Natural Peanut Butter

Posted on by Ashley Bischoff

I bought some Natural Peanut Butter the other day at Target. I needed some more peanut butter anyway, and I didn’t want the trans fat associated with regular peanut butter.

I hadn’t had natural peanut butter in years, probably not within the past ten years or so. As a kid, I didn’t like it much, as I preferred the sweetness of regular peanut butter. Trying it again now, it was quite tasty. It tasted as if it was created through crushing peanuts and putting the peanut-carnage right in a jar.

The only downfall, it seems, is that it was quite sticky — on a slice of bread it would seem to gum-up my mouth more so that regular peanut butter would tend to. I’m curious as to what factor is contributing to the stickiness.

I know it’s not for a lack of fat, as the Natural Peanut Butter has 16g (but of the “good fat”). And, I don’t think that the lower sugar-content would be a factor, as I wouldn’t think that sugar would contribute to stickiness one way or another.

Any ideas on techniques as to what could reduce the stickiness of natural peanut butter? I was thinking of adding (no-calorie) Splenda to my next peanut butter sandwich, so as to more closely resemble the sweetness that I’m used to, but is there anything that I could add that might unstickify the sandwich?

101 thoughts on “Natural Peanut Butter”

  1. The best suggestion I have is to put the natural peanut butter in a larget tupperware bowl and mix with a spatula. The size of the container is what causes spills.

    And I must admit once you go natural you never go back.

  2. So far, I like Laura Scudder’s All Natural Peanut Butter the best. I’m going to try Trader’s Joe’s brand on recommendation.

    Peanut butter should only contain peanuts and salt….unsalted if you prefer.

    Skippy is just not as good after the natural stuff….too sweet…not as satisfying.

  3. BTW….just use an electric mixer with one tang installed to mix the oil. Peanut oil is very good for you unless you’re allergic to peanuts.

    Then put in refrigerator to keep from separating.

  4. I agree with Ken, Laura Scudder’s is great; however, I am also fond of the TJ brand. I prefer the crunchy versions of both. Lately, I’ve been gorging on it with apples–YUM!

  5. You have to try Pathmark Brand Natural Peanut Butter. It is the most remarkable tasting peanut butter on the market! I have spent the money on Scmuchers, and the other brands (omega, etc) but Pathmark is the Natural way to go!! and you are right, once you go natural, there is nothing else like it!!!

    Angela

  6. Well…I tried the Trader Joe’s natural peanut butter. It’s great too…and at $1.69/jar it’s my new favorite. The organic version is one dollar more. TJ’s is a great store, with great stuff.

  8. You guys are so lucky to be able to buy local made peanut butter. I live in New Zealand and all the peanut butter we can buy is imported, and most of that comes from China! I am going to make my own from now on – any good tips?

  9. A great way to make natural pb easier to mix. A day before you are going to use it, tip it upside down and let it sit. The oil will make its way back through the pb and make it much easier to stir.

  10. i too love my peanut butter natural. why else would i have read through three years of peanut butter-related postings to reach the bottom of the page so i could post my own peanut butter pontification? because i have no life? well, yes, that too. but i digress.)
    Peanuts, salt. good stuff. but where’s the originality? Naturally More brand peanut butter is definitely a stand-out in that department. Roasted peanuts with no added salt. but thats not all. wheat germ, flax seed, and flax seed oil. i dont typically look for added sweeteners but this brand does contain a small amount of cane sugar and a touch of honey. well balanced though.
    i like it with st. dalfour 100% fruit blueberry spread. which contains only whole blueberries, grape juice concentrate, and fruit pectin.
    p.s. what is fruit pectin?)

  11. please tell me how to make pea nut butter at home. It is not available at our place.
    Have I to simply grind roasted peanut and mix with salt? I hope, I need not mix any oil while grinding.
    Rajyashree

    Salem,Tamilnadu,India

  13. Dr.Rajasri Sen Jaiswal

    Read post number 26 and you can try to do it with peanuts and peanut oil. The added oil is for a smooth and creamier butter. You can do it without adding the peanut oil but the peanut butter will definetely be harder to spread.

  14. Visit this link and you will find two food processors and one nut grinder for making peanut butter. I recommend the food processors because it is less expensive and the nut grinder makes a harder peanut butter to spread.

    http://www.pleasanthillgrain.com/pb_toast.aspx

    This are the only two ways to make home made peanut butter: with a blender or food processor. The nut grinder is for commercial use mostly.

    If you do not like the butter made in the blender then the food processor is the best way to go.

  15. Dr.Rajasri Sen Jaiswal

    Go to the link below to see the recipe for making peanut butter on a blender.

    On ce in the page, you can click on the left menu under RECIPIES and once entered then clik on the letter Title that reads “Food Processor Peanut Butter” to see the recipe for making Peanut Butter on a Food Processor.

  16. Dude, just stick it in a food processor for a little while. That’ll mix it up. It’ll stay mixed for quite some time, too.

  18. just read up on all of ur quiries and replies i find it intrestin as i brought some natural peanut butter at the health food store a while back and asked if i cld make it ina blender was told no then i did soem reserach today as i wanted some i like eatin it with apples yummy anyway readin all this i tried just peanuts [ yeah were roasted and salted in a blender added cold packed or whatever u call it olive oil [ wanted creamier and added a tad of honey [ as was too salty to me ] and he is goooood never again am i buyin peanut butter else where and when i go back to the health food store i am going to ask why did hey lie lol have to thank the net as it is a world full of information xoxoxo to all gbu

  19. just read up on all of ur quiries and replies i find it intrestin as i brought some natural peanut butter at the health food store a while back and asked if i cld make it in a blender was told no then i did some reserach today as i wanted some i like eatin it with apples yummy anyway readin all this i tried just peanuts [ yeah were roasted and salted in a blender added cold packed or whatever u call it olive oil [ wanted creamier and added a tad of honey [ as was too salty to me ] and it is goooood never again am i buyin peanut butter else where and when i go back to the health food store i am going to ask why did they lie lol have to thank the net as it is a world full of information xoxoxo to all gbu

  20. I like natural peanut butter on a celery sticks. The celery is juicy and seems to balance out the stickiness of the peanut butter.

    Adding ingredients changes the benefits of eating the natural peanut butter.

  21. try useing water to thin it… it might not be the best thing, but it will take the stickiness out of it a little… then again, maybe it won’t but atleast it won’t be so thick.

  22. The Costco near me has been selling Natural Peanut Butter that contains only organic peanuts and salt…no sugar or added oils. It’s the best I’ve ever had.
    Who cares if it’s a little sticky? Yummmm.

  23. Has anyone had Better’n peanut butter?? it’s a really great sub for natural when ur looking for something lower in cals/fat

  25. All those peanut butters are good but I live in Mexico and have a great place I can buy fresh peanuts. so I usually buy about 10 lbs of fresh peanuts roast them in the oven shuck them and blend them in a food processor and its the best, my kids love it, truly 100% natural.

  26. Splenda actually contains 2 calories per 1 teaspoon. Companies can print 0 calories on their labels if the product contains less than 5 calories per serving.

  27. For the person who wanted a reputable link to info about any animicrobial effect of palm oil, here is one from Florida State university: http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/optics/olympusmicd/galleries/polarized/lauricacid1.html

    It is also A VERY good source of Vitamin A, AND is very asily digested

    Here is another article (mostly about coconut oil) but the benefits of palm oil and palm kernel oil are also mentioned. Also from a trustworthy site, the Department of Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Minnesota.

    Another link from NYU’s Langone Medical Center explaining why palm oil is easily digested, and optimal for people with digestive issues because it is made from Medium Chain Triglycerides: http://www.med.nyu.edu/patientcare/library/article.html?ChunkIID=21809

    Also by containing oleac Acid, it actually reverses the heart problems normally associated with saturated fats, Related links:
    http://www.unu.edu/Unupress/food/8F152e/8F152E03.htm
    http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/aug03/corn0803.htm

  30. Hey Alex,

    I grew up on Jiff, the reason it is so creamy and *good* is because it has LARD in it. Yes, cure FAT. ..and not the good kind! Peanuts, when ground, produce an oil (You’ve heard of it, Peanut oil lol) which causes it to get more syrup-y. Usually the natural peanutbutter I buy seperates, but when I mix it up it gets more soupy. My best advice is to stir up the oil with the peanuts and then refridgerate it. It will become SOLID, so about 5 minutes before you make your sandwich, let it sit out on the counter and it will soften up a little. This way you don’t get a Gloppy stick mess, and it’s easier to spread! Hope that helps!

    PS: Splenda is dangerous, read about it online. It’s just as bad as aspartame. It turns to CLORINE when digested in a human body… causing all kinds of problems to our body..

    Pick up the Book “Skinny Bitch” by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin.
    and Visit:
    http://www.womentowomen.com/nutritionandweightloss/splenda.aspx

    Even if you aren’t a woman, this book and the link above will help!!!!

  32. Chimel- are there negative health effects from palm oil?

    I really like Skippy’s Natural pb. Its smooth, spreads easily and does not require refrigeration, so it travels well. I stopped buying it because of the conflicting information I found about palm oil. There seems to be an equal amount of pro and con palm oil “facts” out there. Can anyone settle the debate?

  33. I have been using Real Brand Peanut Butter by Conagra. It is sold refrigerated, but usually needs to be stirred when you first buy it. I generally do that in a Mini-Prep food processor and then keep it refrigerated. I like to add a little Tahini for flavor and texture, but that’s a personal habit. Conagra also makes Peter Pan.

    They have just discontinued Real Brand Peanut Butter. I tried going back to Smuckers, but it is gritty compared to “Real”. I now need to find a new natural brand, preferably one kept fresh in the cooler section of the store.

  34. I love peanut butter; what a fun old thread!

    I’m still trying to figure out how to handle natural peanut butter – I stir it & keep it in the fridge, but then it’s too hard for spreading!

    On Palm Oil – there’s been quite a conversation here about it’s nutritional aspects, but I wanted to point out that the palm oil industry is a major player in the destruction of our rainforests. Here’s a link to find out more: http://ran.org/the_problem_with_palm_oil/the_problem/ or you can http://letmegooglethatforyou.com/?q=palm+oil+rainforest+destruction

  36. I like Crazy Richard’s Natural Peanut Butter. Nothing but peanuts. Comes in crunchy and creamy. It mixes easily with a butter knife. Stick the knife in the middle and push it all the way to the bottom and then drag it over to the side. All the oil will rush into the slit the knife created; then mix alternating top to bottom mixing with scraping the sides. It takes about 2 minutes. It stays mixed at room temperature for as long as it has ever taken me to get through a jar–probably about 10 days.

  37. The best peanut butter is homemade. Tried it for the first time today. Still working on grinding up the peanuts and yesterday, i used approximatly 2 lbs of Jif, added some honey, extremely groung pecans, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk and i think that was it. When I brought my truffles to church this morning, everybody loved my version better and now I’m trying to perfect strictly homemade. It is not sticky and I think butter and honey is the trick.

  38. Too bad about Real Brand PB. I am hoping to find something I like to replace it. So far I am not
    impressed by Trader Joe or anything else I can find
    in the Milwaukee area. I just bought some Parker
    Farms and am keeping my fingers crossed. Too bad
    it doesn’t come in glass jars.

  39. I found this thread while searching for information on the disappearance of Real Brand Peanut Butter from my local stores…

    I’m in Minneapolis, and through the end of 2008, I was still able to find it at The Wedge, a local co-op. It had long since left the shelves of Rainbow Foods, though. Now, it seems like the Brand is really gone.

    Real Brand has been my choice for probably a decade, maybe more. I’m very sad to see it go. I wish it’d been Peter Pan Peanut Butter that’d gotten the ConAgra axe rather than Real, but what can you do?

  40. I would like to see Smuckers come out with a statement as to how they make sure there is no Salmonella in their peanut butter. I eat about one jar a week of the crunchy natural product and it is great.

  41. I used to love Simply Jif, but since eating natural peanut butters in recent years, I found the Simply Jif very unpleasant. I also tried the Smart Ones peanut butter and found the texture and aftertaste awful. It’s unfortunate, since is has a lot of good ingredients.

    My PB of choice these days is Trader Joe’s Organic Peanut Butter made with Valencia peanuts. Like all naturals, it requires work to mix it up, but it’s very tasty, low in sodium and relatively inexpensive.

    Now if I can find a less messy way of mixing it up. Am contemplating getting one of the Witmer mixers listed above.

  42. if you are worried about health, the healthiest oil you should add are linseed oil or cannabis hemp oil, hemp being the better variety of health oil but more expensive. maybe try using honey to sweeten it, that should be healthy enough for you but still sweetening. or natural cane sugar but not too much? dont use splenda or white sugar… chemicals=cancer.

  43. I have been using Real Brand Peanut Butter for literally 30+ years. It was far superior to any other I tried. I last obtained some in December 2008 while visiting Chicago. When I tried two weeks ago, it was gone from all the stores that used to have it.

    Now what?

  44. I’ve stumbled across an organic PB that uses palm fruit oil. It seems to retain its smoothness, and they say it’s healthier than regular palm oil.

  45. Reduced fat Peter Pan was equivalent to Custer’s Last Stand in my pantry…I shifted my entire diet over to more natural foods and the peanut butter I’ve eaten straight out of the jar for over 10 years was the the final food product to be replaced. Boy, that was a bitter shock to the taste buds, but with the help of honey, bananas, jam, and Marshmallow Fluff, I’ll get over it.

    For those that live in the southeast US, Publix supermarkets grind their own peanut butter in their deli. I figured this was a good option since it’s made only with roasted peanuts and not mass produced. I keep hearing that the peanut butters with palm oil, salt, and molasses (like Jiff Natural) taste better, but I also am aware that palm oil production is devastating rainforests, so I couldn’t bring myself to try it. Maybe they’re getting their palm oil from more sustainable sources (likely not), but until I know for sure, I’m going to stick to the Publix brand.

  46. Like Jim, I too have used Real Peanut Butter exclusively for 30+ years. I began using it when my first child was ready for PB&J and could never find anything that compared. I was even known for carrying multiple jars home in my luggage when I traveled to areas that sold it! It was, indeed, a sad day when I realized it had been discontinued. I have found that Parkers All Natural Peanut Butter is the closest, but I cannot buy it where I live; I found it at Hy-Vee while visiting Iowa. I live in Texas, any ideas?

  47. My fave is fresh-ground peanut butter made with skins-on peanuts – much richer in flavour.
    If you have to buy non-fresh peanut butter that has separated out, my tip is to get the largest jar you can and use a drywall-mud mixer on a power drill to blend it together.

  48. It is actually the sugar or corn syrup that keeps the peanut butter from sticking to your mouth. My college history professor talked alot on how foods have changed things,especially sugar and how capitalists would add sugar to everything just to keep people buying more and it acts as a food perservative–bread, crackers,chicken nuggets. You should check out Sweetness and Power by Sidney W. Mintz, you will be disgusted on what the sugar industry has done to mankind.

  49. I have used Laura Scudder’s All Natural Peanut Butter for YEARS. It is a pain to mix, but once done (I always scoop approximately 2 tablespoons of oil off the top and mix the rest in), I have a delicious, creamy (or crunchy!), cold-spreadable peanut butter, delicious on apples, celery, bread – whatever you like.

    As for the Palm oil – I am moving to real, nonpackaged foods because way more than you think contain palm oil – and I really don’t want to be party to the current growing practice. The amount of palm oil required for this HUGE packaged food market has to be staggering. (Think globally – BILLIONS of people… so much palm oil, so little little room to grow it…)

  50. Just moved from Florida, where my local Publix supermarket ground their own peanut butter, which I loved….now where I am, can find no fresh-ground as of yet, so have been ordering it from Kaufmann’s Fruit Farm in Pennsylvania. It is VERY good, but the cost of the freight to ship it is more than the peanut butter, so I’m still looking for a closer source. Grew up eating peanut butter in a sandwich, which I still do, but now, I have my “shake” every morning, which consists of milk, banana, squirt of honey, and a delicious blob of P.B…..YUM. Anyhow, I recommend Kaufmann’s…seems to be good quality. Enjoyed everyone’s remarks here, as well….us peanut butter lovers need to “stick” together!

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