As we’ve gone over in previous posts, nut butter varieties are vast and wide. If peanut butter just isn’t your style then there’s no shortage of alternatives to choose from. One such variety would be macadamia nut butter — a buttery spread made from the macadamia nut — and in today’s post we’ll be delving into some of the benefits of macadamia nut butter.
In short, the benefits of macadamia nut butter is that it’s keto-friendly due to its low net carbohydrate content, it’s a sodium-free alternative with no added sugars, and it can be used as a substitute for those with peanut allergies.
Let’s dig in deeper!
Macadamia Nut Butter
In short, macadamia nut butter is a buttery spread made from the macadamia nut. It is made by grinding up the macadamia nuts into a fine paste. The resulting butter has a creamy texture and a nutty flavor.
Macadamia nut butter is a good source of healthy fats and various micronutrients. It is high in monounsaturated fats, which are known to be beneficial for heart health.
Additionally, macadamia nut butter is a good source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber.
It’s also a good choice for those who are looking for an alternative to peanut butter. Peanut allergies are relatively common, and macadamia nut butter can be a good alternative for those who must avoid peanuts at all costs.
Nutrition Facts
Let’s have a look at the nutrition facts of “Vör Pure Macadamia Nut Butter Spread” — a popular brand of macadamia nut butter found on Amazon.
A single 2 tbsp serving of macadamia nut butter contains:
- Calories: 230
- Total Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Total Carbohydrate: 5g
- Dietary Fiber: 3g
- Total Sugar: 1g
- Added Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 0mg
You can see how macadamia nut butter compares with other nut butter varieties in a previous post where we compared the nutritional content of all of them.
Comparatively, macadamia nut butter doesn’t fare very well against its rivals. Not when it comes to the macronutrients, at least. For example:
- It has more calories per serving than any of the other nut butters we compared.
- It contains more total fat than any of the other nut butters, too.
- More saturated fat per serving than all of the others
When taking all of that into consideration it may appear as if the benefits of macadamia nut butter are non-existent. By comparison, almost every other variety of nut butter has a more favorable nutritional profile.
That said, this lesser-known nut butter does have some redeeming qualities. Let’s have a look at a few of them.
Benefits Of Macadamia Nut Butter
The following is a handful of benefits you’ll enjoy when opting for macadamia nut butter over the other nutty varieties.
1. It’s Keto-Friendly
Possibly the biggest benefit macadamia nut butter has to offer is that it’s relatively low in net carbohydrates.
Net carbohydrates represents the carbohydrate count minus the fiber content. This calculation is made because, although fiber counts as a carbohydrate, it does not contain calories and it does not produce the insulin response that other carbohydrates do.
This means that if you’re following ketogenic diet — a diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in fat — macadamia nut butter is one of the better options as it contains less net carbohydrates than most other nut butters.
2. It Contains No Sodium
Another benefit you’ll enjoy when opting for the macadamia variety of nut butter is that it contains no sodium. This is beneficial because modern Western diets tend to be high in sodium, which could potentially lead to health complications.
Sodium is a mineral and essential electrolyte that is partially responsible for managing water balance and electrical pulses in the body.
A little bit of sodium is healthy and necessary for bodily functions. However, excess sodium intake is associated with changes in blood pressure.
One of the benefits of this particular brand of macadamia nut butter is that it contains no added salt whatsoever. This is a stark contrast from other brands and varieties of nut butters that load up their product with salt.
3. Zero Added Sugars
One of the other benefits of macadamia nut butter is that it contains no added sugars! It should be noted though that this is only true for the brand of nut butter we surveyed, so be sure to check the nutrition facts label of whichever product you buy.
Foods with added sugars can be detrimental to your health because they contribute to weight gain. Foods high in sugar tend to be less satiating, meaning they are easy to over-eat without realizing it.
In addition, excess sugar consumption has been linked with various health complications, such as insulin resistance and fatty liver disease.
Some manufacturers of nut butters have a tendency to sweeten their product with added sugar. This can be largely avoided by opting for the natural version of nut butters, but be sure to always check the nutrition facts label regardless.
4. A Source Of Plant-Based Protein
Protein is the building block of life. In the body, it is responsible for a variety of functions, such as the repair and growth of cells and tissues.
Protein is found in all sorts of food, but some sources are better than others. Animal-based protein sources — such as meat, poultry, fish, and eggs — are usually considered to be the most complete because they contain all of the essential amino acids.
It may be no secret that those who follow a vegan, vegetarian, or any other plant-based diet struggle to reach daily protein goals, and one of the biggest complications of following a such a diet is the lack of variety.
Plant-based enthusiasts may be delighted to hear that they have yet another option to source their protein needs from, as macadamia nut butter contains 3g of it per serving.
5. Dietary Fiber
Finally, macadamia nut butter is an excellent source of fiber.
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest and is tasked with removing waste from the body. It is often divided into two categories: soluble and insoluble.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and can help to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber, on the other hand, does not dissolve in water and helps to add bulk to stool, promoting regularity.
Those reaching for that jar of macadamia butter will enjoy 3g of fiber for every 2 tbsp serving!
In Conclusion
Now that we’ve gone over some of the various benefits of macadamia nut butter and compared it with other nut butter varieties, it’s safe to say that although it does have its benefits, it’s certainly not the only viable alternative. In fact, it may not even be the best option for your particular needs.
For example, peanut butter has more protein per serving than macadamia nut butter does, and pistachio butter has less fat.
That being said, you still can’t go wrong with macadamia butter if it’s your nutty flavor of choice.