From its creamy texture to its undeniably sweet, nutty flavor – it makes pretty much any recipe mouth-wateringly tasty.
However, commercial brands of peanut butter often contain a variety of added ingredients and can be packed full of sugar, vegetable oils, and trans fat.
Consuming too much of these added ingredients can lead to health issues, such as heart disease. So, instead of buying commercial brands of peanut butter, organic peanut butter is much better for you to consume on a regular basis.
Keep reading to find out the 7 best organic peanut butters.
The Once Again Organic Creamy Peanut Butter is made with carefully selected, organically grown peanuts.
The process to make this peanut butter is natural and simple, as it is made by roasting and grinding blanched, dry roasted peanuts until they are wonderfully creamy.
This peanut butter is USDA Organic, meaning that it is certified organic and is free of synthetic additives such as pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and dyes.
Pros
Gluten-free certified, vegan, and kosher – Ensures that this peanut butter is suitable for a variety of strict diets, meaning that you never have to miss out on the fun!
100% peanuts, salt-free & unsweetened – Meaning that you don’t have to worry about any additives.
Sustainably sourced - Once Again remains committed to sustainability, and continues to produce superior products for its customers.
Cons
A few customers noted that the packaging of this particular peanut butter could be improved.
The Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter is made with U.S Valencia Peanuts for a creamy texture you won’t be able to resist!
This organic peanut butter only contains two ingredients: dry roasted peanuts and sea salt.
Enjoy the mouth-watering taste of peanut butter without any of the hidden nasties with Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter!
Pros
Natural ingredients – Contains simply peanuts and salt for a delicious, nutty flavor you won’t be able to get enough of.
USDA Organic – This peanut butter is certified organic, so you can rest assured knowing that the product is natural and doesn’t contain synthetic additives.
Versatile – Use this peanut butter for all of your favorite recipes!
Cons
A few customers complained that this particular organic peanut butter arrived damaged.
The Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter is made with just one ingredient: Dry-roasted organic peanuts.
This peanut butter is all-natural, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, so it is great if you are on a plant-based diet.
The Spread The Love NAKED Organic Peanut Butter is entirely palm oil free, meaning the production isn’t contributing to deforestation and means that it is free from high saturated fat.
Pros
Palm-oil free - No palm oil, salt, sugar, or junk added, so you don’t have to worry about any hidden nasties affecting the goodness of this organic peanut butter.
Versatile – The NAKED Organic Peanut Butter is ideal for pouring into smoothies, drizzling onto pancakes, or even dipping bananas and Oreos into.
No added sugar or salt – Feed your kids their favorite peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with confidence knowing that there aren’t any additives you need to worry about.
Cons
A few customers claimed that the texture of this particular organic peanut butter was runnier than they were expecting.
Trader Joe’s Organic Peanut Butter contains only two ingredients: organic Valencia peanuts and sea salt.
This peanut butter is of good quality! Valencia peanuts come from New Mexico where the climate is dry and they're less susceptible to aflatoxin, a family of toxins produced by fungus.
Use this versatile organic peanut butter as an addition to your breakfast favorites!
Pros
Naturally sweet – So you don’t need to settle for peanut butter that is packed full of unnecessary sugar.
Minimal, organic ingredients – Only containing peanuts and salt, you can feed your whole family this peanut butter without the worry of any nasty artificial additives upsetting the balance of your diet.
Good quality - Valencia peanuts provide a delicious flavor that you can put your trust in as a breakfast favorite!
Cons
One customer noted that this organic peanut butter arrived melted.
The Santa Cruz Organic Crunchy Dark Roasted Peanut Butter is made simply with just roasted Spanish peanuts and a dash of salt.
This organic peanut butter offers a rich, full-bodied flavor that you won’t be able to resist.
This peanut butter contains no hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils prevent the oils naturally found in peanuts from separating and rising to the top of the jar, and are usually a sure sign that a product isn’t organic.
Pros
Natural ingredients - This crunchy peanut butter has no trans fats, no added sugar, and no artificial ingredients.
Large variety - Santa Cruz Organic Peanut Butter is available in light and dark roasts and creamy and crunchy varieties for unique taste profiles, so you can choose the one best for you.
Green-e certified company - Santa Cruz Organic supports efforts for environmental responsibility, matching 100 percent of the electricity used to make this product with certified renewable energy credits.
Cons
A few customers found that this organic peanut butter to be harder than they were expecting.
The Smucker’s Organic Natural Creamy Peanut Butter is USDA Organic.
This organic peanut butter is non-GMO and is entirely gluten-free, meaning it is great if you struggle with any strict dietary requirements or health issues such as celiac disease.
The Smucker’s Organic Natural Creamy Peanut Butter is great for an array of different recipes, throw it into your favorite recipes, bakes, or even just have it as a snack.
Pros
Made without hydrogenated oils – Separation is natural, it’s simply a sign that the product is full of natural goodness!
Excellent source of protein – There is 8g of protein per serving of this peanut butter.
Organic ingredients – This peanut butter contains only peanuts and sea salt for a rich, nutty flavor that you
Cons
One customer claimed that they struggled to spread this particular organic peanut butter.
The Woodstock Organic Smooth Peanut Butter is a family-size, easy to spread jar full of irresistible goodness!
This organic peanut butter is non-GMO project verified, with no palm oil or sugar added.
This product is BPA-free and entirely vegan, so is excellent for fitting in life with your vegan lifestyle.
Pros
Natural ingredients – This peanut butter simply contains peanuts and sea salt, so you can enjoy the natural taste without any artificial additives getting in the way.
Certified organic – Quality Assurance International backs this product to, so you can relax in knowing it is certified organic.
Versatile – This product is great for use in all your favorite recipes, on your lunchtime favorite PB sandwich, or add to your favorite snack!
Cons
One customer found that this organic peanut butter began to harden over time
Best Organic Peanut Butters Buying Guide
There are a few things to consider when choosing organic peanut butter, but it mainly comes down to the fact organic peanut butter should contain minimal ingredients, no added sugar, and has responsibly sourced ingredients.
It is also worth mentioning that you should be mindful of the companies that you are investing in, especially when it comes to the controversial topic of palm oil, which I go into further detail about below.
Check out the features below before making your choice.
Minimal Ingredients
An important factor to consider when purchasing organic peanut butter is the number of ingredients that it contains.
Generally speaking, the fewer the ingredients, the better the peanut butter. You should be on the lookout for peanut butter with two or fewer ingredients, which should largely include the goodness of peanuts without any added preservatives in the form of excessive sugar or salt.
The best organic peanut butters usually contain simply peanuts and a sprinkling of salt, so if the ingredients list is as long as your arm, the likelihood is that it isn’t organic!
You should always be wary of peanut butter that claims to have ‘reduced fats’ as to compensate, brands tend to add starchy substitutes to it, which can be more harmful than fat.
No Added Sugar
An important factor to take into account when choosing organic peanut butter is making sure that it has no added sugar.
Sugar should not be on the ingredients list. Nuts have a naturally sweet flavor, but they’re not as sweet as the commercial brands of peanut butter lead you to believe. As a result, if you see sugar listed as one of the first ingredients, then do not don’t buy that peanut butter!
The majority of organic peanut butters won’t contain added sugar, and the healthiest nut butters have no sugar added as it significantly affects the nutritional value of the product.
Palm Oil Debate
Something you’ll need to take into consideration when purchasing organic peanut butter is the palm oil debate. So, why is there a debate about the production of palm oil and what does this have to do with peanut butter?
Palm oil is an incredibly versatile product that can increase the shelf-life of a product significantly. You are likely to find it in everyday products, from lipstick to shampoo, to peanut butter and donuts.
In fact, palm oil is in close to 50% of the packaged products that are available to buy in supermarkets today. However, despite the fact it is frequently used, palm oil is a controversial product for many reasons.
Namely, palm oil remains a big cause of deforestation of some of the planet’s most biodiverse forests, destroying the habitat of already endangered species such as the Orangutan and Sumatran rhino. It’s not hard to see, then, why so many people take issue with palm oil.
Alongside this, the controversy also lies in the fact that palm oil can be produced more sustainably, but a lot of companies still aren’t using responsibly sourced palm oil.
The Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a not-for-profit organization that was formed due to the growing concerns about the impacts that palm oil is having on the planet.
According to WWF, the ‘RSPO has a production standard that sets best practices producing and sourcing palm oil, and works hard to certify products that contain sustainable palm oil’.
Being in favor of certified palm oil is important, as it helps to protect the environment and the communities who rely on it for their livelihoods, so that palm oil can continue to play an important role in food security.
Although this is obviously a great cause, there is a lot of misinformation and it can be an overwhelming minefield to navigate if you’re not informed on palm oil.
So, what about palm oil in peanut butter? There is a bit of a grey area, because some palm oil is responsibly sourced as I have mentioned. Some peanut butter companies that produce ‘organic’ peanut butter use palm oil in their products, and this is where the line becomes blurred.
Generally speaking, the healthiest and purest peanut butters are going to be the products that contain one or two ingredients, with peanuts being the main ingredient, with the occasional addition of sea salt. To find the best organic peanut butter, then, you need to look for minimal ingredients.
I suggest that you do your own research when it comes to buying organic peanut butter.
Where you stand on the debate is entirely down to your personal ethics and opinion, however, you should remain informed to make an executive decision on your organic peanut butter and should look into whether the retailer that you are purchasing from is committed to sustainable palm oil.
If not, then it is likely that there is better organic peanut butter on the market.
Responsibly Sourced Ingredients
Another factor you will want to consider when purchasing organic peanut butter is whether the ingredients are responsibly sourced.
If a brand is committed to sustainably sourcing their ingredients, then it is likely that they will be proud of this and will market their organic peanut butter with this information.
If a brand doesn’t mention anything about responsibly sourcing their ingredients, then it could be a red flag that you need to research into yourself to discover more about their ethos.
Furthermore, a lot of peanut butter companies claim to use sustainably sourced palm oil. Although sustainable palm oil is important, as it supports the families that produce it and their livelihoods, where you stand on the debate will depend on your own opinion.
If the peanut butter that you’re looking at uses non-sustainable palm oil, then avoid it like the plague! Some brands might make it hard for you to discover that information, but if in doubt, you could always contact them directly to find out more.
However, if this information is still concealed it could reveal a larger issue and as a result might give you all of the answers that you need.
I recommend doing your own research and making sure that you are happy with the ethos of a brand before going ahead with your purchase.
FAQ's
What is the difference between organic peanut butter and natural peanut butter?
Organic peanut butter refers to peanuts that are grown on a farm that limits the use of pesticides, particularly synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.
To be organic, the ingredients in the peanut butter must be organically grown, which is especially important for some common additives such as palm oil.
The farms must also work to promote healthy ecological balance and biodiversity. Generally speaking, organic farming methods are better for the planet and the environment.
On the other hand, natural peanut butter can be organic or conventionally produced. Natural peanut butter refers to peanut butter that hasn't been hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated. In some peanut butters, hydrogenation is the process that helps to keep the peanut butter smooth, creamy, and unseparated.
You can often tell if a peanut butter is natural because there will be a layer of oil on the top of the peanut butter that requires you to mix the product, as opposed to commercial peanut butter that remains the same texture always.
Should you eat organic peanut butter?
If you’re keen on peanut butter and eat it regularly, you should really consider switching to its organic counterpart.
Organic peanut butter is a fairly balanced energy source that supplies all of the three macronutrients. Alongside this, organic peanut butters often contain more responsibly sourced ingredients which is what sets them apart from their commercial counterpart a lot of the time.
However, non-organic peanut butters are high in additional ingredients, such as sugar and trans fats. Alongside this, commercial peanut butter is also high in pesticides as well as fungus.
They can contain aflatoxin, which is a potential carcinogen. A lot of the time these commercial products are not dedicated to sustainably sourced, natural ingredients.
If you can afford to buy organic, it is generally much better for you and the planet.
What is the healthiest organic peanut butter?
The healthiest organic peanut butter is one that has minimal ingredients. Believe it or not, peanut butter is an excellent source of protein if you choose the right organic one.
To find a healthy organic peanut butter, you should really be looking for a peanut butter that has one or two ingredients, this primarily being peanuts with the occasional addition of salt.
However, you should avoid buying any peanut butter that is packed full of sugar and other additives that can affect the nutritional value.
Everyone loves a pb + j sandwich, but you don’t want to be consuming sugar or giving your children a tonne of additional nasties that could be easily avoided.
Our Top 7 Picks For The Best Organic Peanut Butters
These options are sure to be a hit. So, gather your family and friends and enjoy. Let us know your thoughts!
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
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