Is Peanut Butter High in Cholesterol? (2024)

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.

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.

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

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.