Nut butters: How do you choose the right one?

Updated on September 15, 2026

Summary: Nut butters: How to make the right choice?

Lynn Goneau explains how to choose the right nut or seed butter: ideally, it should contain only nuts or seeds—sometimes with a little salt—with no added sugar or hydrogenated oil, and preferably unroasted. Each variety has its own nutritional benefits—vitamin E in almonds, magnesium and copper in cashews, plant-based omega-3s in walnuts—which is why it’s a good idea to vary your choices.

These butters primarily provide healthy fats that promote satiety, but they are still high in calories; a serving of about two teaspoons is sufficient. Since they generally contain only two to three grams of protein, nut butters complement a protein source rather than replacing it. You can serve it with fruit and cheese, add it to Greek yogurt, or use it in a sauce.

For school lunches, seed butters—including pumpkin seed butter—can be a good alternative, provided you check the school’s policy.

1) Choose Your Nut Butter Wisely

Opt for a product made solely from nuts or seeds, possibly with a little salt. Avoid added sugars, hydrogenated oils, and, if possible, roasted nuts.

2) Varying Health Benefits

Each variety has its own benefits: almonds provide vitamin E, cashews offer magnesium and copper, and walnuts are a source of plant-based omega-3s. It’s therefore a good idea to rotate between different nut butters.

3) Primarily a Source of Healthy Fats

Nut and seed butters primarily provide beneficial fats that promote satiety. However, they contain little protein—about two to three grams per serving of two teaspoons—and therefore do not replace a true source of protein.

4) How to incorporate them

They can be served with fruit, cheese, or Greek yogurt, or used to make a sauce. For school lunches, pumpkin seed butter can replace peanut butter, subject to school policy.

About the Author

Lynn Goneau, Certified Naturopath

Specializes in:

• Digestive Health
• Hormonal Health
• Stress and Fatigue
• Memory and Concentration
• Weight management

Frédéric Bisson, radio host on 104.7 FM

Host at the Cogeco network’s 104.7 FM radio station. Frédéric Bisson has been hosting the show *L’Outaouais Maintenant* from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. every weekday since February 27, 2023.

Transcript

Frédéric Bisson - 104.7 FM Host:

Today on the show, we’re talking a lot about health, the importance of prevention, being as mindful as possible of what our bodies might have in store for us one day, and a good way to take care of our bodies is by eating well and getting the minerals and nutrients they need. And today we’re talking with Lynn Goneau, a naturopath from La Boite à Grains, about butter and nuts—because there are some really good ones out there. And you have to know how to make the right choice. Hello, Lynn.

Lynn Goneau—Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Hello, Fred.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

And I have to admit that when you see the display—the sheer variety—my goodness. Good grief. You need a GPS… cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts—how do you make sense of it all?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

That’s true. You could easily spend more time choosing your nut butter than choosing your bread to make a good choice.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

I was going to say your girlfriend—sometimes she’s not so slow.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

The first thing to do is check the ingredient list. Ideally, it should contain only nuts or seeds, sometimes with a little salt. That’s it. Then look for a product with no added sugar or hydrogenated oil.

Frédéric Bisson - Host at 104.7FM:

What if it says “roasted”?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

That’s not ideal, actually. Some people prefer them that way because of the taste, but in reality, no, roasted isn’t ideal, because that changes their composition. That’s not what we want, because each variety has its own unique qualities—it’s like its personality. If you take almonds, uh, they stand out—especially for their vitamin E. Uh, cashews provide magnesium and copper, and walnuts supply plant-based omega-3s. Ultimately, there isn’t really a clear winner—each nut offers something slightly different. That’s why it’s better to mix it up rather than always buying the same nut butters.

Frédéric Bisson—Host, 104.7FM:

Okay, you can pretty much mix them together.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

That’s right.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

But I don’t know if they taste good. And at the same time, they’re not exactly cheap either, Lynn, but that’s because these foods are generally high-quality. What’s in them? What’s their main benefit? Nutritionally speaking, I hear a lot about protein.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Actually, nut and seed butters are first and foremost a good source of fats. You have to start by understanding that these are healthy fats—and healthy fats are truly essential. We shouldn’t avoid them because, actually, they’re not what’s going to make us gain weight, Fred. Um, it’s more the unhealthy fats and sugars that cause weight gain, but healthy fats help our bodies function properly. As mentioned, they provide us with certain essential fatty acids that our bodies can’t produce on their own. Don’t forget that healthy fats also help you feel full. Yeah, um, that’s when you feel full or more satisfied. That, too. It’s important to know that the distinction is important, but it really comes down to portion sizes. Nut butters are very, very, very nutritious, but they’re also energy-dense. Let’s say two teaspoons. That’s really enough.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

You look at the calorie content on the jar, and then you understand—and I, Lynn, have been “full” for a while now. Well, I’m not going to say it, but it took me several years to relearn what it means to be hungry. And then, after that, because I imagine there’s protein in there.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

That’s what’s going to make you feel really, really full. That’s really it. That’s the nut. Yes, it’s the fat. Okay, it’s a good source of lipids.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Okay, so it’s not true that there’s that much protein in them.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

No, actually, you might think there’s a lot of protein in nuts, but I’m telling you that two teaspoons usually provide around two to three grams of protein.

Frédéric Bisson - Host at 104.7FM:

That’s not very much. Three-quarters of a cup of protein yogurt has almost 20 grams.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Exactly—it’s a great addition, but it’s usually not enough to meet your protein needs in that meal. That’s really why I like to say that nut butter complements a protein source but doesn’t replace it. 

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Okay, so any snack ideas to show us what we can pair it with or how we can use it?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Absolutely. You can serve an apple with some nut butter. It’s delicious. And a piece of cheese or berries with Greek yogurt, a spoonful of nut butter—as we mentioned earlier, the fruit provides your carbs and fiber, while the nut butter adds your healthy fats, and the dairy product rounds out your snack by providing more protein.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Yeah, nut butter. Sometimes I make a sauce with it. It’s like a little chicken broth. You just stir it in—a little almond butter, a few drops of oil—and it makes an Asian-style sauce. Incredible, it’s incredible. 

What are some options for lunch now?

Lynn Goneau—Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

Well, yes. For kids who go to school—since peanuts are often prohibited—as long as you follow the school’s policy regarding which seeds are allowed in seed butters, that’s one of my favorites.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

No problem at all.

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath from La Boite à Grains:

No, you always have to check with the school as well. But you’re right—pumpkin seed butter is the closest thing to peanut butter. It’s a great substitute for those nut butters that are banned at school.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

So obviously, if you’re talking to us about nut butter, it must be something you really love? 

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

The nut and seed butters from Nuts to You. They offer a wide variety of options to suit every taste. What I love is that it’s a family-owned Ontario business that’s been making nut and seed butters since 1989.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

Do you see clients or patients for consultations?

Lynn Goneau - Naturopath at La Boite à Grains:

Clients. Yes, it’s simple: if you’d like a private consultation to take stock of your health and figure out what you really need right now, just send me a quick email. My office is located at La Boite à Grains on Gréber Street, but by email, we can schedule an appointment and go over your health.

Frédéric Bisson - Host, 104.7FM:

That’s Lynn Goneau. Have a great week. We’ll be back next week.