Walnut butter and almond butter are considered some of the healthiest nut butters out there, each with a great nutritional profile.
But how do these compare to each other, and which one is best for you?
In this article, we’ll check out all the different characteristics of each and boil down which nut butter belongs in your kitchen!
Comparing walnut butter vs almond butter
Both walnut butter and almond butter are perfect for vegan, paleo, and keto diets, boasting strong nutritional profiles on top of that! They also have low glycemic index scores, making them good for people watching their blood sugar levels.
Since walnuts and almonds are both tree nuts, they share that same allergen as well.
| Walnut butter | Almond butter | |
| Taste | Earthy, buttery, slightly bitter | Nutty, rich, slightly sweet |
| Texture | Smooth & creamy | Slightly grainy and runny (or crunchy) |
| Allergens | Tree nuts | Tree nuts |
| Vegan? | Yes | Yes |
| Paleo? | Yes | Yes |
| Keto? | Yes | Yes |
| Glycemic index (GI) | Walnuts=15 | 0 |
What is walnut butter?
Walnut butter is as straight-forward as it gets: roasted walnuts are blended together in a food processor to create a creamy, delicious butter! In fact, it’s so easy that you can make walnut butter at home!
You can even get creative by adding some maple syrup or cocoa powder and honey to bring out some different flavors!
What is almond butter?
Almond butter is just as straight-forward as walnut butter is: almonds blended together until they become a creamy and smooth spread.
It’s one of the most popular nut butters around, and has become a popular substitute for peanut butter!
Differences between walnut butter and almond butter
You can probably tell just by looking at what each of these butters are, but the biggest difference between walnut butter and almond butter is their ingredients.
The different nuts used creates a difference in taste, with walnut butter having an earthy, slightly bitter flavor while almond butter has a nuttier, slightly sweet flavor. Walnut butter also tends to be a bit thicker than the thin, runny almond butter – but that can vary slightly from brand-to-brand and how you store them (more on that down below).
How to use walnut butter vs almond butter
Walnut butter has a wonderful and unique taste that goes well with both savory and sweet dishes. The earthy flavor with the subtle bitterness works in your oatmeal, as a spread on toast, in your smoothie, and even in your salads and pasta!
Almond butter is also highly versatile, working great in everything that walnut butter does well in – although, I’d recommend walnut butter in your salads over almond butter because the taste just pairs so well.
You can even use almond butter to make your very own almond body butter to help you fight any dry skin you may have!
Nutrition: Walnut butter vs almond butter
Walnut butter is chock-full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are super important towards healthy brain and heart function. Plus, they’re great for reducing overall inflammation in your body.
On the other hand, almond butter is a great source of protein, vitamin E, and fiber…
It’s hard to go wrong with either one here.
Either way, make sure to check the label if you’re buying these from the store to make sure that there are no extra ingredients added – you want the natural stuff to get the most nutritional gains out of them!
| Serving size: 2 tbsp | Walnut butter | Almond butter |
| Calories | 200 | 190 |
| Total fat (saturated) | 19 g (2 g) | 17 g (2 g) |
| Total carbs | 4 g | 7 g |
| Net carbs (fiber) | 2 g (2 g) | 3 g (4 g) |
| Total sugars (incl. added) | 1 g (0 g) | 1 g (0 g) |
| Protein | 5 g | 7 g |
How to store walnut butter and almond butter
Walnut butter has a higher omega-3 content, which makes it more prone to going rancid. Storing it in the fridge will be the best call to lengthen its life span.
Almond butter, especially natural almond butter without any preservatives, should also be put in the fridge, otherwise you may find it has a weird taste after a short while! Also, putting almond butter in the fridge will thicken it up to match the consistency of walnut butter a bit better.
Nut butters generally last 2-3 months, but that can vary from brand-to-brand so be sure to check the label for specific storage instructions!
Walnut butter vs almond butter: Which is better?
This is a pretty tough call.
On the one hand, walnut butter has the wonderful omega-3 fatty acids, and adds a special taste to salads, bakes, toast, and smoothies.
On the other hand, almond butter has a great vitamin E and fiber content, plus it has a bit of extra protein for your after-workout smoothies. The nutty, rich taste is also a welcome addition to many foods!
I’d say that it all comes down to preference of taste. Each butter has awesome qualities that are great for different things depending on what your goals are – but you can rest easy that both walnut butter and almond butter are made purely from the nuts, making them some of the healthiest nut butter options out there! Switch them out for one another and see which one you prefer!
However, walnut butter tends to be a little bit pricier and harder to get than almond butter, so that could sway your decision as well!
FAQs
Both walnut butter and almond butter are some of the healthiest nut butters. They have a high content of unsaturated fats, essential nutrients, and antioxidants, which all play a part in overall health and well-being.
Since they’re made from nuts, you can make them as crunchy or smooth as you like, picking whichever you prefer!
Walnut butter is fairly versatile, going great as a spread, in your salad, or in your smoothie! The earthy taste pairs well with both savory and sweet dishes!
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