Nut butter is generally low in saturated fat, but it’s not free of saturated fat. The saturated fat content varies among types of nut and seed butters, which are primarily rich in unsaturated fats.
Coconut butter is the main exception: it has 17 grams of saturated fat per two-tablespoon serving.
Why do we differentiate between saturated and unsaturated fat anyway? We’ll answer that question as well as review other nut butters high in saturated fat in this article!
What is saturated fat?
There are two main types of fat: saturated fat and unsaturated fat. (The saturated vs. unsaturated has to do with the chemical bonds in the fat chains.)
Saturated fat is primarily found in animal products like meat and full-fat dairy products, but is also in other foods like chicken skin, coconut oil, and palm oil.
(Unsaturated fat is mostly in plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils, but non-plant foods like salmon contain unsaturated fat as well.)
In general, unsaturated fat is considered the “healthier” fat compared to saturated fat. Consuming unsaturated fat in place of saturated fat is associated with improved health outcomes and lower inflammation.
A prime example of this is the Mediterranean diet, a diet that limits red meat and eats more unsaturated fat than a typical Western diet.
Is saturated fat bad for you?
There has been a lot of debate about the role saturated fat plays in your health. Some studies suggest that eating saturated fat can cause high cholesterol levels and other problems, while other studies point the finger at processed carbohydrates and added sugars.
The bottom line is that we can’t point the blame on one single nutrient or food when it comes to causing health problems!
Instead, we should try to aim for balance and moderation in our diets, like eating a diet higher in unsaturated fats while enjoying some foods that contain saturated fats in moderation.
Saturated fat in nut butter
Nut and seed butters are generally composed of unsaturated fats, the kind mostly found in plants. Despite being high in unsaturated fats, some nut and seed butters still contain some saturated fat.
8 nut butters high in saturated fat
The amount of saturated fat listed is per serving (2 tablespoons)
Coconut butter – 17 grams
Coconut butter resembles coconut oil more than it does nut butter. Coconut butter is basically coconut oil that includes pieces of fibrous coconut flesh.
Coconuts are a bit tricky to classify – they’re considered a fruit and a tree nut. However, they are much higher in saturated fat compared to most plant-based foods (the other one is palm fruit/palm oil).
Tiger nut butter – 5 grams
A Paleo-friendly and allergy-friendly alternative, tiger nut butter is made from a tuberous plant called the yellow nutsedge. It’s free of soy, legumes, and tree nuts, making it a good allergen-friendly nut butter alternative.
Brazil nut butter – 4.5 grams
Brazil nuts are rich in selenium and higher in saturated fat compared to many other nuts like almonds, walnuts, and cashews. You’ll have a harder time finding Brazil nut butter compared to more common types of nut butter, but you can always make your own!
Granola butter – 4 grams
It’s not technically nut butter, but granola butter is another allergy-friendly alternative to true nut butters. Where does the saturated fat come from? Let’s look at the ingredients:
- Oats
- Olive oil
- Maple syrup
- Coconut oil – the source of saturated fat
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary extract
- Salt
- Allspice
- Cardamom
- Ginger
Macadamia butter – 4 grams
Not only is macadamia butter the highest-fat nut butter, but it’s also higher in saturated fat.
Mixed nut butter – 4 grams
Mixed nut butter contains a blend of different nuts and seeds, so the saturated fat content will vary depending on the type. The blend we looked at contains almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseeds. Of all of these, cashews are the highest in saturated fat.
Nutella – 4 grams
This high-sugar chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread is higher in saturated fat, but it’s also the highest-carb nut butter. Hazelnut butter on its own isn’t necessarily high in saturated fat, so why is Nutella high in saturated fat?
It’s because of the addition of palm oil, the other type of plant-based oil high in saturated fat (besides coconut oil).
Pumpkin seed butter – 4 grams
Pumpkin seed butter is an excellent choice for vegans because it’s packed with iron, a nutrient that can be lacking in some vegan diets.
Nutritional comparison of nut butters high in saturated fat
| Serving size: 2 tbsp. | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs | Net carbs (fiber) | Total sugars (incl. added) | Protein |
| Coconut butter | 197 | 19 g (17 g) | 7 g | 2 g (5 g) | 2 g (0 g) | 2 g |
| Tiger nut butter | 180 | 13 g (5 g) | 14 g | 7 g (7 g) | 4 g (0 g) | 1 g |
| Brazil nut butter | 190 | 19 g (4.5 g) | 4 g | 2 g (2 g) | 0 g | 4 g |
| Granola butter | 170 | 12 g (4 g) | 14 g | 13 (1 g) | 4 g (4 g) | 3 g |
| Macadamia butter | 230 | 24 g (4 g) | 5 g | 2 g (3 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 3 g |
| Mixed nut butter | 200 | 16 g (4 g) | 8 g | 4 g (4 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 7 g |
| Nutella | 200 | 12 g (4 g) | 23 g | 22 g (1 g) | 21 g (19 g) | 2 g |
| Pumpkin seed butter | 180 | 14 g (4 g) | 4 g | 1 g (3 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 9 g |
FAQs:
Nut and seed butters are generally lower in saturated fat than unsaturated fat, with the exception of coconut butter (which is more like coconut oil). Coconut butter is very high in saturated fat with 17 grams per two tablespoons.
Eating a diet rich in plant-based foods and unsaturated fats, including nut butter, is generally considered good for high cholesterol. Be on the lookout for nut butter that contains added oils such as palm oil, which is high in saturated fat that could raise your cholesterol when eaten in excess.
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