When it comes to special diets, it can be hard to find foods that check the box for all of them. Vegan, paleo, and ketogenic (keto) diets are all some of the more popular diets. Which nut (and seed) butters are good for all three of these diets?
Several nut and seed butters are good for vegan, paleo, and keto diets. They are:
- Almond butter
- Brazil nut butter
- Chia seed butter
- Coconut butter
- Flaxseed butter
- Hazelnut butter
- Macadamia nut butter
- Mixed nut butter
- Pumpkin seed butter
- Tahini (sesame seed butter)
- Walnut butter
- Watermelon seed butter
We’ll compare the nutrition stats for all of these nut and seed butters (and more) below!
Refresher on special diets
Vegan diet
A vegan diet excludes all animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and even things like honey and gelatin.
Most types of nut butter are vegan-friendly unless they’re sweetened with honey or have things like whey (milk) protein added (such as with certain kinds of high-protein nut butter).
Paleo diet
A paleo diet excludes all grains, dairy, legumes (including soy), and refined sweeteners. Ancient grains are excluded as well – even if they’re gluten-free.
Keto diet
A keto diet is a very low carbohydrate diet and usually limits carbohydrates to 50 grams or fewer per day. We classified nut and seed butters as keto-friendly if they have three grams or fewer of net carbs per serving (net carbs=total carbs minus the fiber).
12 nut butters that are good for vegan, paleo, and keto diets
The nut and seed butters below are all unsweetened. The ingredients for different manufacturers will vary, so always check the nutrition facts and ingredient labels to ensure it’s compliant with special diets.
Almond butter
Likely the most popular alternative to peanut butter (which isn’t allowed on paleo), almond butter is easy to find in most grocery stores, making it convenient for special diets.
Brazil nut butter
It’s not as easy to find as some other nut and seed butters on this list, but Brazil nut butter is a good source of selenium and can be used to make homemade Brazil nut milk.
Chia seed butter
Loaded with fiber and omega-3 fatty acids, chia seed butter is low in net carbs.
Coconut butter
Coconut butter is very high in saturated fat and is more like coconut oil than nut butter. The main thing that sets it apart from coconut oil is that it includes pieces of coconut flesh, which make it high in fiber.
Flaxseed butter
Like chia seed butter, flaxseed butter is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids as well as fiber. It’s also free of net carbs because of the fiber content!
Hazelnut butter
While the chocolate-flavored version of hazelnut butter isn’t keto, paleo, OR vegan-friendly, plain hazelnut butter is!
Macadamia nut butter
Macadamia nut butter is the highest-fat and highest-calorie nut butter, so it packs a punch!
Mixed nut butter
The types of nuts and seeds in mixed nut butter can vary, so check the ingredients label to ensure it’s suitable for your special diet – or any allergies you might have.
Pumpkin seed butter
Pumpkin seed butter is an especially great choice for vegans because it’s rich in iron, a nutrient that some vegan diets can be deficient in.
Tahini (sesame seed butter)
Tahini is the main ingredient in hummus, and it’s also one of the lowest-sugar seed butters.
Walnut butter
Another great source of omega-3 fatty acids, walnut butter is a heart-healthy choice.
Watermelon seed butter
It’s tricky to find, but watermelon seed butter is lower in calories than many nut and seed butters on our list.
Nutritional comparison of special diet nut butters
| Serving size: 2 tbsp. | Calories | Total fat (saturated) | Total carbs | Net carbs (fiber) | Total sugars (incl. added) | Protein |
| Almond butter | 190 | 17 g (2 g) | 7 g | 3 g (4 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 7 g |
| 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 |
| Coconut butter | 197 | 19 g (17 g) | 7 g | 2 g (5 g) | 2 g (0 g) | 2 g |
| Flaxseed butter | 190 | 13 g (1.5 g) | 9 g | 0 g (9 g) | 0 g | 8 g |
| Hazelnut butter | 210 | 20 g (2 g) | 6 g | 3 g (3 g) | 2 g (0 g) | 5 g |
| Macadamia nut 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 |
| Pumpkin seed butter | 180 | 14 g (4 g) | 4 g | 1 g (3 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 9 g |
| Tahini (sesame seed butter) | 176 | 16 g (2 g) | 6 g | 3 g (3 g) | 0 g | 5 g |
| Walnut butter | 200 | 19 g (2 g) | 4 g | 2 g (2 g) | 1 g (0 g) | 5 g |
| Watermelon seed butter | 156 | 13 g (3 g) | 4 g | 4 g (0 g) | 0 g | 8 g |
FAQs:
As long as the nut butter isn’t high in sugar and is low in net carbs, it can likely fit into a keto diet.
Macadamia nut butter is a great keto choice because it’s high in fat and low in net carbs.
Many types of nut and seed butters are paleo-friendly. Be sure to avoid peanut butter as well as any nut butter containing refined sweeteners, since they aren’t paleo-friendly.
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