If you think of nut and seed butters, you might be inclined to think they are all low in carbs – but that’s not always the case. Certain nut and seed butters are particularly low in carbs, while some aren’t low in carbs at all!
Some of the nut and seed butters with the least carbs include Brazil nut butter, pine nut butter, and pumpkin seed butter, among others.
We’ll review ten low-carb nut and seed butters in this article (as well as include their net carb content) and explain what types of things impact the carb content of nut butters.
Carbs in nut butter
Nuts and seeds are generally lower in carbs and higher in fat and protein. That doesn’t mean they don’t contain carbs, though.
Nuts and seeds have varying carb amounts, so nut and seed butters also vary in their carb content. For instance, one ounce of walnuts contains around 4 grams of carbs, whereas an ounce of cashews contains over twice that amount with 9 grams of carbs.
If nut and seed butters have sugar or other sweeteners added, it will increase their carb content. Just look at Nutella, a sweetened hazelnut spread with 21 grams of sugar per serving (23 grams of total carbs per serving).
What about net carbs?
Net carbs refer to the total carbs minus the dietary fiber. Why calculate net carbs?
Fiber isn’t absorbed by your body so it doesn’t impact your blood sugar levels, which is why many low-carb dieters choose to focus only on net carbs instead of total carbs.
That means that the higher-fiber nut and seed butters can have less of an impact on your blood sugar levels because they’re lower in net carbs.
We’ll include both total carbs and net carbs in our list of low-carb nut butters!
10 nut butters with the least carbs
The serving for each of these nut and seed butters is two tablespoons.
We’re including nut and seed butters with 6 grams or fewer of total carbs, but are also including their net carb content.
Brazil nut butter – 4 grams of carbs (2 grams net carbs)
Fun fact – Brazil nuts are higher in selenium than any other nut! Brazil nut butter can be used in place of more common nut butters, or you can blend it with water to make your own Brazil nut milk.
Hazelnut butter – 6 grams of carbs (3 grams net carbs)
Hazelnut butter is especially rich in iron, with one serving providing around 8% of the daily value.
Hazelnut butter is keto-friendly because it only contains 3 grams of net carbs per serving.
Macadamia nut butter – 5 grams of carbs (2 grams net carbs)
Macadamias are among the highest-fat nuts, so macadamia nut butter is one of the highest-fat nut butters you’ll find. That and the fact that it contains 2 grams of net carbs per serving make it a keto dieter’s dream!
Pecan butter – 6 grams of carbs (4 grams net carbs)
If you like pecan pie, you’ll love the taste of pecan butter! You can use pecan butter however you’d use more “traditional” nut butters like almond butter and peanut butter.
Pine nut butter – 4 grams of carbs (4 grams net carbs)
Pine nut butter doesn’t contain any fiber, but it’s still low enough in carbs to make our list.
One serving of pine nut butter provides 10% of the daily value for iron, so it’s one of the richest sources of iron among nut and seed butters.
Pumpkin seed butter – 4 grams of carbs (1 gram net carb)
Like pine nut butter, pumpkin seed butter is an excellent source of iron and provides 15% of the daily value. It’s also one of the best low-carb options for diets like keto.
Sunflower seed butter – 6 grams of carbs (4 grams net carbs)
Sunflower seed butter is a great allergy-friendly alternative to peanut butter and tree nut butters.
Tahini (sesame seed butter) – 6 grams of carbs (3 grams net carbs)
Tahini is a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes like hummus. It doesn’t have a sweet taste, unlike many of the other nut and seed butters on our list.
Walnut butter – 4 grams of carbs (2 grams net carbs)
Walnut butter is especially high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy anti-inflammatory fats.
Watermelon seed butter – 4 grams (4 grams net carbs)
Likely the most difficult kind of seed butter to find, watermelon seed butter is made from the soft white seeds of watermelon. It’s lower in calories than many other nut and seed butters.
FAQs:
Which nut butters are keto-friendly?
Several nut and seed butters are keto-friendly, including pumpkin seed butter, macadamia nut butter, walnut butter, and many others with low net carbs.
Are nut butters high in carbs?
Some nut butters are higher in carbs, especially if they contain added sweeteners. In general, nut butters aren’t considered high in carbs because they are higher in protein and fat than they are carbs.
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