive, high-fat, and low-carbohydrate-containing food. It is a staple in many American households and is good for sandwiches, dips, and baked goods. But, is peanut butter good for keto?
Since peanut butter is high in fat and low in carbohydrates, it makes a perfect keto-friendly snack. Make sure that you choose natural peanut butter without added sugar. You can even buy roasted peanuts to make your own sugar-free crunchy peanut butter.
Peanut Butter Health Benefits
If you are a peanut butter lover, you will be happy to hear that this creamy spread is more than just a delicious low-carb snack. Peanut butter, especially homemade peanut butter, has some impressive health benefits.
Helps You Stay Full
Because peanut butter is low in total carbs and high in fat, it can help you stay full for longer. This leads to eating fewer calories throughout the day and can lead to weight loss over time.
Eating nut butters as part of a low-carb diet not only helps you stay full, it can reduce your sugar cravings and make it easier to choose healthy food.
You can also use supplements like Via Keto Gummies to help suppress your appetite if you are trying to lose weight.
Contains Monounsaturated Fat
Unsaturated fats are the best choice for anyone eating a high-fat diet. Experts in the Journal of Nutrition Reviews[1] state that monounsaturated fats, like those found in peanut butter, can lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Full Of Antioxidants
You may be surprised to hear that peanut butter is full of antioxidants. The British Journal of Nutrition published a study showing that peanuts are extremely high in antioxidants and that those antioxidants can improve health conditions such as chronic inflammation, heart disease, and diabetes.
Because peanut butter has so many health benefits, it makes a great addition to any keto diet food list.
Nutrition Information For Peanut Butter
When you choose a peanut butter brand, make sure you check the nutrition label for any added sugars, sugar alcohols, or other ingredients that can increase its carb content.
Natural peanut butter is the best option for a keto diet.
Two tablespoons of nut[2] butter like Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter contain:
- 180 calories
- 16g fat
- 7g carbohydrate
- 3g fiber
- 1g sugar
- 8g protein
A ketogenic diet should be high in fat, contain adequate protein, and include very few carbohydrates.
Use the best keto app to help you track your foods and make sure you are staying in ketosis.
The Drawbacks Of Peanut Butter
While you can enjoy peanut butter as part of a low-carb lifestyle, there are still some drawbacks you should be aware of.
High-Calorie
People who grew up thinking they needed to eat a low-fat diet to lose weight probably wonder, is peanut butter good for weight loss?
If you stick to your keto eating plan, it can help you meet your weight loss goals. However, like other high-fat foods, peanut butter contains a lot of calories. Just two tablespoons of regular peanut butter contain about 188 calories.
Added Sugar
Some peanut butter brands have a lot of added sugars. This not only increases the total carbs but can also lead to cravings for more sugar. Flavored peanut butter and reduced-fat peanut butter tend to have even more sugar than other types.
Try to choose peanut butter brands like Justin’s Classic Peanut Butter. Choosing healthy brands or making homemade peanut butter ensures that there are limited ingredients and no added sugars in your nut butter.
7 Alternatives To Peanut Butter
While peanut butter is a great choice for your keto diet plan, some people are allergic to peanuts or simply don’t like the taste of peanut butter. If you are looking for a substitute to make some low-carb snacks, swap your peanut butter for one of these alternatives:
- Sunflower seed butter
- Almond butter
- Cashew butter
- Macadamia nut butter
- Hummus
- Cream cheese
- Guacamole
These substitutes are full of healthy fats with moderate protein and a low carb count. They can be used as dips, spreads, or in your favorite keto-friendly recipes.
Peanuts On Keto Recipes
Keto Kiet Peanut Butter Cups
You may have thought that peanut butter cups would exceed your carb allowance for your lifestyle. However, these keto peanut butter cups contain just four net carbs per serving.
If you prefer to stick to whole foods, you can make your own low-carb peanut butter cups using dark chocolate, creamy peanut butter, coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
Keto Peanut Butter Fudge
It is another delicious snack that you can eat while following a keto diet. Made with just peanut butter, butter, protein powder, and monk fruit, this fudge contains just three net carbs per serving.
You can substitute any kind of other nut butter for the peanut butter in this recipe.
Peanut Butter Granola Bars
While granola bars are not usually keto-friendly, you can make your own peanut butter granola bars using peanut butter, different nuts, seeds, and dark chocolate drizzle.
Conclusion
You can enjoy peanut butter on keto without going over your total carbs for the day. You don’t even have to buy special keto peanut butter brands to maintain ketosis.
Trying creamy peanut butter recipes like peanut butter fudge or peanut butter cups can help you feel like you are indulging in a treat without increasing your carb intake. Not only is peanut butter delicious, but it has many health benefits including keeping you full, preventing heart disease, and reducing chronic inflammation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Because peanut butter is high in fats and low in carbohydrates, peanut butter is a good choice for a keto diet.
No. Peanut butter is naturally low in carbohydrates, so any natural peanut butter is okay for a keto diet.
Peanut butter can be part of a keto diet for weight loss[3]. However, even low-carb peanut butter is very high in calories. If you eat too many calories, you will not be able to lose weight.
Yes. Peanut butter can help keep you full, contains healthy fats, and is full of antioxidants.
One serving of peanut butter contains four grams of net carbs.
+ 3 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- Lopez-Miranda, J., Badimon, L., Bonanome, A., Lairon, D., Kris-Etherton, P.M., Mata, P. and Pérez-Jiménez, F. (2006). Monounsaturated Fat and Cardiovascular Risk. [online] 64, pp.S2–S12. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2006.tb00259.x.
- Nutritionvalue.org. (2023). Trader joe’s, organic peanut butter creamy, unsalted by TRADER JOE’S nutrition facts and analysis. [online] Available at: https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Trader_joe%27s%2C_organic_peanut_butter_creamy%2C_unsalted_by_TRADER_JOE%27S_360092_nutritional_value.html#:~:text=Trader%20joe%27s%2C%20organic%20peanut%20butter%20creamy%2C%20unsalted%20by,of%20dietary%20fiber%2C%20the%20rest%20is%20complex%20carbohydrate.
- Gershuni, V.M., Yan, S.J. and Medici, V. (2018). Nutritional Ketosis for Weight Management and Reversal of Metabolic Syndrome. [online] 7(3), pp.97–106. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0.
Written by:
Jessica Holbrook, RN
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
