You should avoid peanut butters with added sugars, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), palm oil, excess salt, and unnecessary additives like emulsifiers; brands often cited for these include some Skippy, Jif, Peter Pan, and mainstream store brands (unless it's a "natural" version with just peanuts/salt), especially "reduced-fat" or "honey-roasted" types, opting instead for natural varieties with only peanuts (and maybe salt) for the healthiest choice.
The "worst" peanut butter for you is typically loaded with added sugar, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), salt, and other fillers, often found in conventional creamy varieties like classic Skippy or Peter Pan, and especially low-fat/reduced-fat versions, which substitute fat with sugar and carbs, making them less healthy than you'd think. The unhealthiest choices are those that stray far from just roasted peanuts and salt, masking poor quality with sweeteners and stabilizers, and some "natural" options can also be bad if they use low-quality oils or excessive emulsifiers.
The Top Peanut Butter Pick
Debbie Petitpain, MBA, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Health her top pick is unsweetened peanut butter made from just peanuts, or peanuts and a small amount of salt.
The recall was issued on May 20, 2022. Products, such as creamy and crunchy peanut butter, in the to-go pouches and the plastic containers, are included in the recall. The company advises that people who have Jif products that match the recall list to discard them immediately.
There are no current recalls for Jif® Peanut Butter. Our website will always have the most up-to-date product information.
Skippy Foods, LLC is voluntarily recalling 9,353 cases, or 161,692 total pounds, of a limited number of code dates of SKIPPY® Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread, SKIPPY® Reduced Fat Chunky Peanut Butter Spread and SKIPPY® Creamy Peanut Butter Blended With Plant Protein due to the possibility that a limited number ...
But this peanut butter also scores higher when it comes to the nutrients that it provides. Most notably, Jif provides 17 milligrams of bone-building calcium, while SKIPPY does not have any. On the other hand, SKIPPY contains less saturated fat and still contains ample amounts of nutrients like protein.
Nutrica Organics nut butters are 100% single-ingredient, made with no oils, sugars, salt or preservatives—just pure nuts.
Brands that may contain xylitol include Go Nuts, Co. ®, Krush Nutrition, No Cow, Nuts 'N More®, and P28®.
Healthier for Your Body: Low Aflatoxin
Valencia peanuts, on the other hand, are naturally low in this harmful mold because they are grown in dry climates and above the ground. As a result, Valencia peanut butter offers a cleaner, safer option for consumers concerned about potential toxins in their food.
SUGAR, SODIUM, TRANS FAT and FOOD ADDITIVES
Peanut butter is loaded with either sugar, or its common substitutes, like high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, and maltodextrin. Peanut butter contains heart-destroying hydrogenated vegetable oils. Peanut butter contains lots of sodium, food additives and flavorings.
In February 2024, the NCC received peanut butter recall notifications from Dischem and Pick n Pay after tests revealed unsafe levels of aflatoxin. Both retailers confirmed that the contaminated products were supplied by House of Natural Butters.
Crazy Richard's Creamy Peanut Butter, 16 oz: 100% natural creamy peanut butter.
These are the Jif Natural ingredients: Made From Peanuts, Sugar, Palm Oil, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Salt, Molasses.
The "worst" peanut butter for you is typically loaded with added sugar, hydrogenated oils (trans fats), salt, and other fillers, often found in conventional creamy varieties like classic Skippy or Peter Pan, and especially low-fat/reduced-fat versions, which substitute fat with sugar and carbs, making them less healthy than you'd think. The unhealthiest choices are those that stray far from just roasted peanuts and salt, masking poor quality with sweeteners and stabilizers, and some "natural" options can also be bad if they use low-quality oils or excessive emulsifiers.
The Top 11 Peanut Butter Brands Making Waves in America
There's no single "healthiest" nut; they all offer unique benefits, but almonds, walnuts, and Brazil nuts are often top contenders, with almonds providing Vitamin E and calcium, walnuts rich in omega-3s, and Brazil nuts offering a powerhouse of selenium. The best approach is often eating a variety, choosing unsalted options, to get a broad spectrum of nutrients like healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals for heart, brain, and overall health.
EWG has not identified any ingredient concerns for this product.
Certain jars of Great Value and Peter Pan peanut butter were tainted with salmonella, a strand of bacteria that causes food poisoning. Both brands of peanut butter contain a product code on the lid of the jar beginning with the number "2111." All of the contaminated peanut butter was manufactured by ConAgra.
No, SKIPPY® peanut butter does not contain xylitol.