Peanut butter (also known as peanut cream or peanut puree) consists largely of ground peanuts . Add salt, sugar and vegetable oil (usually Palm oil , rapeseed oil or cottonseed oil). But does that really have to be the case? Is there no natural peanut butter without palm oil and free from other additives? To answer this question, we first need to clarify why so many peanut butter products palm oil contain.
Why is palm oil in peanut butter?
If you walk through the supermarket and look at the ingredients list of the products, you quickly notice that in almost every second product contains palm oil No matter whether pizza, biscuits, chocolate, margarine or cosmetic products like soaps, skin creams, toothpaste and detergents – palm oil is not easy to avoid. Palm oil is also a integral part the ingredients list. But why is palm oil in so many peanut butter products? Especially in nut spreads, such as peanut butter, hazelnut butter or pecan butter, palm oil serves as stabilizer – it therefore provides a good spreadability .
Palm oil under criticism – bad for the environment and health?
The fact that palm oil is bad for the environment can now be seen in countless contributions read on the Internet. The reason for the palm oil boom is curse and blessing at the same time. Since palm oil is used in the production extremely cheap is, more and more producers are relying on the product, which is mainly made of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand Palm oil has a market share of 30% and is the most commonly used vegetable oil the world. Alone in 2018 were around 70 million tons produced – and the trend is rising.
Due to the extremely cheap production Of course, the Demand . For this reason, in Indonesia numerous rainforests cut down or burned down. Especially for Orangutans make up these rainforests the last remaining habitat But also in other countries where forests are being cleared, many unique animals their habitat.
This too global climate suffers from the newly created palm plantations. Rainforests normally absorb tons of harmful gas carbon dioxide (CO2). If these forests are cut down or burned to create new areas for plantations, a lot of CO2 released .
The figures are alarming and extremely worrying. On the Indonesian island of Sumatra alone, hourly Rainforest as big as 88 football fields burned or cut down . While you were reading this text, about 3.5 football fields of rainforest deforested – and that alone on the island of Sumatra .
In addition to the environment, many small farmers under the circumstances of palm oil production. These must always comply with the global prices adapt and have no room for negotiation .
Palm oil is also to be bad for your own health Excessive consumption of palm oil can negatively affect blood lipid levels The reason is the high proportion of saturated fatty acids contained in palm oil. Also of concern is the harmful LDL cholesterol , which assessments of nutritional medicine specialists the effect of insulin in the body and thus causes a higher risk of diabetes Too many saturated fatty acids can also lead to vasoconstriction Possible consequences? Stroke and heart attack.
Palm oil processing can also carcinogenic substances If palm oil is heated to high temperatures during production, 3-MCPD fatty acid esters and Glycidol fatty acid esters . The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) classifies Glycidol , which is split off during digestion, as carcinogenic Also MCPD is strongly suspected of In animal experiments, it caused cancer at a certain dose tumors and damaged internal organs such as liver and kidneys. For this reason, it is recommended to limit the intake of this substance as low as possible to keep.
Unlike industrially produced palm oil, untreated palm oil is considered to be in its original form, i.e. cold pressed and untreated as healthy. Nevertheless, numerous rainforests are being cut down for this purpose. If you have read the text up to this point, we are now at a size of almost 6 football fields that were cut down or burned on the island of Sumatra alone.
Peanut butter without palm oil – what alternatives are there?
At American Heritage, we place great importance on sustainable and high quality products . For this reason, we have in our range only peanut butter without palm oil . Our products are from selected suppliers , all of whom do not use palm oil, directly from the USA When selecting suitable suppliers, it was particularly important to us to provide our customers with natural peanut butter to offer the fairly produced and convinces with its taste. With the Peanut Butter Company and from Biona We have succeeded extremely well. Another positive point to mention is that all the peanuts that are processed into peanut butter by the companies mentioned above come from the USA.
Peanut butter without sugar & peanut butter without additives
Meanwhile, the own health more into focus again and you eat more conscious and healthier . The trend is towards natural products. For this reason, the demand for peanut butter without sugar and additive-free peanut butter .
Every peanut butter in our range consists made exclusively from ground peanuts and table or sea salt. It is no additional sugar , as in many other peanut butter products, is added. Preservative additives are also not included in our natural peanut butter taboo.
In summary, if you are looking for a:
- peanut butter without palm oil
- peanut butter without sugar
- peanut butter without additives
then you can boldly grab one of our products – no matter whether "creamy" or "crunchy".
Is peanut butter healthy?
Since we now have many negative aspects of palm oil you are probably wondering whether peanut butter is healthy at all. The answer is relatively simple: Yes! Peanut butter is a very good source of protein . It also contains many Dietary fiber , which keeps you full for a long time and also promotes digestion. It is considered excellent source of potassium and is characterized by a high amount of healthy fats and proteins a real energy supplier. Peanut butter also contains many minerals and Vitamins . The peanut itself has a high content of magnesium, potassium, zinc, arginine, vitamin B3 and vitamin E. At the same time, peanuts are low in sodium and cholesterol-free . Natural peanut butter can therefore be consumed without a guilty conscience. You just need to be careful with the calories. With around 650 kcal per 100 grams, peanut butter is a real calorie bomb . But if you keep your peanut butter consumption in moderation, you have nothing to fear here either.
Does peanut butter (without palm oil) go bad?
If you only occasionally delicious peanut butter sandwich and therefore does not need as much peanut butter, the question will arise whether peanut butter can go bad.
As a rule, peanut butter can be consumed in moderation due to its high fat content. not moldy . However, it can happen from time to time that used cutlery when consuming peanut butter which is already with other foods If the same cutlery is used, tiny residues of other foods will migrate into the peanut butter, which can lead to mold.
If the best-before date has passed, there is a chance that the peanut butter will go rancid. However, this can be by smell test Just check. If the peanut butter smells rancid, you should no longer eat it or use it for cooking.
Our tip: When shopping, pay attention to clean glasses that are not dented or damaged!
How long does peanut butter last?
Natural peanut butter, i.e. peanut butter without palm oil and free of preservatives, basically lasts very long . But this also depends on the storage Natural peanut butter should refrigerated after opening Unopened, the peanut butter lasts about 3 months in the pantry and after opening, store in the refrigerator for another 6 months.
Theoretically, peanut butter can also be easily freeze and thaw again at a later time.
So that the peanut butter, despite its stay in the refrigerator, beautifully soft We recommend adding the peanut butter approx. one hour before consumption to take it out of the fridge.
By the way: in the peanut butter products that we have in our range from American Heritage, the oil occasionally separates from the peanut butter and settles on the surface. This is no sign that the peanut butter is bad. Rather, it indicates the excellent quality the peanut butter. Before use, simply stir the peanut butter gently with a knife so that the released oil mixes back into the peanut butter.
What peanut butter alternatives are there?
If you are not a big fan of peanut butter, you can also numerous alternatives Biona, one of our selected suppliers, has specialized in nut spreads and has other alternatives in its range besides peanut butter:
- Hazelnut Butter in Organic Quality
- Cashew Nut Butter in Organic Quality
- Almond Butter in Organic Quality
All products are imported directly from the USA and can be easily ordered in our online shop.
Summary: Peanut butter without palm oil
Who yourself and the Environment If you want to do something good, you are well advised to natural peanut butter Also taste Peanut butter products without sugar and without other additives are the better alternative . If the ingredients list only contains ground peanuts and salt, the taste is clearly more authentic and more intense .
A final thought that should once again clarify the problem of palm oil: Do you still remember the Indonesian island of Sumatra , which is affected by the heavy deforestation of the rainforest? While you were reading this article, rainforest as large as 10.5 football fields destroyed to make room for new palm oil plantations to accomplish.
