Kraft peanut butter or kraft all natural peanut butter?

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  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    ccsernica wrote: »
    Generally speaking, the main difference is that regular peanut butter has had the peanut oil removed and replaced with a less expensive vegetable oil, and has a sweetener added. Often the replacement oil is also hydrogenated to keep it from separating. Natural peanut butter will retain the natural peanut oil -- which is why it separates -- and has no added sweeteners.

    Right, but at least here in the US the big brands all have a "natural version" that add veg oil and it doesn't separate. And has added sugar. So if you care about that sort of thing, you can't go by what it's called.
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    ccsernica wrote: »
    Generally speaking, the main difference is that regular peanut butter has had the peanut oil removed and replaced with a less expensive vegetable oil, and has a sweetener added. Often the replacement oil is also hydrogenated to keep it from separating. Natural peanut butter will retain the natural peanut oil -- which is why it separates -- and has no added sweeteners.

    Right, but at least here in the US the big brands all have a "natural version" that add veg oil and it doesn't separate. And has added sugar. So if you care about that sort of thing, you can't go by what it's called.

    That's true, and it's because "natural" is not a regulated term. They could put literally anything in the jar and call it "natural", and there's not a thing the FTC can do about it.
  • JetJaguar
    JetJaguar Posts: 801 Member
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    "Natural" is essentially meaningless on a food label because ultimately, no matter how processed and synthesized a food is, all of the raw materials came from somewhere in nature. As far as salt, I believe this varies depending on region. While staying with relatives in Windsor, Canada about a year ago, the all-natural Smuckers PB only had peanuts listed as an ingredient, but here in Florida it also has salt listed.
  • ccsernica
    ccsernica Posts: 1,040 Member
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    JetJaguar wrote: »
    While staying with relatives in Windsor, Canada about a year ago, the all-natural Smuckers PB only had peanuts listed as an ingredient, but here in Florida it also has salt listed.
    Unlike the US, in Canada, "natural" is a regulated term. Salt probably counts as "an added... mineral nutrient."

    http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/labelling/food-labelling-for-industry/method-of-production-claims/eng/1389379565794/1389380926083?chap=2
  • suryoyo85
    suryoyo85 Posts: 56 Member
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    Natural is better
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
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    I love the Justin kind.... at first it was "different" but now I prefer it. Drier, less sweet, and grittier.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    Aldi is my favorite

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  • intercepter811tch
    intercepter811tch Posts: 17 Member
    edited June 2017
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    Trader Joe Creamy Salted, just peanuts and salt, 16 ounce jar of Creamy Salted Peanut Butter for $2.49
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Looks like they've added sugar and a bit of palm oil to some of their options: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/product-faq/peanut-butter

    Others do not have it.

    Thanks.

    Ugh, this is ridiculous:

    "Why did 365 Organic Everyday Value Peanut Butter change formulations?

    To help aid the transition from Whole Kids Organic, two of the varieties now contain added sugar to remain sweet for a kid's palate."
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    edited June 2017
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Looks like they've added sugar and a bit of palm oil to some of their options: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/product-faq/peanut-butter

    Others do not have it.

    Thanks.

    Ugh, this is ridiculous:

    "Why did 365 Organic Everyday Value Peanut Butter change formulations?

    To help aid the transition from Whole Kids Organic, two of the varieties now contain added sugar to remain sweet for a kid's palate."

    I'll have to look at the peanut butter aisle again, but the added sugar might be the reason I didn't go for the 365 brand. It absolutely drives me nuts that there is sugar in EVERYTHING here in the US.

    Edited to add: totally not demonizing sugar--I like cookies and candies just as much as the next person. But I don't need/like added sugar in peanut butter. Or spaghetti sauce. Or bread.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    Umm Teddies smooth is the way to go! Once you start eating all natural peanut butter it's addicting (I mean you don't really get addicted like you do to sugar... J/K) and going back to the other stuff is tough. I don't think I could pour out the oil like some people, it would get way too dried out, I've noticed this when I have been lazy and really just stirred the oil into the top, and the bottom is just dried out by the time I get to it.

    https://teddie.com/product/old-fashion-all-natural-smooth/
  • asami_imawano
    asami_imawano Posts: 1 Member
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    I use peanut buttter powder. It's less fat and I feel it tastes pretty good. I also like how you can mix it with shakes
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Looks like they've added sugar and a bit of palm oil to some of their options: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/product-faq/peanut-butter

    Others do not have it.

    Thanks.

    Ugh, this is ridiculous:

    "Why did 365 Organic Everyday Value Peanut Butter change formulations?

    To help aid the transition from Whole Kids Organic, two of the varieties now contain added sugar to remain sweet for a kid's palate."

    Yes, I had the same reaction.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    mitch16 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    Looks like they've added sugar and a bit of palm oil to some of their options: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/product-faq/peanut-butter

    Others do not have it.

    Thanks.

    Ugh, this is ridiculous:

    "Why did 365 Organic Everyday Value Peanut Butter change formulations?

    To help aid the transition from Whole Kids Organic, two of the varieties now contain added sugar to remain sweet for a kid's palate."

    I'll have to look at the peanut butter aisle again, but the added sugar might be the reason I didn't go for the 365 brand. It absolutely drives me nuts that there is sugar in EVERYTHING here in the US.

    It's not in all their versions, that's what the link I gave explained. Yours might also have the no sugar added kind, and if not I'd ask the manager why not (they also might have just been out that day). I really don't have much trouble finding nut butter without it. (And my usual disclaimer that lots and lots of things don't have added sugar. I do share your irritation that it sometimes seems to be added to far more than needs it, as I also usually prefer it less sweet and to some extent people's palates get adapted to what they are used to -- I think the reason I've always preferred no sugar added peanut butter is because I never ate the other kind as a kid.)
    Edited to add: totally not demonizing sugar--I like cookies and candies just as much as the next person. But I don't need/like added sugar in peanut butter. Or spaghetti sauce. Or bread.

    Agreed -- but (have to say this) to some extent the amount in bread may be quite low (depends on the bread) and not much different than what home cooks add for the yeast to eat (in some it's higher and you can taste it). Pasta sauce that is homemade has sugar too (I have a meat sauce that has 7 g per serving all from tomatoes and other added vegetables) and a great deal of the bemoaning of the sugar in pasta sauce ignores that a LOT of it is inherent sugar, not added. Also, although I've never done it (I usually don't have sugar on hand and haven't found it affects taste), my Fundamentals of Italian Cooking book recommends adding a bit of sugar to marinara sauce to round out the taste, and my understanding is that this is a traditional thing. It's also similar to what ksharma pointed out about the use of sugar in Thai cooking in another thread (to balance with the spice and other flavors). NOT suggesting it needs to be in peanut butter, but often I think people suggest that it's unheard of for sugar to be in some things when it really is not.

    (I would agree that in many brands more is added than should be, which I one reason I've generally found it bothersome to the taste, and that probably it's because it's a cheap way to enhance flavor -- use of HFCS often is that, and one reason I tend to avoid HFCS even though I don't think it's different from sucrose from a health perspective.)

    Anyway, sorry for using your post for a tangent here.
  • lexmb1
    lexmb1 Posts: 17 Member
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    Um, PC all-natural PB is 100% roasted peanuts. That's it. Nothing else. Kraft all-natural peanut butte is also 100% peanuts, only. No added oils. Nuts to You peanut butte is the same. Natur also. There's plenty with just peanuts. You just have to look for them :-) And I'm in Canada eh!
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,533 Member
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    Interesting to read those labels. Haven't purchased store pb in a long time as I grind my own from unsalted peanuts. IMHO, this is the tastiest. Keep in fridge. No need to stir. No added sugars or oil or salt. If it gets too hard, I zap in mico for about 5 sec.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »

    Agreed -- but (have to say this) to some extent the amount in bread may be quite low (depends on the bread) and not much different than what home cooks add for the yeast to eat (in some it's higher and you can taste it). Pasta sauce that is homemade has sugar too (I have a meat sauce that has 7 g per serving all from tomatoes and other added vegetables) and a great deal of the bemoaning of the sugar in pasta sauce ignores that a LOT of it is inherent sugar, not added. Also, although I've never done it (I usually don't have sugar on hand and haven't found it affects taste), my Fundamentals of Italian Cooking book recommends adding a bit of sugar to marinara sauce to round out the taste, and my understanding is that this is a traditional thing. It's also similar to what ksharma pointed out about the use of sugar in Thai cooking in another thread (to balance with the spice and other flavors). NOT suggesting it needs to be in peanut butter, but often I think people suggest that it's unheard of for sugar to be in some things when it really is not.

    (I would agree that in many brands more is added than should be, which I one reason I've generally found it bothersome to the taste, and that probably it's because it's a cheap way to enhance flavor -- use of HFCS often is that, and one reason I tend to avoid HFCS even though I don't think it's different from sucrose from a health perspective.)

    Anyway, sorry for using your post for a tangent here.

    Good tangent though. It is good to point out that sometimes the added sugar does serve a purpose and isn't always just added for a ridiculous level of sweetness. For instance, jams and preserves are as sickeningly sweet as they are because (the traditional process at least) requires that amount for the jam/preserves to set properly (which is why that 45-50 calories/T is largely universal across brands except for a few watered down fruit spreads and smucker's splenda line that uses locust bean gum).

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