Organic vs. non-organic almond butter

[Juice06870]

I was looking over the almond butter at Whole Foods this week. Picked up a small 8 oz jar of MaraNatha Organic Roasted Almond Butter. Cost: 12.99 :0 There was a larger jar that cost something like $23.99

I was in Costco this morning and there was a GIANT container of almond butter of the same brand, only it was not organic. Cost: $6.99

That is obviously a huge cost difference between organic and non-organic. When it comes to something like almond butter, is it really that important that it be organic?

Also, roasted vs. raw? Any difference from a health standpoint?

Thanks!

[Susan W]

No difference in the health aspect as far as roasted or not, but the roasted is awesome tasting. I chose the roasted over the organic. Personally, I would go for the non organic with that kind of savings..as long as it doesn't encourage you to scarf more nut butter than you should. Nuts don't have a thin skin like the veggies that they put on the dirty list. I just did a quick Google search and didn't find anything about almonds.

[percypat]

I find it easier to gobble down roasted almond butter to raw: the raw is more almondy and less seems to go a longer way. The roasted has that nice, well, roasted flavour (how to describe?) which goes down the hatch far too easily.

Something to keep in mind if nut butters are a food without brakes for you

[Susan W]

I find it easier to gobble down roasted almond butter to raw: the raw is more almondy and less seems to go a longer way. The roasted has that nice, well, roasted flavour (how to describe?) which goes down the hatch far too easily.

Something to keep in mind if nut butters are a food without brakes for you

No wonder I had to vote it off my island. It tasted better than anything has a right to. It tasted better than bacon!!

[percypat]

Goodness me yes. I can polish off far more roasted almond butter in one sitting than I care to admit. Not that I can't guzzle a whole bunch of the raw stuff, but I didn't find it quite so moreish which is a good thing.

[Just Real Food]

Definitely a "food with no brakes" - a very delicious one.

[SpinSpin]

For me the nut butters don't seem to have the same hold on me for food with out brakes like whole nuts are! I think it is the gag factor of scarfing nut butters just off a spoon--bad memories of gagging on peanut butter as a child I guess! And I can eat nuts by the handful--macs are off my island!

[Beets]

Roasted may health-wise be better than raw, all things being equal, since the roasting most likely reduces some of the phytic acids in the nuts. http://www.thenouris...nd-coconut.html On the flip side, nuts are usually roasted in oil--and if the almond butter is cheap it's probably a cheap, not great for you oil.

I have been thinking about making it myself with soaked, dried nuts--especially important with almonds since they have a lot of phytic acid. My kids eat it pretty quickly. I've found that the fresh almond butter (that you grind yourself in the store) is less expensive than the jarred. But it's all expensive.

This link tells you which foods use which pesticides and how bad they are: http://www.whatsonmy...ood.jsp?food=AL

$6.99 is very cheap for a tub of almond butter. (Enough to make you wonder how exactly IS it so cheap? But that is a reputable brand.) While I try to buy organic when I can to support organic farming (in addition obv to avoiding pesticides on food and in the soil, harming bees, spreading GMO genes into the environment, etc)--you could definitely put that savings towards pastured eggs or meat that will have a bigger impact on your diet.

[Juice06870]

Thanks all for the great feedback. Seems the Costco size might be ok for us then. I will see how this first, smaller jar goes, if we scarf it down in a couple of sittings, then maybe I'll rethink buying the larger size

[Susan W]

Juice I find the unroasted much easier to stay away from than the roasted. Report back after you try the roasted. Did you check the ingredients label of the non organic version?

Beets, the roasted organic version (the one they bought in the smaller jar) has nothing in it but almonds and maybe salt? No icky oils.

[Beets]

Well then that is indeed a great bargain!

[Juice06870]

Susan W, the non organic only contained almonds if i remember the label correctly. The roasted is indeed very good. It's very thick and dense compared to regular peanut butter, but very tasty. Based on the few bites I've had so far, I can't see myself going too overboard with it in one sitting because of its density. Of course i am only on day 8 on the whole30, so lets see if if I have the same idea in another week or so. I might have it in a feedbag around my face by that point.

[Susan W]

Lol juice. That feed bag got really close to attaching itself to me. I ran for the hills. :0) I have not tried the unroasted. I cannot be trusted.

[GoJo09]

I've decreed that I can only have nut butter pre-workout on apple slices, or on celery sticks (I'm not a huge fan of celery, so that's a great limiting factor!)

[Beets]

Eh. Nut butter isn't dangerous for me, so it might not be for you either. I had many years of measuring out and/or weighing all the nut butter that entered my mouth. Maybe those old habits stay? Also to me it's just not easy to eat. It's so thick.

But dried fruit? That stuff is my nemesis.

[Juice06870]

So I picked up the costco sized Roasted Almond Butter (MaraNatha Brand - Creamy ) last night.  $6.99 for 26 oz.

 

I am just finishing the first jar I bought from Whole Foods ($12,99 for 8 oz).  

 

I compared the labels and everything is the exact same, except for the fact that the Whole Foods jar was organic.  

 

I will most likely crack the Costco tonight to try it to compare it, flavor-wise, but I expect it to be pretty much the same.  And for half the price, and 3x the product, it's pretty hard to beat.  

 

I don't eat much of it, I'll usually just dip a butter knife into it a couple of times and have a few tastes after a meal here and there.  So hopefully that doesn't change.

[Laura B]

I purchased the Costco jar. It has lasted me a while. Haven't had any fruit for it to be paired with since starting this W30, but I would cut up a banana and dab some on each slice after a meal in the past. 

[PamH]

Personally, I would choose raw nut butters since they have not been exposed to temps above 104-120 degrees and have the best chance of still containing beneficial enzymes and nutrients.    When our food doesn't come with its own enzymes, our bodies have to work harder which can stress the digestive system.   Sadly, US almonds now have to be pasteurized, but there is a way to do it without destroying the nutrients too badly.  

 

Organic vs not:  I always choose organic, but almonds are not one of the more heavily sprayed crops (plus the whole shell thing) so non-organic, raw almond butter would be an OK choice for me if cost was an issue.

 

As long as they aren't carrying MaraNatha's no-stir variety, I say go-for-it if you want to save some $$.  When you have to pick and choose when to go organic, and are not eating tons of almond butter per day, this is one you can buy conventional I think.

 

Make your own?  It is pretty easy... and you can source your own raw almonds.  

[HippeeChick]

ALmond butter in a very small amount makes a great Pad Thai-inspired sauce. I started with the Well Fed recipe and adapted a little to taster.  But, it is a great way to get the flavor and not just lick it off a spoon...which is my preference   Apple with almond butter is sublime, but not sufficient protein to be a meal...one of the few great tragedies of Whole30 life