High-Protein Nut Butter vs Sunbutter: Which is Better?

High-protein nut butter is like nut butter’s bigger bodybuilder brother – it’s basically your favorite nutty spread with some whey protein mixed into it! Now, that’s absolutely perfect if you’re looking to get some extra protein into your diet, but there are some things that you want to be aware of, which we’ll check out here…

On top of getting into the goods and bads of high-protein nut butter, we’re going to dive into the popular nut-free spread sunbutter!

Sunbutter is so popular because it mimics the delicious smooth and creamy textures of nut butters so well – but has no nuts in it! It also has a unique flavor profile, and brings some interesting nutritional qualities to the table…

Now, there’s a lot of suspense here – should you pick high-protein nut butter or sunbutter? Well, the answer lies in this article, where we’ll place these two side by side and watch them battle it out for your money and attention!

Let’s see which of these spreads is better!

Comparing high-protein nut butter vs sunbutter

High-protein nut butter has a lot of different flavors to choose from due to being made from different types of nuts and whey protein, so the flavor really depends on what kind you’re getting. It usually doesn’t taste like sunbutter’s unique flavor profile, but the two spreads can share a smooth and creamy texture, if that’s the type of high-protein nut butter you get – there’s different textures of it as well!

High-protein nut butter has tree nuts, milk, and peanuts as allergens (the spread we’re referencing is from 1st Phorm and contains peanuts), while sunbutter has no allergens at all! Sunbutter is also good for vegan and paleo diets (if it’s unsweetened) while high-protein nut butter isn’t suitable for any special diets. The glycemic index of sunbutter is low, while high-protein nut-butter’s index is unknown – check with your physician if you have concerns about your blood sugar levels spiking!

	High-protein nut butter (1st Phorm brand)	Sunbutter
Taste	Various flavors available	Intense, earthy, roasted
Texture	Smooth & creamy, or chunky with various mix-ins	Smooth, creamy
Allergens	Milk, peanuts, tree nuts	None
Vegan?	No	Yes
Paleo?	No	Yes (if unsweetened)
Keto?	No	No
Glycemic index (GI)	Unknown	Sunflower seed=35

What is high-protein nut butter?

High-protein nut butter is just nut butter or multiple nut butters combined with whey protein. This boosts the protein content, and can drastically change the flavors and textures…

You can get many different types of flavors, ranging from normal nut butters to things like candies! However, the “special” flavors usually come packed with added sugar, so keep an eye out on that. 

Plus, the textures can range from creamy and smooth to crunchy and coarse – check the labels to see a description of what you’re getting, and get a good idea of what the nutritional qualities are. 

What is sunbutter?

Sunbutter is a very popular nut-free alternative to something like peanut butter and almond butter due to its smooth and creamy texture. It’s also called sunflower butter, and is made by grinding roasted sunflower seeds into a paste.

Sunbutter is completely allergy free, making it an awesome choice for many people not able to enjoy nut butters! Plus, you can make sunbutter at home with just a bit of extra salt!

Differences between high-protein nut butter and sunbutter

The biggest differences between high-protein nut butter and sunbutter are their flavors and textures. 

High-protein nut butter has quite a few different flavor profiles depending on what type of nut it’s made from and what flavor of whey protein is added – there’s a flavor for nearly everyone! Sunbutter has an earthy and roasted flavor to it.

Texture-wise, high-protein nut butter can have smooth and creamy consistency or more crunchy ones. Sunbutter’s texture is smooth and creamy, much like many nut butters!

How to use high-protein nut butter vs sunbutter 

Both spreads can be used in many of the same ways!

Use high-protein nut butter or sunbutter on your toast, pancakes, cookies, waffles, or whatever else you want! You can also add them as ingredients in baking, lending their delicious flavors and textures to different things. Mixing them into your oatmeal and smoothies is also great – sunbutter is especially great to use in things instead of nut butter if you have a nut allergy.

Just keep in mind that the many different flavor profiles and textures that high-protein nut butter comes in can really impact a dish differently depending on what type you get!

Nutrition: High-protein nut butter vs sunbutter

High-protein nut butter has, as the name states, a lot of protein – 10 grams per serving, to be exact. Now, the nutritional profile can change from type-to-type, but this one from 1st Phorm also has a decent amount of healthy fats, along with 3 grams of fiber per serving. It also has 5 grams of sugar, with 4 grams added on top per serving.

Sunbutter is full of healthy fats, and also has a solid protein content of 7 grams per serving! You’ll find 2 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of sugar with another 3 grams added on top. However, you can get unsweetened versions if you prefer!

Serving size: 2 tbsp	High-protein nut butter (1st Phorm brand)	Sunbutter
Calories	200	200
Total fat (saturated)	14 g (2.5 g)	17 g (2 g)
Total carbs	8 g	6 g
Net carbs (fiber)	5 g (3 g)	4 g (2 g)
Total sugars (incl. added)	5 g (4 g)	3 g (3 g)
Protein	10 g	7 g

How to store high-protein nut butter and sunbutter

High-protein nut butter is shelf-stable most of the time, containing added oils and preservatives. So feel free to store it in your pantry unless you have a natural version, in which case you should keep that in the fridge!

Sunbutter is also fine at room temperature, but you can keep it in the fridge if you prefer or if you want to thicken it up a bit.

Make sure to check the labels for any specific storage instructions and best-before dates!

High-protein nut butter vs sunbutter: Which is better?

So, which of these spreads is the better one?

High-protein nut butter is a good choice if you want as much protein as possible in a nut butter, and it has a lot of different flavors that you can try. However, it often contains a lot of extra sugar and additives.

Sunbutter is a wonderful choice if you want the nut butter texture without any nuts, and also has a solid nutritional profile that includes a good amount of protein. 

All in all, sunbutter takes the win for its added dietary versatility, delicious texture, consistent nutritional profile, and less added sugar.

FAQs