Almond butter

Almond butter

Almond butter is a food paste made from almonds. Almond butter may be crunchy or smooth, and is generally "stir" (susceptible to oil separation) or "no-stir" (emulsified). Almond butter may be either raw or roasted, describing the almonds themselves prior to grinding. Recommendations suggest refrigerating almond butter, once opened, to prevent spoilage and oil separation. ^[1]

Health benefits

Almond butter is high in monounsaturated fats,^[2] calcium, potassium, iron and manganese ^[3]. It’s considered a good source of riboflavin, phosphorus, and copper,^[3] and an excellent source of vitamin E,^[4] magnesium, and fiber.^[2] Almond butter also provides dietary protein.

Comparison to peanut butter

Almond butter is an alternative for those with peanut allergies. It contains significantly more fiber, calcium, potassium, iron and manganese than peanut butter,^[3] and about half the saturated fat,^[5] though a bit more total fat.

Raw versus roasted almond butter

Although the macronutrient profiles of roasted and raw almonds are similar,^[6] many adherents of raw foodism believe the roasting process reduces the nutritional value of the almonds.^[7] They also argue that the beneficial enzymes found in unroasted almonds are destroyed when the almonds are heated above 40 °C (104 °F).^[8]

References

1. ^ Smith, S.E.. "What is Almond Butter?". http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-almond-butter.htm. Retrieved November 9, 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Calories in Almonds
3. ^ ^{a b c} http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12354500/Articles/ADA10_SunflowerAlmondButter.pdf Sunflower Seed Butter and Almond Butter as Nutrient-Rich Alternatives to Peanut Butter
4. ^ Vitamin E and Minerals: Eye Nutrition from Nuts - AllAboutVision.com
5. ^ http://www.fitsugar.com/Nutritional-Comparison-Peanut-Butter-Almond-Butter-3248632
6. ^ Composition of Foods: Nut and Seed Products...Raw, Processed, Prepared; - US Department of Agriculture Handbook No. 8-12, September 1984:31-36
7. ^ Graham, Douglas. "The Challenges of Going on a Raw Food Diet". FoodnSport.com. http://foodnsport.com/blog/articles/the-challenges-of-going-on-a-raw-food-diet.html. Retrieved 2011-03-31. 
8. ^ Kane, Emily. "Enzymes: The Difference Between Raw and Cooked Foods". RawFoods.com. http://www.rawfoods.com/articles/rawvscooked.html. Retrieved 2012-02-06.