By Harriet Mallinson | Published on August 3, 2017
Peanut butter is having a bit of a moment right now. Gone is just a limp PB&J sandwich, now all the foodies want nut butter in their smoothies, protein shakes, porridge, curries… It seems the recipe possibilities are endless.
However, the quality of peanut butter varies immensely and there’s much more out there than just Sunpat and Skippy. There’s not just smooth and crunchy anymore, there’s extra roasted or honey and sea salt flavoured. Some brands appeal to hard core athletes and boast high protein content, while others appeal to wannabe punk rockers with expletive-ridden labels. Some use extra sugar or palm oil and some just use the bare basics of nuts and salt.
So how do you know which one is the peanut butter for you when there are so many different types? MACROS decided to take one for the team and taste a selection of some of the lesser-known crunchy nut butters available right now. We ranked them from least to most tasty to find out which was our favorite.
7. Hi-Pro
Hi-Pro’s peanut butter contains roasted peanuts, roasted peanut flour, palm oil and peanut oil. There’s no added salt and it promises 10g of protein in every 33g serving.
Unfortunately, Hi Pro’s packaging design is somewhat unattractive, focusing on athletes and its allegedly super high protein content, despite it only boasting a few more grams of protein than other peanut butters on the market.
Even more unfortunately, the unappealing outside is reflected in the inside product which was the worst of the peanut butter selection. It was very bland and artificial tasting, with one team member likening it to MDF paste. There were hardly any crunchy bits and the taste of peanuts was very weak. However, if you’re just after an extra high protein kick to your smoothie or dish this could serve well.
Per 100g – 618kcals, 33.9g protein, 5.6g carbs, 49.1g fat.
6. Jackpot
Jackpot’s main selling point is its Americana, punk rock, Andy Warhol pop art-inspired brand design. The team behind it say: “Jackpot is all about clever, in-your-face graphics and cheeky pop culture references,†hence its alternative, risqué name, “Jackpot motherf***ing peanut butter.â€
The nut butter itself is made from roasted salted peanuts and rapeseed oil and are hand-churned. They claim it’s “creamy†rather than crunchy or smooth.
Unfortunately, their self-proclaimed inspiration from fashion labels rather than food seems to have backfired slightly as the peanut butter leaves a lot wanting. The consistency is very thin with an unusual, weak flavor. There appears to be a seedy taste to it rather than nutty. But hey, at least the jar looks cool.
Per 100g – 609kclas, 27.9g protein, 9.4g carbs, 49.2 fat.
5. Meridian
Meridian is made from 99% roasted whole peanuts and 1% salt. The butter is free from palm oil, sugar, trans fats and artificial preservatives and flavorings. As well as regular sized pots, Meridian also offer 1kg tubs for peanut butter-obsessed households.
The first thing we notice is how extreme the oil separation is. Admittedly, this is totally natural but we needed to give the jar a hearty, hearty stir before we can tuck in. It has a relatively thin consistency but certainly has a strong, authentic taste. However, it could arguably do with more nut chunks to live up to the crunchy criteria and was unpopular with some of the office.
Per 100g – 590kcal, 29.3g protein, 11.5g carbs, 45.5g fat.
– READ MORE: Protein Peanut Butter Squares Recipe –
4. Pip and Nut
Pip and Nut use just two ingredients, peanuts and sea salt, and bring out the nuts’ sweet, peanutty flavor using a gentle roasting process. No palm oil or sugar is included.
We found it to be a delicious, creamy creation with the perfect combination of taste and thickness, similar to your favorite protein ball. The flavor is good and there are some hearty chunks of nut, but some might find it a bit claggy and it can leave you quite thirsty.
We’re particularly excited about all the other flavors in Pip and Nut’s range though, which include a crunchy maple peanut butter plus all sorts of other exciting nut butters such as coconut almond butter and honey cinnamon cashew butter.
Per 100g – 612kcals, 27g protein, 13g carbs and 49g fat.
3. Pic’s
Australian brand Pic’s use hi-oleic peanuts and sea salt. These slightly oilier nuts contain a fatty acid profile similar to olive oil and contain more oleic acid than normal peanuts. The acid is well-known for its antioxidant properties, can reduce blood pressure and may prevent type two diabetes.
It’s a tasty butter and certainly lives up to its crunchy title as it’s crammed with pieces of nuts. We found it to be quite salty and some may consider it a bit dry but it was definitely in the top three!
Per 100g – 590kcals, 30.3g protein, 9.6g carbs, 48.4g fat.
2. Utta Nutta
The ingredients of Utta Nutta sound promising from the off: 99% roasted peanuts and Himalayan rose salt. They claim that each nut is freshly roasted and the butter itself made the traditional way – handmilled whilst still warm.
All this is definitely reflected in the finished product as this peanut butter was very popular indeed, coming second best in the taste test. It’s super nutty, packed with crunch and boasts a strong, delicious flavor. If you like your nut butter extra crunchy then this is the one for you.
Per 100g – 644kcal, 25g protein, 8.9g carbs, 55g fat.
1. Manà Life
Argentinian-born brand Manà Life include 99.1% hi-oleic peanuts in their nut butter, with sea salt completing the profile. The peanuts are roasted over months which brings out the sweetness of the Argentinian nuts.
This had to the be the winner of the taste test. It was super creamy and delicious with just the right consistency and texture. In fact, it was so good we could see ourselves (worryingly) capable of spooning it into our mouths by itself. Some might consider it to be slightly too much on the earthy side but it has a good a balance of natural and sweet flavors.
Per 100g – 618kcals, 26.1g protein, 7.8g carbs, 50.9g fat.
Harriet is Editor of MACROS and perfectly capable of eating an entire log of goat’s cheese in one sitting.