Walnut Butter vs Cashew Butter: Which is Better?

Walnut butter is easily one of the best nut butters for all you health-conscious, as you’ll love the awesome nutritional profile it has (we’ll get into that plus more!). Plus, it has a flavor that is absolutely mouth-watering and pairs well with so many things!

We’re also going to take a close look at cashew butter – a deliciously thick and creamy spread that has one of my personal favorite textures out of all spreads!

As great as these two sound, only one can be the winner today. We’ll put these two spreads head-to-head, having them compete in a number of things including taste, nutritional profile, culinary uses, dietary versatility, and more.

So, place your bets and get ready to see: is walnut butter or cashew butter better?

Let’s begin!

Comparing walnut butter vs cashew butter

Walnut butter and cashew butter are both wonderful nut butters, which gives them tree nuts as allergens. They also share a creamy characteristic in their textures, and both are great for vegan and paleo diets (as long as cashew butter is unsweetened). However, walnut butter can also be used for your keto diets, unlike cashew butter.

Both of these spreads have low glycemic indexes, which means that either walnut butter or cashew butter are great options if you’re trying to prevent your blood sugar levels from spiking – talk to your physician if you have any concerns there!

	Walnut butter	Cashew butter
Taste	Earthy, buttery, slightly bitter	Mild, nutty, sweet
Texture	Smooth & creamy	Thick, creamy
Allergens	Tree nuts	Tree nuts
Vegan?	Yes	Yes
Paleo?	Yes	Yes (if unsweetened)
Keto?	Yes	No
Glycemic index (GI)	Walnuts=15	1 oz cashews= 25

What is walnut butter?

Walnut butter is a nutritious yet delicious nut butter made by blending roasted walnuts together in a food processor. You can definitely use raw walnuts if you want to make walnut butter at home, but roasting them improves the flavor! You can also play around with adding new flavors through maple syrup, honey, cocoa powder, etc.

The smooth and creamy spread is considered one of the healthiest nut butters next to almond butter!

What is cashew butter?

Cashew butter is made by grinding down cashews into a thick and creamy spread. The cashews are also roasted before being ground down, enhancing their flavor. But, just like walnut butter, you can use roasted or raw cashews if you want to make cashew butter at home!

A quick heads up: some brands add sugar to their cashew butter, so be sure to check the labels!

Differences between walnut butter and cashew butter

The biggest differences between walnut butter and cashew butter are their flavors and textures.

Walnut butter boasts a flavor profile that’s earthy, buttery, and slightly bitter, while cashew butter has a mild, nutty, and sweet taste to it. 

Like I mentioned, they share a creaminess about their consistencies, but walnut butter has a smooth texture while cashew butter has a thicker one. 

How to use walnut butter vs cashew butter

With these two being nut butters, they’re as versatile as anything!

Try walnut butter and cashew butter as spreads for your morning toast or pancakes, or add them to your post-workout smoothies and oatmeal! You can also use them as ingredients in your bakes to add some delicious twists, or even mix them into your salads and pasta for a nutty addition!

Walnut butter’s earthy flavor profile is really good with both savory and sweet dishes, while cashew butter’s mild nutty flavor is perfect for combining with other ingredients as it won’t overpower anything!

Nutrition: Walnut butter vs cashew butter

Walnut butter is considered one of the healthiest nut butters for a reason. It has an awesome omega-3 fatty acids content, which is important for maintaining heart and brain health as well as lowering inflammation in the body. You’ll also find it only has 2 grams of net carbs per serving, giving it one of the lower carb contents out of all the spreads. It’s also got a decent 5 grams of protein per serving, as well as being a great source of healthy fats!

Cashew butter also contains some great healthy fats, along with 4 grams of protein per serving! It also has a higher carb content than walnut butter, boasting 9 grams of net carbs per serving. Cashew butter also tends to have added sugar, so remember to check the label!

Serving size: 2 tbsp	Walnut butter	Cashew butter
Calories	200	190
Total fat (saturated)	19 g (2 g)	16 g (3 g)
Total carbs	4 g	10 g
Net carbs (fiber)	2 g (2 g)	9 g (1 g)
Total sugars (incl. added)	1 g (0 g)	3 g (4 g)
Protein	5 g	4 g

How to store walnut butter and cashew butter

Walnut butter and cashew butter should both be stored in the fridge, as walnut butter has a high omega-3 fatty acids content which can make it go rancid quicker, and cashew butter doesn’t usually have added oils or preservatives in it.

The fridge will extend their shelf-lives, and also help with oil separation. Like most nut butters, these two should last about 2-3 months after opening – but always check the labels for any specific storage instructions and best-before dates!

Walnut butter vs cashew butter: Which is better?

So, the long and tough match comes to an end!

Looking at each of them, walnut butter offers a nutritional beneficial spread with a delicious flavor and smooth texture, making it a wonderful option.

But cashew butter is also an awesome option, providing a thick and creamy spread that has a milder taste, which pairs well with other ingredients – however, some brands do add extra sugar into it.

All things considered, I do like both spreads, but walnut butter beats cashew butter for having a more unique taste, a better nutritional profile with valuable omega-3 fatty acids, and a greater dietary versatility. 

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