The Surprising Benefits of Nut Butter

By Melinda Hershey, for SparkPeople

Nut butters have become popular in the health world in recent years-and for good reason! Nut butteris a great source of healthy fats, which are important for regulating your energy, mood, and even your weight. However, some nut butters also deliver a more unexpected benefit: They're great for your bones! Let's take a look at two of the most popular nut butters--almond butterandpeanut butter. Between the two, which one should you choose for better bone health?

The Winner: Almond Butter!

Almond butter wins by a landslide in this one. Compared with peanut butter, it contains morecalcium, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus, which are all important minerals for building and maintaining strong bones. Check out the comparison below (per two tablespoons of both almond and peanut butter):

Mineral

Almond Butter

Peanut Butter

Calcium

86.4 mg (8% DV)

13.8 mg (1% DV)

Magnesium

97 mg (24% DV)

49.3 mg (12% DV)

Manganese

0.8 mg (38% DV)

0.5 mg (23% DV)

Phosphorus

167.4 mg (16% DV)

115 mg (11% DV)


For some great homemade almond butter recipes (and other recipes that use almond butter), click here!

Do you ever eat nut butters? What's your favorite?

Related links:
Going Nuts for Flavored Nut Butters
A Healthier Sweet Treat: Choco-Almond Butter
Make Your Own Nut Butters


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