Almond Butter

What is Almond Butter?

People interested in a healthy lifestyle have now started giving adequate attention to the almond butter. This is a really nutritious product which is now being widely used in place of peanut butter which is packed with lots of calories. People today prefer healthy products with good taste but without any extra calories, fats or sugars in them.

Several butters are made from tree nuts like pecan butter, macadamia butter, cashew butter, walnut butter and hazelnut butter but none of them is as nutritious and healthy as almond butter.

Almond butter comes packed with the nutritional value of almonds from which is made. It is rich in fiber, essential fatty acids, proteins, antioxidants but is high in calories too. Almond butter is used for dressings, spreads, making desserts, in sauces, etc. Its flavor is same as peanut butter but has a faint hint of almonds.

Almond butter comes in different styles like raw or toasted. The raw almond butter taste is milder than that of toaster almond butter but some people still prefer former. The creamiest and smoothest almond butter is made from the almonds which are ground finely after removing their skins by blanching. Some chunky versions also include traces of almond skin because they are not ground finely. The almond butter labeling indicates its style and can be confirmed with the visual inspection. The creamy versions contain dark flecks of almond skin whereas still creamier versions are even in texture and color.

The almond butter fats can go rancid and therefore they should be stored in some cool dry place and once opened, the can should be refrigerated. Almond butter is available on many stores and few stores even allow people to grind their own by using a nut grinder or a powerful blender.

A freshly grounded almond butter is rich in aroma and taste and without any stabilizers which are later on added for preserving it for long durations. Almond butter can be easily made at home using a powerful blender by adding a pinch of salt to it.

In case you choose some package which reads like “raw organic butter” or “organic butter” then it refers to the way in which was made. These organic brands are packed with natural goodness of almonds and are not treated with preservatives or chemicals.

A great benefit of this type of butter is to create a healthy alternative to other things like peanut butter. People may have to pay some dollars extra but they will get maximum health benefits of this product and many people really appreciate this. Therefore, if people are interested in some product which can help them in losing weight, then they should try replacing peanut or normal butter with raw almond butter.

Believed to have originated in North America and Asia, almonds are being cultivated since centuries in Persia, Greece and Assyria. Almonds are today cultivated in the warm regions like California, Mediterranean regions and South America.

Health Benefits of Almond Butter

There are several health benefits of almond butter. It is rich in fiber, vitamin E, antioxidants and proteins. The calorie content of almonds is high but their consumption rarely causes any weight gain. This amazing nut prevents clogging of arteries and oxidation of LDL cholesterol, thereby improving heart health. There raw almond butter provides all the health benefits of these nuts.

Almond butter is helpful in controlling the blood sugar in people suffering from diabetes. As these nuts are rich in calcium, magnesium and potassium, therefore they assist in controlling the blood pressure as well.

Almond butter is also used extensively as a base for sauces, dips and soups.

Almond Butter is Nutritious too!

Almond butter varieties contain large amount of nutrients, unsaturated fats, proteins and have no trans-fatty acids or cholesterol. Therefore they are beneficial in decreasing the risk of heart disease.

Almonds are rich in antioxidants and vitamins and assist in memory loss and also reduce some types of cancers. They also provide fibers in our daily diet.

Almond butter is perfect solution for people who suffer from peanut allergies. Almond butter contains large amounts of mono-unsaturated fats as compared to saturated fats in peanut butter and is therefore much healthy and nutritious alternative.