Nut butter is usually considered a keto staple because it’s high in fat and low in carbs. But which nut (and seed) butters are the BEST of the best for keto?
Some of the best nut butters for keto include:
- Flaxseed butter
- Pumpkin seed butter
- Brazil nut butter
- Chia seed butter
- Coconut butter
- Macadamia nut butter
- Walnut butter
What makes these nut and seed butters the best for keto? We’ll explain next!
Keto diet basics
A keto diet is a very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, typically limiting carbs to 50 grams or fewer per day and getting most calories from fat.
To be considered keto-friendly, nut (and seed) butter should be low in net carbs, which is the total carbs minus the dietary fiber. We classify nut butter as keto-friendly if it contains three or fewer grams of net carbs per serving – but for keto, the lower, the better!
(If the net carbs are low, it’s likely that the total sugar content is low, too.)
Nut butter is generally high in fat, so that’s not a problem in terms of being keto-friendly!
7 best nut butters for keto
Flaxseed butter – 0 grams net carbs
Thanks to its fiber content, flaxseed butter contains NO net carbs! Flaxseed butter is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy fats that can promote heart health and fight inflammation.
It’s a bit tricky to find in terms of commercial versions, but you can always make your own flaxseed butter using DIY recipes!
Pumpkin seed butter – 1 gram net carb
The richest source of iron among nut and seed butters, pumpkin seed butter is a great keto-friendly option.
Brazil nut butter – 2 grams net carbs
Not only is Brazil nut butter a good keto nut butter, but you can also use it to make Brazil nut milk, which is keto-friendly as long as you don’t add any non-keto sweeteners.
Chia seed butter – 2 grams net carbs
Like flaxseed butter, chia seed butter is loaded with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Because its fiber content is so high (10 grams per serving), it brings the net carbs down to two grams per serving.
Chia seed butter is a prime example of why keto dieters don’t look at total carbs. If you did, you’d write off chia seed butter from being keto-friendly since it contains 12 grams of total carbs. However, because your blood sugar levels (and state of ketosis) aren’t impacted by fiber, you can essentially “erase” it from the total carbs for keto!
Coconut butter – 2 grams net carbs
Coconut butter is more like coconut oil than nut butter. It’s very high in fat but contains some fiber from pieces of coconut flesh that are included – which is the main thing that differentiates coconut butter from regular coconut oil.
Macadamia nut butter – 2 grams net carbs
Not only is macadamia nut butter the highest-fat nut butter, but it’s also keto-friendly thanks to its low carb content.
Walnut butter – 2 grams net carbs
Like chia seed butter and flaxseed butter, walnut butter is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, making it a healthy keto option – plus, it’s likely easier to find!
Nutritional comparison of best keto nut butters
| Serving size: 2 tbsp. | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs | Net carbs (fiber) | Total sugars (incl. added) | Protein |
| Flaxseed butter | 190 | 13 g (1.5 g) | 9 g | 0 g (9 g) | 0 g | 8 g |
| Pumpkin seed butter | 180 | 14 g (4 g) | 4 g | 1 g (3 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 9 g |
| Brazil nut butter | 190 | 19 g (4.5 g) | 4 g | 2 g (2 g) | 0 g | 4 g |
| Chia seed butter | 164 | 14 g (0 g) | 12 g | 2 g (10 g) | 0 g | 2 g |
| Coconut butter | 197 | 19 g (17 g) | 7 g | 2 g (5 g) | 2 g (0 g) | 2 g |
| Macadamia nut butter | 230 | 24 g (4 g) | 5 g | 2 g (3 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 3 g |
| Walnut butter | 200 | 19 g (2 g) | 4 g | 2 g (2 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 5 g |
FAQs:
Most types of unsweetened nut butters are low in sugar. Some of the lowest-sugar nut butters include flaxseed butter, Brazil nut butter, and chia seed butter, among several others.
Sunflower seed butter (Sunbutter brand) contains around 4 grams of net carbs per serving. While that amount can work on a keto diet, it’s not the lowest-carb nut butter to choose from.
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