The Surprising Benefits of Nut Butter

By , SparkPeople Blogger
Nut butters have become popular in the health world in recent years—and for good reason! Nut butter is 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 butter and peanut 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 more calcium, 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?