Nut and seed butters aren’t usually high in sugar, which makes them a healthy option for a lot of people. Some nut butters are higher in sugar, with one stand out as being very high in sugar. Which one is the highest in sugar?
Nutella easily tops the list as the highest-sugar nut butter with 21 grams of total sugar per serving, 19 of those being added sugar.
A few other nut butters are higher in sugar than the rest (not necessarily high in sugar), which we’ll include in our list below.
Sugar in nut butter
Nut and seed butters are made from different types of nuts, seeds, and legumes (like peanut butter). These different types of nut butter have varying levels of natural sugar in them, which is usually quite low. Some nut and seed butters don’t contain any sugar, while some contain small amounts of natural sugar.
The other type of sugar that can be present in nut butter is added – usually in the form of cane sugar or another type of sweetener. This sugar isn’t considered natural but is considered added sugar to sweeten and flavor nut butter.
In this article, we’ll review some of the highest sugar nut butters and specify how much of the sugar is natural and how much is added (the total of the two gives you total sugars).
6 types of nut butter highest in sugar
The amount of sugar for each refers to one serving, which is two tablespoons
Nutella – 21 grams total sugar (19 grams added sugar)
Nutella is by far the highest-sugar nut butter on our list – and by a lot! While this chocolate-flavored hazelnut spread is delicious, it’s loaded with added sugar. It also contains skim milk, so it’s not suitable if you have a milk allergy.
High-protein nut butter – 5 grams total sugar (4 grams added sugar)
High-protein nut butter contains added protein in the form of protein isolates, such as whey protein. There are different brands of high-protein nut butter, so the ingredients and sugar content will vary.
Because of the possibility of different ingredients in high-protein nut butter, be sure to read the ingredient label if you’re on a special diet such as a vegan, Paleo, or keto diet.
Granola butter – 4 grams total sugar (4 grams added sugar)
Granola butter isn’t nut butter, but it’s often found in the same aisle as nut butter and is a good allergy-friendly option.
Like high-protein nut butter, the ingredients of granola butter vary depending on the manufacturer. The brand we researched contains these ingredients:
- Oats
- Olive oil
- Maple syrup
- Coconut oil
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary extract
- Salt
- Allspice
- Cardamom
- Ginger
As you can see from this example, all of the sugar in granola butter comes from added sugar (maple syrup).
Reduced-fat peanut butter – 4 grams total sugar (3 grams added sugar)
Reduced-fat peanut butter is lower in fat than regular peanut butter, but typically has sugar added to offset the fat reduction.
For instance, reduced-fat Jif peanut butter contains sugar, corn syrup solids, AND molasses – three types of sweeteners!
Soy nut butter – 4 grams total sugar (2 grams added sugar)
Soybeans are naturally rich in protein and are a good choice for a nut-free option. Soy nut butter is made from soybeans and soy oil, with some brands adding additional oils.
Soy nut butter isn’t suitable for special diets like Paleo but is otherwise a good alternative for those with tree nut or peanut allergies.
Tiger nut butter – 4 grams total sugar (0 grams added sugar)
While tiger nut butter is slightly higher in natural sugar compared to other nut and seed butters, none of the sugar comes from added sugar.
Tiger nut butter is made from a tuberous plant called the yellow nutsedge, and it’s a Paleo-friendly option compared to more popular nut butters like peanut butter or nut butters with added sugar.
However, tiger nut butter isn’t suitable for low-carb diets like keto because of its total carb content (see table below).
Nutritional comparison of high-sugar nut butter
| Serving size: 2 tbsp. | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs | Net carbs (fiber) | Total sugars (incl. added) | Protein |
| Nutella | 200 | 12 g (4 g) | 23 g | 22 g (1 g) | 21 g (19 g) | 2 g |
| High-protein nut butter | 200 | 14 g (2.5 g) | 8 g | 5 g (3 g) | 5 g (4 g) | 10 g |
| Granola butter | 170 | 12 g (4 g) | 14 g | 13 (1 g) | 4 g (4 g) | 3 g |
| Reduced-fat peanut butter | 190 | 12 g (2.5 g) | 15 g | 13 g (2 g) | 4 g (3 g) | 7 g |
| Soy nut butter | 200 | 15 g (3 g) | 8 g | 6 g (2 g) | 4 g (2 g) | 7 g |
| Tiger nut butter | 180 | 13 g (5 g) | 14 g | 7 g (7 g) | 4 g (0 g) | 1 g |
FAQs:
Nut and seed butters which don’t contain added sugars aren’t likely to spike blood sugar levels because they’re generally low in carbohydrates and rich in protein, which helps promote stable blood sugar levels.
Nut butter that doesn’t contain added sugars isn’t likely to spike insulin levels because it isn’t generally high in carbs and is a good source of both protein and fat, which help delay the rise in blood sugar. When blood sugar levels rise more slowly, insulin levels aren’t likely to spike.
Leave a Comment