How to Use Trending Peanut Butter Powder
Have you seen the tubs of powdered peanut butter on the grocery store shelves? If you’ve been curious about this relatively new ingredient, you’ll be surprised to learn it’s a very nutritious option and a great source of plant-based protein! Learn about peanut butter powder nutrition, its benefits, and how to use it in tasty recipes!
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Peanut butter powder has been around for years, but it’s become especially popular with the growing rise in plant-based and gluten-free eating. But what exactly is it, and how does it work? We love it and use it almost every day in our smoothies!
Basically, peanut butter powder is like regular peanut butter, but the extra oil is strained off to reduce the calories while preserving most of the protein. It’s loaded with 6 grams of protein in just two tablespoons of peanut powder!
This makes it a low-fat and high-protein alternative to old-fashioned peanut butter, ideal for adding to my Peanut Butter Powder Smoothie and Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding!
What is Peanut Butter Powder?
Peanut butter powder is made by roasting peanuts, pressing them to strain off excess fat, then grinding them into a very fine powder. These defatted peanuts still have a good amount of protein and nutty flavor, but they’re much lower in fat and have fewer calories.
Note: It can be tricky to tell the difference between peanut butter powder and other peanut products! Peanut butter powder is the same as peanut protein powder or peanut flour. Don’t let the different labels confuse you!
Difference between Peanut Butter Powder and Peanut Butter
Peanut butter powder and regular peanut butter are very, very similar. They’re made from exactly the same simple ingredients, except the powder has much less fat.
- Lower fat -The challenge with peanut butter powder is that draining the fats removes some of its nutritional benefits. It’s essential to watch your fat intake, but peanuts are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, some of the healthiest types you can consume!
- Different flavor – Because the fat is strained off, peanut powder often doesn’t have quite the same peanut flavor. It tastes best mixed in banana smoothies or stirred into your favorite milk to rehydrate the powder and highlight its flavor.
- Price – Unfortunately, the extra processing means many peanut butter powders are expensive! Expect to pay $8-10 per pound or sometimes more for the smaller servings. This is quite a bit pricier than regular nut butter from the store.
Health Benefits of Peanut Butter Powder
Peanuts have so many health benefits that the Mediterranean and DASH Diets recommend them as part of your daily diet. But since peanut butter is so high in fat, including it on a lower-calorie diet can be tricky. Peanut powder is a great low-calorie solution that provides the benefits of peanuts without a high calorie intake.
- Reduced fat – Although peanuts contain quite a bit of fat, that isn’t necessarily bad. Peanuts are high in unsaturated fats, specifically monounsaturated fats, like those found in olive oil. Since peanut powder is made by straining off these healthy fats, you won’t get nearly as much of them, which is an important compromise to consider.
- Good source of protein—One of peanuts’ most important traits is its high protein content. Compared to wheat or other foods, the protein in peanuts is quite easy for your body to absorb.
- High in B vitamins—Peanuts are a great source of riboflavin, niacin, folate, magnesium, and B6, all essential B vitamins that support daily functioning.
- High in antioxidants – Did you know roasted peanuts have the same amount of antioxidants as strawberries and blackberries and are exceptionally high in phenolic compounds, resveratrol, Vitamin E, flavonoids, and other compounds that can reduce cholesterol absorption, reduce disease, and potentially extend lifespan.
- May support healthy muscles – In this study, researchers found that consuming more protein in peanut powder can help increase muscle growth when combined with weight training.
Peanut Butter Powder Nutrition
- Calories – 60
- Fat – 1.5 g (0g saturated fat)
- Cholesterol – 0 mg
- Sodium – 90 mg
- Carbohydrates – 5g
- Fiber – 1g
- Sugar – 2g
- Protein – 6g
One of the best things about peanut butter powder is its short ingredient list. Most brands contain roasted peanuts, salt, and a little bit of sugar, although some have just one ingredient: peanut powder.
How does this compare to traditional peanut butter? Even the most basic single-ingredient peanut butter contains about 194 calories, 16g of fat, 7g of carbohydrates, 8g of protein, 3g of fiber, and 1 gram of sugar.
This means peanut butter powder has 90% less fat and up to 70% fewer calories! This can be extremely helpful for people trying to increase their protein intake, especially on a plant-based diet.
Peanut Powder is Gluten-Free and Vegan
- One of the main advantages of peanut powder is that it is naturally vegan and vegetarian, just like traditional nut butter. This means it can be added to countless drinks, shakes, granola bars, snacks, and more.
- Peanut butter powder is also naturally gluten-free, although I recommend celiacs look for a certified gluten-free brand, like PB2, whenever possible.
- Of course, peanuts are a significant allergen. When you open a canister of peanut butter powder, tiny particles can become airborne and affect people with allergens. It’s essential to keep this in mind if you have someone with a peanut allergy in your home or before using these powders in public spaces.
Expert Tips
- Bake it in brownies or muffins for extra protein
- Add some to your favorite protein shakes or morning smoothie
- Stir into overnight oats or chia seed pudding
- Shake over popcorn or rice cakes
- Stir into fruit dips or sauces
- Make nourishing protein balls
- Use to your make your own homemade peanut butter ice cream
Our Favorite Peanut Butter Powder Brands
Even peanut butter brands are getting into PB powder! JIF sells peanut butter powder with no added sugar or salt, and the small packaging size may be a better choice for people on a budget.
- PB2 is the original brand that introduced peanut butter powder in 2007. They have several variations, including crunchy PB powder and cashew powder!
- Naked Nutrition offers a single-ingredient powder made without salt or added sugar, but they also have great flavors (like chocolate peanut butter) and powdered almonds!
- PB & Co. sells a variety of PB powders, including flavors like vanilla, honey, cocoa, and more.
- ​PB Fit specializes in peanut powders and offers organic, sugar-free peanut flour baking mixes.
- We use PB Pure with no added sugar. It’s also gluten-free.
![PB2 Pure Peanut Butter Powder - [2 lb/32 oz Jar] - No Added Sugar, No Added Salt, No Added Preservatives - 100% All Natural Roasted Peanuts - 6g of Plant-Based Protein](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41adbaC0VXL._SL160_.jpg)
Where to Buy Peanut Butter Powder
- Walmart
- Safeway
- Fred Meyer & Kroger Stores
- Whole Foods
- Target
- Local co-ops and health food stores
- Amazon
- Online retailers
- Sprouts
You can even buy generic peanut butter powder at your regular grocery store! Specialty flavors and products are mostly available online, so you may need to shop on a brand website to find the more unusual offerings.
