If you or someone you love has a food allergy, you’re no stranger to reading food labels to ensure your (or their) safety. When it comes to nut butters, it’s especially important to do your research since tree nut and peanut allergies are among the most common food allergies.
Are there any nut butters that are safe for people with allergies?
It turns out there are several options (primarily seed butters) free of the major food allergens and include:
- Chia seed butter
- Flaxseed butter
- Granola butter
- Pumpkin seed butter
- Sunflower butter
- Tiger nut butter
- Watermelon seed butter
We’ll review the best nut & seed butters for people with allergies in detail next!
What are the major food allergens?
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, around 6% of adults and 6% of children have a food allergy in the United States.
It’s possible to be allergic to any type of food, but certain foods are more likely to cause food allergies than others.
The most common allergies are known as the “top nine”, and include:
- Milk (usually cow’s milk, but it can also be other mammal milk like goat’s milk, etc.)
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Wheat
- Soy
- Sesame
(The bolded allergens are the ones most likely to be in nut butter.)
Best nut butters for people with allergies
The best nut butters for people with allergies will be free of tree nuts, peanuts, soy, and sesame – which excludes a lot of nut butters.
If you have an allergy, you’ll need to check the ingredients label to ensure there aren’t any added ingredients that contain your allergen. For instance, some nut butters might have soybean oil added, which should be avoided if you have a soy allergy.
The seven nut butters (plain without added oils/ingredients whenever possible) that are free of these major allergens are listed below.
Chia seed butter
Chia seed butter is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, making it a good option for keto dieters and those with allergies. It’s also paleo-friendly, so it fits the bill in a lot of areas!
It’s a bit tricky to find plain chia seed butter commercially, but you can always make your own following DIY recipes!
Flaxseed butter
Like chia seed butter, flaxseed butter is a good nut-free option for those with allergies. It’s a good source of heart-healthy fats (including omega-3 fatty acids) and is also keto- and paleo-friendly.
Granola butter
Granola butter isn’t a nut or seed butter, but it is suitable for those with allergies. While the ingredients will vary among manufacturers, they usually contain ingredients like oats, maple syrup, coconut oil*, and different spices.
*A note on coconut oil: the labeling laws in the United States require coconuts to be labeled as tree nuts, but most people with tree nut allergies can safely consume coconut.
Pumpkin seed butter
One of the best options for vegans due to its high iron content, pumpkin seed butter is a great allergy-friendly option because it’s free of tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, and soy.
Sunflower butter
Sunflower butter is the most popular alternative to peanut butter and is widely available at grocery stores. School systems often use Sunbutter (a popular brand of sunflower butter) in place of peanut butter for school meals because of the prevalence of peanut allergies.
Tiger nut butter
Tiger nut butter is made from a tuberous plant called the yellow nutsedge. It’s higher in carbs than most nut and seed butters because it’s made from a tuber (higher in starch, similar to potatoes), but tiger nut butter is perfectly acceptable for those with allergies.
Watermelon seed butter
It’s trickier to find than more “traditional” nut and seed butters, but watermelon seed butter is another good option if you have food allergies. It’s also lower in calories than most nut and seed butters without sacrificing the protein.
Nutritional comparison of allergy-friendly nut and seed butters
| Serving size: 2 tbsp. | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs | Net carbs (fiber) | Total sugars (incl. added) | Protein |
| Chia seed butter | 164 | 14 g (0 g) | 12 g | 2 g (10 g) | 0 g | 2 g |
| Flaxseed butter | 190 | 13 g (1.5 g) | 9 g | 0 g (9 g) | 0 g | 8 g |
| Granola butter | 170 | 12 g (4 g) | 14 g | 13 (1 g) | 4 g (4 g) | 3 g |
| Pumpkin seed butter | 180 | 14 g (4 g) | 4 g | 1 g (3 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 9 g |
| Sunflower butter | 200 | 17 g (2 g) | 6 g | 4 g (2 g) | 3 g (3 g) | 7 g |
| Tiger nut butter | 180 | 13 g (5 g) | 14 g | 7 g (7 g) | 4 g (0 g) | 1 g |
| Watermelon seed butter | 156 | 13 g (3 g) | 4 g | 4 g (0 g) | 0 g | 8 g |
FAQs:
If you have a tree nut allergy, that means you’re allergic to tree nuts such as almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, and hazelnuts, among a few other types of nuts. So yes, it’s very possible to be allergic to almond butter.
A peanut allergy is different from a tree nut allergy, so it can be possible to eat peanut butter (a legume) if you’re allergic to nuts.
However, around 30% of people with peanut allergies are also allergic to tree nuts, so you should avoid peanut butter if you have a tree nut allergy and haven’t been tested for a peanut allergy.
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