Is Almond Butter Healthier Than Peanut Butter?
Nutri-Score: Almond Butter A, Peanut Butter C — almond butter scores better.
Short answer: Slightly, but it's close. Almond butter has less saturated fat and more fiber, and the typical store-bought peanut butter in our base adds sugar and salt; peanut butter wins on protein. Calories are nearly identical, so a plain peanut butter with no added sugar is a perfectly good choice too.
Nutrition side by side
| Per 100 g | Almond Butter | Peanut Butter |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 614 kcal | 588 kcal |
| Protein | 21 g | 25 g |
| Fat | 56 g | 50 g |
| incl. saturated | 4.2 g | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9 g | 20 g |
| incl. sugars | 4.4 g | 9 g |
| Fiber | 10 g | 6 g |
| Salt | 0 g | 1.2 g |
| Nutri-Score | A | C |
Rounded averages from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) for the foods as eaten; brands and recipes vary.
Which wins, and when
- Less energy: Peanut butter — 26 kcal less per 100 g than almond butter.
- More protein: Peanut butter — 4 g more per 100 g than almond butter.
- More fiber: Almond butter — 4.3 g more per 100 g than peanut butter.
- Less sugar: Almond butter — 4.6 g less per 100 g than peanut butter.
- Less saturated fat: Almond butter — 5.8 g less per 100 g than peanut butter.
- Less salt: Almond butter — 1.2 g less per 100 g than peanut butter.
In short: for fewer calories or less saturated fat, look at the “less” lines; for staying full longer, protein and fiber matter most. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.
Blood sugar angle
Almond butter has 9 g of carbohydrate per 100 g (4.4 g sugars, 10 g fiber); Peanut butter has 20 g (9 g sugars, 6 g fiber). As a rule of thumb, more fiber and protein alongside the carbs means a gentler rise in blood sugar, while sugary drinks and refined starches hit faster. Glycemic index values vary by variety, ripeness and cooking, so treat any single number with caution — and eat either with vegetables and some protein.
Portion tips
- Almond Butter: a typical serving (spoon, 20 g) is 123 kcal — about 40 min of easy walking for a 70 kg (154 lb) person.
- Peanut Butter: a typical serving (spoon, 20 g) is 118 kcal — about 38 min of easy walking.
Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.
Log it and see your day
In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed.