YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Move over, PB! 5 nut butters that do better

    By | Shine Food – Mon, Aug 1, 2011 9:51 PM EDT

    For generations, we've loved PB with its cholesterol-regulating unsaturated fats, potassium and other important nutrients. Today, delectable new spreads with unique benefits are giving the creamy sandwich filling a tasty and health-boosting run for its money. Sales of these creative alternatives skyrocketed almost 17 percent last year, and you'll spy them on shelves everywhere just in time for back to school. Jelly, here they come.

    CASHEW
    Tastes: light and creamy
    A great source of: oleic acid, which reduces LDL cholesterol and decreases the risk of heart attack.
    Super sandwich: Make a panini special: Spread ricotta cheese and cashew butter on ciabatta, then add banana slices, a pinch of shredded coconut and a dash of cinnamon; grill on a panini press or in a cast-iron skillet.
    Also try it in: Pressed Elvis »





    SUNFLOWER SEED
    Tastes: earthy and rich
    A great source of: magnesium (twice the amount found in peanuts!), which can prevent migraines by relaxing blood vessels.
    Super sandwich: Make an open-face sammy that evokes a salted caramel: Spread a baguette slice with sunflower seed butter; drizzle with maple syrup; sprinkle with coarse sea salt.
    Also try it in: Peanut Noodles »





    ALMOND
    Tastes: mild and silky
    A great source of: bone-protective calcium-almond butter contains up to eight times more than peanut butter!
    Super sandwich: For a sophisticated twist on PB&J, spread almond butter on rosemary focaccia and drizzle with honey.
    Also try it in: Thai Roast Beef Wrap »





    WALNUT
    Tastes: intensely toasty
    A great source of: polyunsaturated fats, which, according to a Harvard study, lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol and help prevent heart disease.
    Super sandwich: Try a creamy new condiment on a grilled chicken sammy: Spread walnut butter inside a whole wheat pita, then stuff it with a grilled chicken breast and lettuce.
    Also try it in: Satay Sliders »





    MACADAMIA
    Tastes: buttery and delicate
    A great source of: palmitoleic acid, a nutrient that appears to rev up metabolism, and selenium, which supports a healthy thyroid.
    Super sandwich: For a french-toast-inspired treat, spread two slices of challah bread with macadamia butter and orange marmalade; add a dash of pumpkin pie spice mix. Dip the sandwich in egg and fry in a lightly buttered pan, then dust with confectioners' sugar.
    Also try it in: Peanut Butter and Jelly French Toast Sticks »





    By Elizabeth Gordon | Photography by Marcus Nilsson

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