Love peanut butter? Wondering what peanut butter powder is? Want to know which is best? Is only one healthy?
While peanut butter is well known, its powdered version is much less known. It’s natural to have some questions when you first come across it.
In this article, I aim to answer all your questions so you know exactly what peanut butter and peanut powder are and you’ll know which is the best one for you. I give you a full peanut butter powder vs peanut butter comparison below!
What Is Peanut Butter?
Peanut butter needs no introduction – it’s a very popular spread.
But what actually is peanut butter?
Peanut butter is made from peanuts. In its purest form, it’s simply roasted peanuts which have been ground to form the paste we are all familiar with.
Commercial peanut butter often has additives such as sugar, salt, oils and items that will help stop the separation of the naturally present oils.
What Is Peanut Butter Powder?
Peanut butter powder has a few different names including peanut powder and powdered peanut butter. Despite being called these names, it’s not the same as peanut butter – but it can make it!
Peanut powder is basically roasted peanuts that have been ground into a flour-like powder. It’s not the same as peanut flour, however, as it still has the oil that naturally occurs in peanuts whereas peanut flour does not (usually).
You can read about the differences between peanut flour and powder here.
Peanut butter powder can be made solely from these ground peanuts or it can include salt, sugar and other additives. To find out, check the ingredients of the peanut butter powder you purchase.
Sometimes, peanut butter powder actually refers to peanut flour (meaning the oils have been removed from the peanuts before grounding) that has salt, sugar or other additives.
How To Use Peanut Butter Powder
Peanut butter powder can be used to add the goodness, fiber and protein of peanuts to whatever you add it to. It can be a popular addition in protein shakes, for example, or shakes and ice cream. You can also use it in baking or to make a peanut sauce.
You can also turn peanut butter powder into peanut butter by adding water.
Is Peanut Butter Powder Healthy?
It depends exactly how the peanut butter powder was made. If it was made by extracting the oil from the peanuts first and there aren’t any bad additives then it can be mainly protein and fiber which can be good for you.
If there are problematic additives in the peanut butter powder then it may not be healthy.
If the peanut butter powder was made with the oils still contained then this doesn’t mean it’s unhealthy. The oils in peanuts are mostly of the heart-healthy kind (monounsaturated). It can have many calories, however.
Peanut Butter Powder Vs Peanut Butter
So how do peanut butter powder and peanut butter compare? Who would be the winner in a peanut powder vs peanut butter showdown?
The reality is that there isn’t a simple, easy winner. Peanut butter powder and peanut butter itself are very similar, and it really depends what additives exist in the option you have and what you are trying to do with the product which is likely to be best for you.
In the following summary, I assume that I’m comparing peanut powder and peanut butter that doesn’t have any additives.
Protein And Fiber
Both products have similar levels of protein and fiber. Since they are both made from peanuts, this is to be expected.
Oil Content
This will be very similar UNLESS you are using peanut powder where the oils were extracted. If this is the case then you can expect your peanut powder to have far less oil content than peanut butter.
While the oils in peanuts are mostly monounsaturated fats which are not bad for you, some are not. This means that peanut powder with the oils extracted can be a healthier option for you.
Calories
Much like with oils, if the oil was extracted when making the peanut powder, this option will have a much lower calorie count than peanut butter.
If you are watching your calories, using peanut powder with the oil extracted rather than peanut butter can be a great choice.
Texture
Obviously, the texture differs between these two options. Peanut powder is a powder that is like flour whereas peanut butter is a creamy paste.
If you are mixing the peanut item in with other ingredients, a powder may be fine. However, if you want a sandwich, you are going to prefer peanut butter.
Remember, you can make peanut butter from peanut powder by adding water. This is how you can change the texture.
Taste
Since both peanut powder and peanut butter are very similar, they add a similar taste to anything you add them to.
Conclusion
Both peanut butter and powder are very similar and the biggest difference is their texture. You can make peanut butter from peanut powder so you can change this texture too.
Where you can get a difference is if the peanut powder is made from peanuts with the oil extracted. Then you have a product with fewer fats. Adding water to this can make a healthier version of peanut butter.
If you could only have one product in the pantry, peanut powder is the more versatile choice since you can add water to it and make peanut butter. However, these products are so similar that it doesn’t matter much. Which is best is really up to you!
I hope you have found this guide to
You can read more about peanut products in all my peanut related guides here. Want to know the difference between peanut butter and peanut butter spread? Read my guide here. You can also learn how to make your own peanut powder by clicking here.
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