Nut butter is generally considered a low-carb food, which means most types of nut and seed butters are low in sugar. Which nut butter is the lowest in sugar?
Seven types of nut and seed butters contain less than one gram of sugar (most of them include zero grams of sugar per serving) and include:
- Brazil nut butter
- Chia seed butter
- Flaxseed butter
- Pecan butter
- Tahini (sesame seed butter)
- Watermelon seed butter
- Pine nut butter
We’ll review these low-sugar nut butters in detail in this article, as well as compare their nutrition stats side-by-side.
Sugar in nut butter
Nut and seed butters are made from different types of nuts, seeds, and legumes (like peanut butter). These different sources have varying levels of natural sugar in them, which impacts the amount of sugar in the nut/seed butter. Some nuts and seed butters don’t contain any sugar, while some contain small amounts of natural sugar.
The other type of sugar that can be in nut butter is added – usually in the form of cane sugar or another sweetener. These types of sugars aren’t considered natural, but are added sugars used to sweeten and flavor nut butter. (Chocolate-flavored nut butter is especially high in sugar!)
That means that you can have nut butter without ANY sugar, only natural sugar, natural and added sugar, OR only added sugar.
Does low sugar mean low carb?
Sugar is a type of carb, but it’s not the only type of carb. That means that low-sugar nut butter isn’t necessarily low in carbs (but it often is).
For instance, reduced-fat peanut butter contains two grams of sugar per serving, but the total carbs are 13 grams, which isn’t considered low-carb for things like a keto diet.
7 of the lowest sugar nut (and seed) butter
Most types of nut butter on our master list are low in sugar, but that’s partly due to us only choosing unsweetened versions whenever they were available.
You’ll need to check the nutrition facts and ingredient labels to ensure you’re choosing unsweetened versions since the sugar content of nut and seed butter can vary A LOT among manufacturers!
All of the nut and seed butters on our list below are free of added sugar. (Sugar listed is per serving [two tablespoons]).
Brazil nut butter – 0 grams
Brazil nuts are one of the best sources of selenium, a nutrient that helps create enzymes and proteins to make DNA and impact hormone metabolism.
Brazil nut butter isn’t as popular as other types of nut butter, so you might have to order it online or make your own if it isn’t carried at a specialty food store near you.
Chia seed butter – 0 grams
Also incredibly high in fiber, chia seed butter is free of sugar and low in net carbs. Like Brazil nut butter, chia seed butter is very hard to find, so you’ll need to scour the internet for online offerings or make your own following a DIY recipe.
Flaxseed butter – 0 grams
Loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseed butter is free of both sugar and net carbs (total carbs minus fiber) thanks to its super high fiber content.
Pecan butter – 0 grams
If you love pecan pie, you might prefer pecan butter over other types of nut butter! It’s much lower in sugar, of course – free of sugar, in fact!
Tahini (sesame seed butter) – 0 grams
Tahini is primarily used to make hummus and other sauces and dips. It’s not sweet and is used for savory dishes most often.
Watermelon seed butter – 0 grams
Watermelon seed butter is made from the soft, edible white seeds of watermelon. Lower in fat than most other types of nut and seed butters, watermelon seed butter doesn’t contain any sugar.
Pine nut butter – <1 gram
Pine nuts are one of the most expensive types of nuts you can buy, so expect to pay a bit more for pine nut butter compared to more common types of nut and seed butters. It’s very low in sugar with less than one gram per serving.
Nutrition comparison of 7 low-sugar nut and seed butters
| Serving size: 2 tbsp. | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs | Net carbs (fiber) | Total sugars (incl. added) | Protein |
| 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 |
| Flaxseed butter | 190 | 13 g (1.5 g) | 9 g | 0 g (9 g) | 0 g | 8 g |
| Pecan butter | 200 | 18 g (2 g) | 6 g | (4 g) ~2 g | 0 g | 2 g |
| Tahini (sesame seed butter) | 176 | 16 g (2 g) | 6 g | 3 g (3 g) | 0 g | 5 g |
| Watermelon seed butter | 156 | 13 g (3 g) | 4 g | 4 g (0 g) | 0 g | 8 g |
| Pine nut butter | 190 | 19 g (1.5 g) | 4 g | 4 g (<1 g) | <1 g (0 g) | 4 g |
FAQs:
Many types of nut and seed butters contain zero grams of sugar, including Brazil nut butter, chia seed butter, and flaxseed butter, to name a few. Many more types of nut and seed butters are also very low in sugar.
Unsweetened nut butter is a great protein-rich, low-carb choice for people with diabetes and other blood sugar metabolism issues.
Nut butters like chia seed butter, flaxseed butter, and walnut butter are all good sources of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids – plus they don’t contain any sugar!
Leave a Comment