When you need to manage your cholesterol, it is important to find healthy foods that won't raise your cholesterol and are satisfying. Fortunately, peanut butter fits the bill because it has no cholesterol, is low in saturated fat, and is high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats.
This article discusses the nutritional value of peanut butter, how saturated fat and unsaturated fat affect cholesterol, and why peanut butter is good for your cholesterol.
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Peanut Butter and Cholesterol
Peanut butter is considered a healthy fat because it has no cholesterol, is low in saturated fat, and is high in unsaturated fats.
Peanut butter also contains many other nutrients including:
- Fiber
- Protein
- Vitamins B3 and B6
- Vitamin E
- Minerals, such as potassium, manganese, and copper
There are two types of cholesterol:
- Blood cholesterol: The cholesterol in the blood made by the body
- Dietary cholesterol: The cholesterol you get from foods
The body makes most of the cholesterol it needs, but some cholesterol comes from food.
In the proper amounts, cholesterol plays a vital role in a well-functioning body. But when levels of certain types of cholesterol become too high, the risk for cardiovascular disease and complications such as heart attack and stroke increase.
It’s a common misconception that dietary cholesterol is the cause of high cholesterol levels. While it can contribute, the types and amounts of fats you eat have a much bigger effect on blood cholesterol than the cholesterol you consume.
In addition, some foods that have no cholesterol can still affect blood cholesterol levels if they are high in saturated fat.
Foods that are high in saturated or trans fats can raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. This is the type of cholesterol that can cause fatty deposits called plaque to accumulate in the blood vessels, which can lead to heart disease.
Foods that contain unsaturated fats can raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. This type of cholesterol helps protect the heart by returning cholesterol to the liver where it can be removed from the body. HDL lowers the risk of heart disease.
Peanut butter contains both saturated and unsaturated fats. So is peanut butter good for you? In moderation, yes.
LDL Cholesterol vs. HDL Cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL): “Bad” cholesterol; can cause plaque buildup in blood vessels, leading to heart disease
High-density lipoprotein (HDL): “Good” cholesterol; lowers cardiovascular risk by returning cholesterol to the liver where it can be removed from the body
Saturated Fats in Peanut Butter
Peanut butter contains a small amount (3.2 grams) of saturated fat per 2-tablespoon serving. Many healthy foods contain some saturated fat and in moderation, a small amount of saturated fat is okay.
Unsaturated Fats in Peanut Butter
While peanut butter contains some saturated fat, it also contains high levels of unsaturated fats. These help lower LDL, making many nuts and nut products, including peanut butter, a heart-healthy food.
Unsaturated fat comes in different forms.
Monounsaturated
Studies have shown that monounsaturated fats reduce LDL and have a protective effect on the heart. Peanut butter is a good source of this type of fat.
Other monounsaturated fat sources include:
- Avocado
- Canola oil
- Nuts such as almonds, cashews, pecans, and peanuts
- Nut butters
- Olive oil and olives (choose low or reduced sodium)
- Peanut oil
- Safflower oil
Polyunsaturated
These fats also lower LDL and reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications such as heart attack and stroke.
Included under the polyunsaturated heading are the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6. The body does not make these fatty acids, so it is important to include them in your diet.
Peanut butter is a good source of omega-6 fat. Other sources include:
- Tofu
- Walnuts
- Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
- Canola oil
- Eggs
- Sunflower seeds
Sources of omega-3 include:
- Oily fish, such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, and tuna
- Walnuts
- Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
- Canola oil
- Chia seeds
Unsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats help lower LDL and have heart-protecting properties.
Nut Butters and Cholesterol
There is no dietary cholesterol in peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, or pistachio butter. All four nut butters are rich in unsaturated fats and lower in saturated fats.
Almond butter has the highest amount of total fat, but the lowest amount of saturated fat. It also has the highest amount of unsaturated fat. This is a good illustration of why it is important to look at the composition of the fats in food, not just the total fat value.
Always read the nutrition labels. Many nut butter products contain added sugar, sodium, and other undesirable ingredients like trans, hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated fats, which should be avoided altogether.
| Fat Comparisons Between Nut Butters | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type of fat in grams | 1 tablespoon of peanut butter | 1 tablespoon of almond butter | 1 tablespoon of cashew butter | 1 tablespoon of pistachio butter |
| Monounsaturated fat | 4.06 | 5.18 | 4.66 | 5.75 (total unsaturated fat, including polyunsaturated) |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 1.97 | 2.18 | 1.34 | - |
| Saturated fat | 1.62 | 0.664 | 1.56 | 0.75 |
| Total fat | 8.18 | 8.88 | 7.9 | 6.5 |
Eating Peanut Butter in Moderation
Peanut butter is healthy, but only when eaten in the right amounts. The American Heart Association (AHA) considers a serving of nut butter to be 2 tablespoons.
The AHA recommends no more than 5% to 6% of daily caloric intake come from saturated fats. For example, a person who eats 2,000 calories a day should consume no more than 13 grams of saturated fat per day.
This means that for a person who eats 2,000 calories a day, 8 tablespoons of peanut butter would use up an entire day’s worth of saturated fat on its own.
All fat contains the same amount of calories: nine calories per gram. This is more than twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrates, each of which has four calories per gram.
Taking in more calories than you use can lead to weight gain. For a person wishing to reduce their weight or maintain a healthy weight, high-calorie foods, even healthy ones, should be consumed in moderation.
Is Peanut Butter Healthy?
When consumed in the right amounts, peanut butter is healthy.
Nuts that are high in unsaturated fats and low in saturated fats have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The FDA even allows some nut products to use the claim, “Eating a diet that includes one ounce of nuts daily can reduce your risk of heart disease.”
They also contain other healthy nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
For the most health benefits from peanut butter, choose ones without added sugar or salt.
Summary
Peanut butter is good for your cholesterol because it contains no dietary cholesterol, is low in saturated fat, and is high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Since peanut butter is high in total fat and therefore calories, it is important to eat it in the right amount to prevent weight gain and to limit your total saturated fat intake per day.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Peanut butter.
American Diabetes Association. Fats.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Blood cholesterol.
Arya SS, Salve AR, Chauhan S. Peanuts as functional food: a review.J Food Sci Technol. 2016;53(1):31-41. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-2007-9
American Heart Association. Saturated fat.
Harvard School of Public Health. Nuts for the heart.
Medline Plus. Facts about monounsaturated fats.
American Heart Association. Polyunsaturated fats.
American Heart Association. Go nuts (but just a little!).
Nemours Children's Health. Figuring out fat and calories.
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By Heather Jones
Jones is a freelance writer with a strong focus on health, parenting, disability, and feminism.
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